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diff --git a/78324-0.txt b/78324-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d3b6803 --- /dev/null +++ b/78324-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,934 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78324 *** + + + + + A THIRD DAY + + IN + + MARY CARROW’S SCHOOL. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +[Illustration: + + ~Third Day.~ + A group of happy little boys and girls, were Mary’s scholars. p. 15. +] + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + A THIRD DAY + + IN + + MARY CARROW’S SCHOOL + + + American Sunday-School Union: + + _PHILADELPHIA_: 316 CHESTNUT ST. + _NEW YORK_: 147 NASSAU ST. + _BOSTON_: 9 CORNHILL. + _LOUISVILLE_: 103 FOURTH ST. + + -------------------------------- + + Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by the + AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, + in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of + Pennsylvania. + + -------------------------------- + +☞ No books are published by the AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION without the +sanction of the Committee of Publication, consisting of fourteen +members, from the following denominations of Christians, viz. Baptist, +Methodist, Congregationalist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Reformed +Dutch. Not more than three of the members can be of the same +denomination, and no book can be published to which any member of the +Committee shall object. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + A + THIRD DAY + IN + MARY CARROW’S SCHOOL. + + -------------------------------- + + HISTORY OF MARY, THE TEACHER. + + +Mary rose very early in the morning, before five o’clock. She opened her +chamber window to let in the fresh air, and she said aloud, “Oh! how +beautiful is morning!” + +The rain had ceased; but there were little shining drops all over the +grass and on the leaves and flowers; the birds were up, singing their +morning songs, and the air was full of sweet-smelling odours. There was +a grapevine, in blossom, just under Mary’s window; and a honeysuckle, +which was trained up the wall on one side of it, and a sweet brier on +the other side, both in full flower, sent out such a delicious fragrance +that she stood there a long time to enjoy it. + +Mary thought of her mother, who had died when she was a very little +girl, and she remembered that her mother had taught her to get up early, +and see the sun rise, and hear the birds sing, and snuff the fresh +morning air. Her mother had told her that our heavenly Father intended +we should enjoy the beautiful world which he had made. For this end he +gave us all the flowers and the green fields, and the springs of water, +and the blue sky, and the clouds, and the high hills, and the music +which the little birds made. + +Then Mary repeated some verses from the Bible, which her mother had +taught her to say, as they walked out together before she was old enough +to read. + + O Lord, how manifold are thy works! + In wisdom hast thou made them all: + The earth is full of thy riches.[A] + + Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. + Thou visitest the earth and waterest it; + Thou makest it soft with showers; + Thou blessest the springing thereof. + Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; + And thy paths drop fatness. + The little hills rejoice on every side. + The pastures are clothed with flocks; + The valleys also are covered over with corn; + They shout for joy, they also sing.[B] + +Footnote A: + + Psalm civ. 24. + +Footnote B: + + Psalm lxv. + +Mary remembered that her good mother had taught her to try to think of +her heavenly Father as soon as she awoke in the morning. She had told +her that He watched over her while she slept, and that before she left +her chamber, she should ask him to watch over her in the day as well as +in the night, and help her to love him, that she might be a good and a +happy little girl. + +Mary thought of all these things as she stood by the window, and her +heart was touched and warmed with love and gratitude to her heavenly +Father, who had blessed her, and watched over her all her life long. He +had given her a good mother; and after He had taken her mother away to +live in heaven with Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour, and all the holy +angels and happy saints for ever and ever, He had still cared for her, +and provided her with kind friends. Her father died when she was a baby, +and her mother died when she was only nine years old; and now Mary had +no parents; but she remembered that it is written in the Bible, God is a +father of the fatherless. + +Mary felt very happy. Her heart was full of love to God, her Saviour, +and of thankfulness for his protecting care; and she sang the following +little hymn, because it expressed her thoughts and desires on this +beautiful summer morning. She was quite alone in her chamber, where no +one could hear her, but she knew that God could hear her. + + + THE TEACHER’S MORNING HYMN. + + Father! on this