Oscar / The Boy Who Had His Own Way

-father, whom he called father, and with whom he lived. His home was to Oscar a very attractive one; for it was a public house, and had large stables and a stage-office attach

out the hotel premises, or riding on the coaches with Alfred. He only regretted that he could not stay there altogether; for he thought it must be a fine thing to live in such a place, where he could do pretty much as he pleased, without anybo

here for a season. He was very fond of listening to the stories of the drivers and other frequenters of the stage-office, and he would sit by the hour, inhaling the smoke of their cigars, admiring their long yarns, and laughing at the jokes they cracked. Much of this conversati

way. He was famous among all the boys of the neighborhood, for using strange and amusing words, and especially for a system of spelling on which he prided himself, and which is not laid down in any of the dictionaries. He afforded much sport to the boys, who would gather around him, and give him words by t

f the boys, by the way, wished to be considered tobacco-chewers, and usually carried a good-sized piece of the vile weed in their pockets, though it must

r two, first," said Alfred,

mportant business to ne

" continued Alf

g-n," s

el," conti

-t-e-l

culate," s

-h-t-there, that 'll

spell tobacco, and you sh

o-u-g-h-now hand

any-have you, Os

pockets, but there

tell me that before? You catch me in that trap again, if you can!" a

Oscar, after they had got done laughing

. As the boys approached them, they were frisking and capering as usual; tumbling and rolling over one another, climbing upon the back of their mother, and pulling and barking at the straw. Their mother, whose name was Bright, sat watching their gambols with a very affectionate but sedate look. Perhaps she was wondering whether she was ever so mischievou

n: Bright an

en all the pups but one to me, d

, though?"

d so I teased him till he did. He 's going to pic

id Oscar; "and you 'll

d; "but don't tell the boys I gave it

continued Oscar; "I can get the

meant you should have one of them,

Oscar, "I should l

r respective merits, they happened to notice that one

ried Alfred, "whe

?t," replie

boys ran for the coach, the driver stoppi

nes, even to older heads than theirs. On one track, within the dep?t, were six or eight cars, beneath which a man was crawling along, carefully examining the running gear, and giving each wheel two or three smart raps with a hammer, to see if it had a clear and natural ring. These cars had lately arrived from a distant city, and must undergo a careful scrutiny before they are again used. If any break or flaw is discovered, the car is sent out to the rep

brakes brought them to a stand in the dep?t. The passengers now swarmed forth by hundreds-a curious and motley crowd of men, women, and children; good-looking people, and ill-looking ones; the f

hacks and coaches, whose drivers accosted every passenger, as he got out of the cars, with their invitations to "ride up." Alfred and Oscar now started to look after the stage

e. These boys want to go to the hotel, but I have n't room to take them. They say they h

ne of the cities of Maine, and had never been in Boston before. They were brothers; and both their parents being dead, they said they were on their way to the west, where they had an uncle, who had sent for them to come and live with him. They had a good many questions to ask about Boston, and said they meant to look around th

treets, the new-comers found much to attract their attention. They seemed inclined to stop at every shop window, to admire some object, and it was nearly dark when they reached the place where they were to make their purchase. Here, amid the variety of pistols that were exhibited to them, they were for a time unable to decide which to choose. At length, however, aided by the advice of Alfred and Oscar, they picked out two that they concluded to buy. They also purchased

pleased with their present, and felt very well satisfied with their afternoon's adventure. They were a little surprised, however, that their new friends should think i

knowing what rough fellows we may fall in with. But give me a good

scarcely yet in his teens, would have made even Alfred and Oscar s

d more directly towards his home, Oscar left the other bo