The Summer Holidays | Page 3

a bit of noise--and peep through this crack.
You'll see the biggest owl that ever you did see, in all your life." Both
of them looked through. It was very dark, but Samuel saw two great
eyes, like balls of fire, and in a little while he could perceive the body
of an owl, which, as John had said, was the largest he had ever seen.
"Let us go in and catch him," said John. But Thomas answered, that as
it was now dark the owl could easily fly away; and besides, as they did
not wish to kill it, it could be of no use to them, if they should catch it.
"It might do for cousin to look at," replied John; but he did not insist
upon entering the house. As they were going away, Samuel asked his
cousin if he did not think owls were ugly.
"No, indeed," answered John. "I would rather see an owl any time than
these little birds that can do nothing but sing. See how soft his feathers
are--all barred and spotted with black and brown, which is more
handsome than to be all over red or yellow. I know he can't sing; but
he's got nice, long ears, and that no other bird has. And how nice and
round his head is. Then he sits on a tree, and looks wise, as father says.
The Canary, and the mocking bird, are good enough to keep in cages,
but of all birds, give me an owl."
Thomas and Samuel laughed at this notion, but John continued:
"Thomas, did not some people, who lived a long while ago, call the owl

the 'bird of wisdom?'"
"Yes," replied Thomas. "I have heard father say that it was the
Athenians."
"That shows how wise they were," said John. "I seems to me as though
that owl, which we saw, was keeping house for poor old soldier Jack."
"Do hush about owls," said his brother, laughing; and they ran together
through the gate, and into the yard.
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CHAPTER III.
A VISIT TO DADDY HALL.
Next morning, Mr. Harvey told his sons that they might go to see an
old man, who lived in a small house, about two miles off, and who was
so sickly that he could not work. This old man's name was Hall, and the
boys of the school called him Daddy Hall. He had once been rich; but
sickness and misfortune had reduced him to poverty, so that he now
lived with his little son, in a small hut, near a hill. Every week he sent
fruit and vegetables to market, in a cart, drawn by a donkey, which
some of the neighbors had given to him. Every week Mr. Harvey sent
either a servant, or one of the boys, to see how he was getting along,
and to carry him something nice.
The two boys, with their cousin, were soon off, carrying with them a
basket full of things for the old man. They went by the road across the
meadows, and through a small gate in the hedge. Samuel observed, that
the hawthorn of the hedge grew very thick and close, so that a bird
could scarcely get through it. The roots and branches were twisted into
each other, appearing like strong, thick chains woven together; and on
the vines grew sharp thorns, longer than a needle. Mr. Harvey's boys
told their cousin, that neither man nor beast could get through such a

hedge; and that if a man were placed on the top, he could walk on the
vines without sinking down, they were so strong and close. "It would
be uneasy travelling, though," added John; "for his feet would be torn
to pieces by these spiky thorns."
They now left the hedge, and went on through two wide fields, until
they reached some hills that stood by themselves, and were steep and
bare. Three of them had deep pits dug in them, while piles of rock,
stones, and sand, were lying around. Samuel asked his cousins what
place it was.
"It is an iron mine," said Thomas; but it is not worked any more,
because there is not enough of iron found to pay for the trouble. All
these stones lying about here are pieces of ore; but the quantity of iron
in them is so small that it will not pay for the expense of taking it out
from the ore."
"How is iron taken from the ore?" asked Samuel. Thomas replied:
"The ore is first crushed into coarse dust, and then washed. Afterwards
this dust is melted in a hot furnace, and the iron is separated from the
melted stone, or dross, in a manner which is very troublesome, and
which father can explain to you