The boy's country-book: being the real life of a country boy, written by himself: exhibiting all the amusements, pleasures, and pursuits of children in the country

Front matter

T. Bosworth.

VLA'av; vr. s'tiukt.

ONE-VOLUME

Chapter I

Sketch of my life ; in which are briefly related sundry parti¬ culars hereafter to be more fully dwelt upon. — My birth¬ place, and village companions — Joe Garner, Cris Newton, Tom Smith, &c. — Description of my father’s house, and neighbours. — Sally Garner’s cottage, and our exploits there. Taking sparrow-nests — the nest in the old coal-pit — the adventure of the tree-foxes’ tails. — Advantages of field exercise in boyhood as shown in after-life, — Boyish employ¬ ments at the tailor’s, blacksmith’s, brickmaker’s, &e. — Burman, the clerk at the colliery — his strange character — first go to the collieries with him. - - Page 1

CHAP. H.

In which the scene changes, and Peter Scroggins, the pony, makes his appearance — gift of Peter Scroggins, and first mounting of him, with new saddle, bridle, and whip. — First visit to the collieries by night. — Astonishment at the scene. — Description of those old-fashioned coal-pits. — Curious cha¬ racter and nick-names of the colliers. — Descent into a coal¬ pit, and description of the interior — the rats in the pits. — Choke-damp and fire-damp, and their effects. — Singular scenery about the Newcastle collieries. - - - 16

a 3

VI

CONTEXTS.

Chap. III

In which I and Peter Scroggins become travellers, and journey into the Peak. — Delight which the scenery of the Peak of Derbyshire gave me. — Peculiar scenery of the Peak. — View of the lead mines — my father deluded by the im¬ postor Byfield Bincliff, and the mining abandoned. Page 29

Chap. IV

My father’s family, the Middletons. — The Redferns of the Fall, my mother’s family. — Tom Poundall, the blind lad — singular account of him. — Pleasures which I and my com¬ rades found in watching the village trades — the brick¬ yard — the building of a house — the shoemaker — the miller, and baker. — Charms of the wheelright’s shop — the making of a wheel. — Old William Woolley the florist. - 38

Chap. V

Pleasures springing from the progress of the seasons. — De¬ lightful remembrance of my rural home, and spring strolls. — Birds’-nesting : its pleasures — in what manner it may be innocently, and even usefully, pursued — the cruelties now often practised. — Weekly birds’-nesting strolls through the woods with my Uncle Redfern. — Kidsley Park, and all the curious birds’-nests there. — Gardening : Passion of boys for gardening — their demands on Thomas, the family gardener. — The gardens of the boys at Ackworth School, in Yorkshire. - - - - - - 52

Chap. VI

Pleasures springing from the seasons continued : Cowslip¬ gathering. — Angling. — Bathing. — Swimming. — Necessity of learning to swim. — Riding the bush-harrow. — Haymaking. — Pleasures and curiosities of the hay-field. — Wasp-nesting: an animated scene. — Pleasures of autumn. — Apple and

CONTENTS.

Vll crab gathering. — Nutting. — Acorn-gathering. — Scenery of the woods. — Woodmen at work. — Charcoal-burners. — The fifth of November. — Winter amusements. — Bird-catching. — Traps and dead-falls. — Snowball -rolling. — Snowman-making. — Getting in corn-ricks, and the rat¬ catcher. ------ Page 78

Chap. VII

country-boy’s occupations and pursuits.

Horsemanship : Progress of a country boy in horsemanship by riding sticks, boughs, turnstiles, asses, cows, horses, &c. — Riding horses to the water, half a dozen lads on one horse.

— Peter Scroggins supersedes these horses — a beautiful cream-coloured pony nearly supersedes Peter. — Rabbit¬ keeping: Building the rabbit- cote — best mode of keeping rabbits — my vain attempts to reach the number of forty.

— Keeping of guinea-pigs. — Pigeon-keeping — variety of pigeons — construction of their cotes. — Pigeon-tempters.

— Dogs: Pleasures of a dog companion — good for a boy to have a dog — a terrier or spaniel most suitable for him

— a dogged lecture by my grandfather, in which he sets

dogs above lions. — Exploit of my dog Pry in killing a pole¬ cat in a stable. - - - - - - 100

Chap. VIII. Juvenile Mechanics

A clever country lad never wants employment. — Tin water¬ mills of my erection. — Country-boy finds continual plea¬ sure in the shops of the village mechanics. — Account of the mechanical genius of a young relative. - - 123

Chap. IX. Occupations Of The Children Of The Poor

Contrast between factory children and children employed in the fields. — Bird-boys — very young bird-boy and his

Yin

CONTENTS.

song. - Shepherd-boys. — Gate- watchers. — History of the growth of a way-side cottager. — Ludicrous scene in cloth¬ ing two ragged lads. — Miseries of factory children. — Pleasant employments of country children in the fields, moors, hop-grounds, &c. - Page P29

Chap. X. Days At My Grandfather^

Account of the Fall, my grandfather’s residence — with its fox, dogs, pea-fowls, guinea-fowls, raven, and talking starling. — Rookery and rook-shooting — the pleasures of the brook — the old gentleman’s adventure with the stag — our fishing adventure — my head nearly split with an axe — the story of the white greyhound — the mad pigs — my uncle’s account of himself and my mother sitting still for a penny, and what happened the while — the goat and his exploits — with the overthrow of the baker. - - - - 140

Chap. XI. Fireside Amusements

Blind-man’s buff. — Turn-trencher. — F orfeits. — I spy. — Drafts, dominoes, fox-and-geese. — Game of Jackstraws. — Fireside reading. — Neighbours who came in to chat. — William Woolley. — Sammy Hand, with his novel way of frightening an old woman. — Dr. Dally and Cousin John, their cha¬ racters. — Stories told and poetry recited. — The Wind in a Frolic. ------ 165

CHAP. XH.

FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS, CONTINUED.

The story of the dog seeking his fortune. — Story of the dogs of Oldacre. — The Wind in a Rage. - - - 174

CONTENTS.

IX

Chap. XIII. Fireside Amusements, Continued

Ghost- stories, in which it turns out that the ghosts were no ghosts at all. — Story of Crack-a-marble, the boaster. — Story of the florist and the sexton. — Story of the cutler and his apprentices. — Will Middleton haunted by a Turk’s head brush. — Story of Sammy Hand and his bricklayers.

CHAP. XIY.

CONCLUSION OF FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS.

Philosophical experiments and sleight-of-hand feats. — Dr. Dally enchants a yard-cock — alarms us with a wire run through his leg, which proves not to be run through at all — makes a tobacco-pipe spin round on a watch face — turns a tumbler of water upside down, yet the water remains in it — represents a ship on fire at sea by a lump of camphor — makes a balance-wheel of a bottle and a couple of forks — enchants a shilling — suspends a key by a string of ashes — his magic lantern. — William Woolley shows us how to make a jump-jack and an apple-mill. - 229

CHAP. XY.

SCHOOL-DAYS.

Old Nanny Arred, my first schoolmistress — my first master Billy Bingo the baker. — I go to Ackworth, the large York¬ shire seminary of the Society of Friends — parting from my old cronies — curious journey to Ackworth with Cousin John. — The poor Friend and his son. — Their journey on foot.

CHAP. XYI.

SCHOOL-DAYS, CONTINUED.

Account of Ackworth School. — Billy Bull, the starer. — Pecu¬ liar sports and amusements of this school — working on the

X

CONTEXTS.

farm. — Runaway boys. — Masters and officers of the school. — Curious characters: Master Joseph, Tommy Codger, Box all, Sams, Joey Crowther the lamplighter, &c. — Clog¬ ging on the snow. — Grand monthly excursions. — The boy who shot the dead goose. — What came of a peep into a cupboard — an actual culprit, or grand alarm at robbery.

CHAP. XVH.

SCHOOL-DAYS, CONTINUED.

A summer-day’s adventure of three school-boys; or the expedi¬ tion to Spidenloft Chapel. - 277

CHAP. XYHI.

ADVENTURES AT TAMWORTH.

A specimen of initiatory persecution, and how it ended, being the affair of the three-legged stool. — Delightful recollections of the old town of Tamworth and its environs. — Character of our master — plays at hare-and-hounds with us — leads us long walks into the country. — The adventure of the windmill. — Our master’s mechanical crotchets. — The kite called Sailor Ben. — The paper telescope, the boat, and other works. — Smoking the bacon. — Shifting the summer-house.

CHAP. XIX.

The philosophical lecturer, and the affair of the pigeons and rabbits, with the farmer’s wonder at their being drowned and restored to life again. — Hutting excursion in Ilopwas Wood.- — M. Bruno, the French master’s feat of horseman¬ ship. — Will Sedley in the lion’s den. — The memorable exploit of Jerry Rods. — Joe Clinton and his pranks. — Gatliffe, the midshipman. - - - - 311

CONTENTS.

XI

CHAP. XX.

THE RENT-NIGHT SUPPERS AND COUSIN JOHN’S STORIES.

A few more incidental pleasures of the country-boy glanced at; as the wake, the Whitsuntide festivities, harvest and harvest-home suppers, and Christmas jollities. — The rent night suppers. — Cousin John’s standing jokes on the occasion, and his standing stories. — The Mayor and his Relation. — Story of Paul Elks and the Packman. - - Page 332

CHAP. XXI.