lovely morning, + Up to Thee my thoughts take wing: + With the little hills rejoicing, + With the birds I sing. + + All the air is filled with praises— + All thy wondrous works proclaim, + In one sweet harmonious chorus, + “Hallowed be thy name!” + + Father! wilt thou warm and water + _My heart_ with Thy sun and showers, + Even as Thy hand sustaineth, + Birds, fruits and flowers. + + While in love toward Thee it turneth, + Thy rich blessing, oh renew! + As the lily’s cup thou fillest + With the grateful dew. + + Up to me, sweet childhood looketh, + Heart, and mind, and soul, awake, + Teach me of Thy ways, O Father! + For sweet childhood’s sake. + + In their young hearts, soft and tender, + Guide my hand good seed to sow, + That its blossoming may praise Thee + Wheresoe’er they go. + + Give to me a cheerful spirit, + That my little flock may see + It is good and pleasant service, + To be taught of Thee. + + Father, order all my footsteps; + So direct my daily way, + That in following me, the children + May not go astray. + + Let thy holy counsel lead me— + Let thy light before me shine— + That they may not stumble over + Word, or deed of mine. + + Draw us, hand in hand, to Jesus, + For his word’s sake, unforgot, + Let “the little ones come to me, + And forbid them not.” + +Mary had been taught neat habits when she was a child, and she still +observed them. She never left her chamber in the morning, until her bed +was made, and every thing was put into its place. When she rose, she +took off her night-dress, and put on a dressing gown which hung in the +wardrobe or clothes-press; then she took the bed-clothes from the bed, +and turned them, with her night-dress, to the window, to air; then she +shook up the bolster and pillows, and placed them on the window-sill; +and after she had combed her hair, and washed her person, and had +thoroughly cleaned her teeth and nails, which occupied some time, she +made her bed, and dusted the furniture before she finished dressing. + +Such was the beginning of Mary’s day. She always looked fresh and pure, +and came down stairs in the morning with a pleasant face. + +[Illustration: Mary’s mother reading with her] + + * * * * * + +After breakfast, Mary set out for school early, and alone; and she told +Charles and Harry Linn and their sister Lucy, to come at school-time. + +Mary walked slowly along, stopping by the way to gather a nosegay of +wild flowers. She found violets and the delicate white anemone, and +buttercups and daisies. + +The grass was quite wet, but Mary did not mind that, for she had thick +shoes on, and she made a beautiful bright nosegay for the school-room. +She liked to make it look pleasant to her scholars, and she opened all +the windows to let in the pure morning air, and placed her flower-pot +where they could all see it. After she had arranged the room to her +liking, she sat down in the doorway to select a portion of Scripture for +the evening reading; and then she read a chapter to herself, which was +her daily practice. Mary was still sitting in the doorway thinking about +what she had been reading, when her scholars began to arrive. + +[Illustration: + + ~Third Day.~ + Mary waiting for her scholars to come. p. 15. +] + +Carry Deacon was the first to come, and she ran up to Mary to kiss her, +and tell her that she had not stopped on her way to school to see Mike +Terry’s kittens; she had only just peeped through the garden-railing as +she passed by, to look at his rabbits—little white rabbits with pink +eyes. + +A group of very happy little boys and girls were Mary’s scholars. They +had now all collected for school on the green before the door, and they +were pressing round Charles Linn to see a new kite, which he had made at +home, all himself. Mary had told Charles he might bring it to school +with him if he would put it out of sight until recess-time. Charles said +to his little schoolmates: + + We must put it away, + Till we go out to play; + And then we can try, + How high it will fly. + +Mary gave leave for all of them to go with Charles, down to the +tool-house, in the wood, where they kept their playthings, to help him +put it away. Some of them took hold of the kite, and one carried the +little piece of wood on which the string was wound: and the little ones +carried the tail of the kite. After it was put away they all returned to +school, in love and good humour one with another. + +This was Geography morning. The lessons were first said, and afterwards +Mary had those who studied the map, to find upon it all the places which +they had described in their lesson. Then she took a long stick, or rod, +for a pointer, and told them to stand off at a little distance from the +map, so that they could not read the names of the places, and as she +pointed out the rivers and towns, and bays and creeks upon the map, they +could tell her what each one was named. + +The geography lesson of the little ones, was a set of questions which +Mary had prepared; and my little readers who live in the country may +perhaps like to try to answer them. + + In what country do you