The Artist's Birthday by Adeline Adams
On his third birthday, little Samuel is allowed to stay up past his bedtime in a Vermont cottage, carving with the jack-knife his father, a carver of machine patterns and violins, has given him. His mother Nancy, born Annunziata in Rome to a New England scholar and a Sicilian mother, sews nearby while her husband Abel reads aloud the news of the new Confederacy. Grandparents, a young uncle and aunt, and a neighbor's ten-year-old daughter have come for the party; the neighbor's mother, arriving to collect her, questions whether Samuel has ever been punished, provoking Nancy's suppressed irritation. After the guests leave, Samuel, absorbed in carving a cat out of a wood chip, refuses repeatedly to go to bed, extending his time twice with the defiant cry "None done, papa!" until he finally hides the carving beneath himself and refuses outright, an act his parents judge to be insubordination requiring punishment for the third time, after earlier incidents involving a smashed egg and his grandmother's spectacles placed on the dog Ajax. Nancy retreats to the kitchen while Abel spanks the boy; both parents are shaken by his silence afterward, comfort him, and eventually bring him into their own bed after he cannot sleep. The next morning is bright with ice-covered trees; Nancy takes Samuel out to play in the snow with Ajax, and he returns glowing, though quieter and seemingly waiting for something all afternoon. Abel, unable to concentrate at his workshop, comes home early and is again met with "None done, papa!" He swings the boy up affectionately, and Samuel, now sensing his father's lingering trouble, declares "Self make more!" and returns to his box of wood chips, choosing this time to carve a dog rather than a cat. His parents recognize that he has changed overnight from a small child into a true, striving artist, and Samuel begins his new carving with joy, murmuring the three words his father once taught him in jest, "Beau-bello-beautiful!"
By Adeline Adams · Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age · 5,289 words
First lines
One winter evening, in a snugly built little stone cottage near the northern border of Vermont, a young family of three had gathered beside a glowing hearth and a cheerful lamp to enjoy an hour of that contentment which is most deeply felt when the fire is bright, the curtain closely drawn, and a storm is raging without. It was the birthday of the child Samuel. He was three years old, and as a birthday indulgence, he was to sit up until seven o'clock, and carve things with the jack-knife that his father, himself a carver of renown, had brought him as a birthday gift. This was by no means his first adventure with a knife. For a year or more he had managed a knife, at first feebly, but later with an astonishing ease. His father was proud of the infant Phidias, and even his mother had ceased to be terror-stricken at the conjunction of child and knife. The motions of the boy Samuel were happy and accurate. At the present hour, such gestures as his would be called eurhythmic, or something of that sort; even in those days of preposterous precocity, he was regarded with wonder.
Similar titles
- Van Valkenbergs Christmas Gift by Maud Van Buren
- The Keys Of The Chest by Jane Barlow
- Love by Elizabeth Von Arnim
- Teacher Jensen by Maud Van Buren
- Jessie by Walter Aimwell
- God Rest You Merry Christians by Maud Van Buren
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The narrative demonstrates sophisticated prose with ornate descriptive passages, complex symbolism, psychological depth, and refined thematic exploration characteristic of serious literary works.
- Historical Fiction — Set specifically in 1861 Vermont during the American Civil War era, featuring period-accurate details, historical references to Fort Sumter, and authentic domestic customs of the time.
- Coming-of-Age — Chronicles young Samuel's developmental journey from early childhood toward artistic maturity and self-awareness, marking a crucial transition in his young life.
- Family Drama — Centers on intimate family conflict regarding discipline and parental authority, with emotional resolution that deepens family bonds and understanding.
Tags
artistic prodigy · childhood creativity · parent-child conflict · wood carving · Vermont · 1860s · Civil War era · short story · coming of age · artistic vocation · perfectionism · childhood rebellion
What this Textopian page supports
The Artist's Birthday is listed on Textopian as a short story by Adeline Adams, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Adeline Adams
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Family Drama, Domestic Fiction
- Length: 5,289 words
- Structure: 1 section, 33 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Artist's Birthday by Adeline Adams
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph