I despise myself for using so low a word, but the fireworks
"licked" him.

A new world was opened to this young man.

He returned to his parents and the little farm among the hills,
with his heart full of fireworks.

He said, "I will make some myself."

He said this while eating a lobster on top of the coach.

He was an extraordinary skilful young man in the use of a common
clasp-knife.

With that simple weapon he could make, from soft wood, horses,
dogs, cats, etc. He carved excellent soldiers also.

I remember his masterpiece.

It was "Napoleon crossing the Alps."

Looking at it critically, I should say it was rather short of
Alps.

An Alp or two more would have improved it; but, as a whole, it
was a wonderful piece of work; and what a wonderful piece of work
is a wooden man, when his legs and arms are all right.