live? + + In what State? + + In what county? + + Near what large town? + + What do the farmers cultivate in the part + of the country where you live? + + In what month do they plant corn? + + When do they plant potatoes? + + When do they sow wheat? + + When do they sow rye? + + What kinds of fruit are produced in the + orchards and gardens? + + How is the market of the large town near + which you live supplied with provisions for + the people to eat? + +When this class had taken their seats, Charles Linn came up to Mary, and +whispered to her that he would like to ask a question. Mary gave him +leave, and he asked if those who lived in towns would not starve, if the +country people did not bring food to market for them to eat? “Mary,” +said Charles, very earnestly, “the people in the city could not do +without country people, could they?” + +Mary told him that people in the city could not get along very well +without country people, and country people could not get along very well +without them. The farmers take meat and vegetables, and grain and fruit, +and butter and milk, to market, to sell to the citizens. They get money +for all these things, and with the money which they get, they buy from +the shops and stores what they cannot buy at home. They buy books to +read, and hats and shoes and other clothing, and sugar and molasses, and +tea and coffee, and many other things which do not grow on farms in the +country. We get all the books from which you learn your lessons, and the +maps and slates and pictures and our Bibles too, from the book-stores in +towns. And you would not like to do without any of these things, would +you? + +Charles said, “No, indeed I should not.” + +Charles looked very thoughtful, and Mary asked him if there was any +thing else he would like to know. + +“I was thinking about something my father said at the breakfast table +this morning. I do not quite remember it, but I think he meant what you +have been explaining to me. Will you please to make me understand, +Mary?” + +“I will try, Charles. Your father remarked that our all-wise and +merciful Creator has so ordered our wants and needs, that all classes of +men are dependent upon one another for support. He meant by this, that +farmers and merchants, and mechanics and authors, and men of almost +every honest occupation, and poor people and rich people are necessary +one to another. + +“In saying this, your father told us one of the most important truths of +this kind which we can learn; but, you know, he was conversing with +Doctor May, and he did not speak so that a little boy like you could +fully understand him. + +“I will try to explain to you so much of what he said as you are capable +of comprehending.” Charles looked very much pleased, and Mary said, “You +know, your father took you to the city last week to see a ship. That +ship belonged to a merchant, and how do you suppose he got it?” + +Charles said he did not know. + +“I will tell you,” said Mary. “A mechanic called a ship-carpenter built +it for him. The merchant could not have built it for himself. He had to +call a ship-builder, and tell him what he wanted, and then the +ship-carpenter, with his men, built it, and the merchant paid him with +his money. Do you see now how merchants and mechanics are dependent upon +one another?” + +“Yes,” Charles said. + +“I will tell you more about a ship,” said Mary. “You know, that when you +came home, you told us about all that you saw in the ship. You said the +ship had masts and sails, and ladders made of rope, on which the sailors +went up to spread out the sails, or to take them in; and you saw the +little house on the deck where the steersman stood to guide the ship +over the ocean; and the cabin, furnished just like a parlour, and the +berths for sleeping rooms. + +“Before he could have all these necessary things in his ship, somebody +must go into the woods and cut down the trees, out of which all the +timber was got, and then it must be sawed into large and small sticks +and into boards and planks. Then, too, the merchant had to employ a +sail-maker to make the sails, and a rope-maker to make the ropes, and a +cabinet-maker to make sofas and tables. So you see that the merchant +cannot carry on his business without the help of all these different +workmen and tradesmen, and they could not get money unless they earned +it by working at their trades. Then there must be a captain and mates, +and sailors, to take the ship on her voyage, for she could not sail +without them. The merchant pays them for taking care of his ship, and +with the money they receive from him they support their wives and +children who stay at home while they are away at sea.” + +“I understand now, how merchants and mechanics are dependent upon one +another,” said Charles. “But, Mary, are all sorts of people dependent +upon one another in the same way? Are we dependent upon merchants?” + +“Yes,” said Mary. + +“The merchant’s ship goes away across the ocean to foreign countries, +and brings back sugar and salt, and tea and coffee, and cloth and silks, +and many other things which we use in our houses. Do you see now, how we +are dependent upon the merchants?” + +“Yes,” said Charles, “for we could not get these things unless the +merchant brought them in his ship.” + +“Now, Mary, will you tell us, how we are dependent upon authors and +doctors and mechanics?” + + _Mary._ “Do you not know that printers and shoemakers and + carpenters are mechanics?” + +Charles said, “He never knew exactly what a mechanic was until Mary told +him.” + + _Mary._ “We could not get our books printed, you know, without + the printers. We could not get our shoes made, without the + shoemakers, and we should have no comfortable convenient houses to + live in, if the carpenters did not build them for us. + +“Authors are persons who write books, and if authors did not write +books, printers could not print them; and you see that an author must +write, and a printer must print what he writes, before we can have our +books to learn from. + +“If we are sick, we send for a doctor, because he can tell what ails us. +The doctor’s business is to learn a great deal about the human body, +which we have no opportunity to learn. He knows where our brains lie; +and where our heart is; and where the lungs are placed through which we +breathe; and he can tell how our bones are knit together, and what is +the office of every nerve and fibre and muscle in our bodies. His +knowledge teaches him the laws by which we move our tongues and our +heads and our limbs; and if we are sick, he knows that something within +us is out of order, and that disease is the consequence, and he can +often tell what the disease is. Thus you see we are dependent upon the +doctor, when we most need help, that is, when we are sick and cannot +help ourselves. And if it pleases our heavenly Father that we should be +restored to health, the doctor’s knowledge of our bodies enables him to +cure us.” + + _Charles._ “I know now, what my mother meant, when she said a + little verse about God, after brother Harry got well of the + measles.” + + _Mary._ “Will you repeat it Charles?” + + “God blessed the doctor’s skill; + My heart is full of joy, + That it has been Our Father’s will + To give me back my boy.” + +Mary’s scholars were all listening to her talk with Charles Linn: and +she told them that our heavenly Father designed all classes of men to +help one another, and he requires them to love one another too. + +“Are we to love everybody, Mary?” asked Susan Field. + +“Yes,” said Mary. “If we love God, we cannot help loving every one whom +he has made: and if we do not love God, we cannot love our fellow beings +as we ought to love them.” + +“But we are not to love little dirty ragged boys and girls; are we, +Mary?” said Susan. + + _Mary._ “Yes! and we are to try to do them good: but we cannot + love them and do them good unless we love our heavenly Father. If we + ask our heavenly Father for his help, he will teach us by his good + Spirit in our hearts how we may show our love to him. And if we love + him, we shall feel as if we wanted to do something even for poor + little ragged boys and girls; and when we help them, or instruct + them, we shall find out in what ways the rich and the poor are + dependent upon one another. + +“And now, we must not talk any more at present: I intend to give you a +long recess this morning. I promised you, you know, to go out with you +to gather flowers and plants for our botanical exercise.” + +Mary’s little boys and girls went cheerfully to their seats to look over +their reading lesson. Soon she heard them read aloud, one by one, first +the large scholars, and afterwards the smaller ones, who were just +learning to read, and she made them spell every word as they went along. +When the reading was over, they each repeated a Bible verse, which Mary +required them to learn at home; and then Mary rang the little bell for a +recess. + +There was great alacrity in putting up books and slates, and soon every +boy and girl was ready for a long walk with Mary. + +Charles Linn ran off to the tool-house, and all the boys and girls after +him, calling out:— + +“Now for my kite! Now for my kite!” + +When he attempted to take it out, he found that the bobs of paper, of +which the tail was made, had been so twisted about and entangled in the +string that he could not disengage them. The more he tried, the more +entangled they became. The scholars were all round the kite, waiting to +see how high it would fly; for Charles had told them it would fly away +almost up to the clouds, until it looked no bigger than one of their +balls. + +Mary had stopped to gather a bunch of dogwood blossoms, and now they all +ran in search of her. They knew she could help Charles out of his +trouble about the kite. They found her coming towards them; and she laid +down her flowers and took the kite out of Charles’ hand, and showed him +how to disengage the papers from the string; and then she showed him how +to prevent such a mishap in future, by putting it away more carefully. + +Mary told Charles he must not attempt to fly his kite in the woods, for +it would be caught in the tops of the trees. She led the way across a +little stream of water, which Mary first, and her scholars after her, +had to jump over, into a fine open meadow. Soon up went the kite, and +the boys cried out, + +“Hurrah for the kite! Hurrah for Charles Linn’s wonderful kite!” + +It rose higher and higher; and Charles was so proud of having them to +praise his kite, that when he had unwound the string to the very end, he +thought he would like to have it rise higher still, and very foolishly +let go the end of the string. + +Poor Charles! He had scarcely let it go when the kite began to come +down, and presently it plumped into the water, near where they were +standing. Charles looked as if he would cry—but Mary laughed and said— + + “My kite, my kite! I’ve lost my kite! + Oh when I saw the steady flight + With which it gained its lofty height, + How could I know that letting go + That paltry string would bring so low + My pretty, buoyant, darling kite! + My kite! My kite! how sad to think, + It flew so high, so low to sink!” + +“Never mind, Charles. Pick up your kite, and leave it here to dry, while +we take our walk. We will not suffer the loss of a kite to spoil all our +pleasure. Another time you must hold the string fast.” Charles looked +very sorrowful; but Mary helped him to get his kite out of the water, +and then she took his hand, and said, “Come now, let us have a race.” + +Mary took her scholars over the meadow, and they scampered about in high +spirits; sometimes stooping to gather buttercups and violets; and then +they would hold the buttercups under one another’s chins, to see who +loved butter best. Then they would play tag, and when they were tired of +play they all sat down around Mary, on the grass, and she talked to +them. + +She showed them how perfectly the little flowers were formed, and how +beautifully the leaves were coloured and shaded; and she told them that +our heavenly Father made these to grow, for the delight of our eyes and +to give us pure tastes. Then she pointed out to them the great variety +of trees, and their blossoms, and their different odours. Mary wished +her scholars to have as many enjoyments as their situation in life +admitted of; and she knew that little children who lived in the country, +would enjoy life more if they were taught to observe what was wonderful +and beautiful around them; and she thought they would love God more, if +she taught them that He made every thing that was beautiful and +wonderful in the whole world. Eddy Forester was lying on his back upon +the grass, and he said, + +“Mary, I like to look at the sky and the clouds; and I like to see the +sky when the sun sets; for then God paints the clouds with gold and red +and all the beautiful colours; and I like to look at the sky in the +evening, when the stars come out. When it is dark and I go to bed, I can +see the sky through the window, and it makes me think of God; and the +stars seem like eyes looking down upon me—like the angels’ eyes—the +angels that live with God in heaven.” + +Charles Linn said he did not care about looking at the clouds and the +sky. He would rather look at the cows eating grass. + +“Look, Mary,” said Charles. “There, over in the other meadow, are the +red cow and her calf. The calf is only four days old, and you know she +is to be mine. And there is Brindle, chewing her cud under the great +chestnut tree.” + +Harry Linn said he liked horses better than cows, and his father allowed +him to have a ride on the gray horse every morning before school. + +Lily Forester was sitting on Mary’s lap, and Mary said, “And what does +little Lily like best?” Lily said, she liked to play with Harry Linn +better than any thing. + +Then Carry Deacon came and put her arms round Mary’s neck, and whispered +to her that she loved her better than playing. Mary kissed Carry and +patted her dimpled cheeks, and said to her: + +“You are a dear, affectionate little girl, Carry, and I believe you +think you love me better than play; but I do not mean to put your +constancy to the trial. I hope we all love one another.” + +“Yes, that we do,” said Charles Linn. “But hurrah for doing something! I +am tired of doing nothing.” + +It was so pleasant out of doors to-day, that Mary asked her scholars if +they would like to have their botanical lesson in some shady place in +the wood instead of the school-room. They all exclaimed “Yes!” and the +little ones jumped about and clapped their hands for joy that they could +stay out of doors a little longer. + +After they had selected a shaded place, Mary sat down on the stump of a +tree, and they gathered round her. Mary looked over the leaves and +flowers which they had collected during their walk, and chose from them +a plant which Carry Deacon had pulled up out of the earth. Mary selected +this for the first lesson in botany, because it was a perfect plant, +having a root, stem, branches and leaves. Mary had a way of her own of +teaching her scholars, and when she presented a new subject before them, +her first object was to awaken their interest in it, so that they would +desire to know more about it. She held up the plant before them, and +asked who could tell her what it was? + +The scholars all looked and seemed puzzled. Charles Linn said it was a +flower; Eddy Forester said it was a flower and something more than a +flower; for it had green leaves; another said, “Yes, and it has a root +and stems.” + +Mary told them it was a plant; that a flower with root, stem, leaves and +branches, was called a plant. “And now,” said she, “I will explain to +you the uses of these parts of a flower. + +“The root holds it fast in the earth; and the root sucks drink from the +earth, which keeps the plant alive, very much as the calf sucks milk +from the cow to sustain it.” + +Eddy Forester looked attentively at Mary while she was speaking, and she +asked him if he understood her. “Yes,” said Eddy, “and I was thinking +about the verse you say sometimes, which has ‘Mother Earth’ in it. Is +the earth the mother of all plants?” + +“Yes,” said Mary, “because they get their drink from her bosom, as very +little children get their food from the bosom of their mother. + +“Now,” said Mary, “I wish you to remember that the root of a plant is +called an _organ_. The plant has other organs besides the root, and can +you tell me what they are?” No one answered, and Mary said, “The stem is +an organ, and the branches and leaves are organs. I will tell you what +the stem is for. The stem is a pipe, which conveys the nourishing drink +that the root sucks in from the earth, up into the leaves and branches.” + +Mary’s scholars came closer to her, for they liked to hear what she told +them, because they could understand it all. Then Mary said, “I will tell +you what the leaves and branches are for. The branches are between the +stem and the leaves to carry the moisture from the stem into the leaves. +The leaves of a plant have a number of small veins, which you can see if +you examine them; and these veins have little mouths at their ends, wide +open; and though they are so small you cannot see them without a +microscope, yet the air passes into the plant through the mouths of +these little veins. The plant could not live without air and water, any +more than one of us could live without air and water; and our heavenly +Father, who is as wise as He is kind and good, has furnished plants with +these organs, through which they receive the sustenance which is +necessary to preserve their life and health and beauty.” + +Mary questioned her scholars until she perceived by their answers that +they thoroughly understood what she had taught them: and then she +dismissed them for the morning. + +[Illustration: + + ~Third Day.~ + Happy children! Away they skipped p. 43. +] + +Happy little children! Away they skipped through the woods to their +respective homes, and Mary followed them with her eyes till they were +quite out of sight. + + * * * * * + +In the afternoon, Harry Linn came running to school out of breath, to +remind Mary of a promise she had made him at home, that if he was a good +boy, on the next sewing afternoon she would read aloud some stories +about the sagacity and faithfulness of dogs. She told him she had not +forgotten it, but the lessons must be said first. The larger scholars +had definitions to say, and Harry’s class had a spelling and reading +lesson. + +When the work-basket was brought out, Harry and Lily came up to Mary +with pleasant smiling faces, to know if they might pass the work round +to-day. Mary told them they might, as they had been good little +children. + +Mary was very busy this afternoon. She had work to oversee, and crewels +to sort out, and copies to set for the boys, who did not sew, and +figures to make on Harry Linn’s slate. He was the only little boy in +school who did not cipher. After all this was done, Mary read to them. +When the large boys had finished their copies, they took their slates to +do sums, and Mary instructed them and assisted them when they needed +help. Mary never wearied the little ones with any one study or +occupation; and when she observed that Harry Linn had made three rows of +figures on his slate, and that Ellen Raby and Lily Forester had finished +their little tasks of sewing, she called them to her to say the +Multiplication Table in concert. Then she asked them some questions. +Thus— + +“Harry, if you had an orange, and Lily had two, and Ellen had three, and +Lily and Ellen gave you their oranges, how many would you have?” Harry +answered, “Six.” Mary asked them a number of such questions, for she +wished to make them understand what arithmetic was for, before she +taught them to do sums on their slates. + +Harry’s father had shown him the picture of a blind beggar and his dog, +at home, and there was a story about it, which Mary had promised to read +aloud this afternoon. + + + THE BLIND BEGGAR AND HIS DOG. + +A blind beggar used to be led about the streets of Rome by a dog of +middle size. This dog led his master so as to protect him from all +danger, and he learned to distinguish, not only the streets, but the +houses where his master was accustomed to receive alms twice or thrice a +week. Whenever the animal came to any of these streets, with which he +was well acquainted, he would not leave it till a call had been made at +every house where his master was usually successful in his petitions. +When the beggar began to ask alms, the dog, being wearied, lay down to +rest; but the master was no sooner served, or refused, than the dog +rose, and without either order or sign, proceeded to the other houses, +where the beggar generally received some gratuity. If a halfpenny was +thrown from a window, such were the sagacity and attention of this dog, +that he went about in quest of it, lifted it from the ground with his +mouth, and put it into his master’s hat. Even when bread was thrown +down, the animal would not taste it, unless he received a portion of it +from the hand of his master. When the beggar was very weary, he would +sometimes lean his head on the top of his staff and doze for a moment or +two. Then the dog would sit down and watch him, and as soon as his +master started, the faithful creature was up in an instant, ready for +another march. + +[Illustration: + + ~Third Day.~ + The Blind Beggar and his dog. p. 46. +] + + * * * * * + +Mary’s scholars thought that was a beautiful story, and they were eager +to hear something more about dogs. + +Mary told them, that if they chose to remain in school, instead of going +out to play at recess-time, she would read to them another story. So +they all agreed to give up the recess-play, for the sake of another +story. + + + KITTY GREEN AND THE DOG CAIRO. + +Kitty Green was a little girl who lived with her uncle and aunt, in the +country. Her uncle worked in the fields at harvest time; and Kitty liked +to go out into the fields where he was making hay and tumble about in +it. Sometimes her uncle would toss her up on the top of the wagon, when +it was loaded with the sweet, fresh hay, and allow her to have a ride; +and he called her his little harvester. + +One afternoon, during the time of wheat harvest, her aunt was very busy, +and she asked Kitty, if she could carry out to her uncle, in the field, +some biscuits and homemade beer. Kitty said she would like to go; and +her aunt put the biscuits and beer into a little basket, and covered +them over with a napkin, and gave the basket to Kitty to carry out to +her uncle. Then she called the dog Cairo to go with Kitty, and she said +to him, + +“Now, Cairo, take right good care of your little mistress.” + +Cairo came, and wagged his tail, and looked up at Kitty, as much as to +say, Yes, I will take good care of her. + +Cairo was very fond of Kitty, and he followed her all about, and when +she went to school, he would often carry her dinner basket all the way +to school. They set off together, Kitty with the basket on her arm, and +Cairo by her side. + +Kitty was a great talker, and she chatted to Cairo all the way as they +went. “Cairo,” said Kitty, “you must be a very good dog, and help me to +carry the basket, for I can tell you it is pretty heavy; and you need +not put your nose into it either, and you must not wipe your mouth on +the napkin, for my uncle will not thank you for that.” + +Cairo seemed delighted to have his little mistress talk to him, and he +looked up at her, just as if he knew what she was saying. Before Kitty +and Cairo got to the harvest-field, she was very tired; and she put the +basket on the ground while she rested, and then she took a romp with +Cairo. Then she put one side of the handle into Cairo’s mouth, and took +hold of the other side herself, and she said, “Now, Cairo, do help me, +and I will give you a part of my supper to-night. Do, that is a good, +dear Cairo.” + +Cairo helped Kitty to carry the basket, and they brought it safely along +to her uncle, who was very glad of the biscuits and beer. Kitty’s uncle +kissed her, and he stroked Cairo, and he said, + +“Kind little Kitty, and kind little Cairo, to think of uncle when he was +tired and hungry.” + +When he had done eating, he put the empty bottle and the napkin into the +basket, and gave it to Kitty, and told her to walk home as fast as she +could, for a shower was coming up. + +Off went Kitty and Cairo, and they trotted along together with the +basket, which was quite light now. Kitty was a heedless little girl, and +she soon forgot what her uncle had told her about the rain coming, and +she loitered along, and stopped to play with Cairo. Presently Kitty was +startled by a loud clap of thunder. Then she saw the bright lightning, +and that was followed by a clap of thunder louder than the first. Kitty +was very much afraid, and she trembled all over. No one had ever told +her that her heavenly Father caused the lightning to cut through the +clouds, and that the thunder was made by the clouds rushing together +again after the lightning had passed through them. Then she felt the +large drops of rain on her neck, and she began to cry; for she did not +think about God sending the rain, to make the grass grow and to give +drink to the thirsty flowers. The rain fell very fast, and Kitty cried +out, “Oh, Cairo, what shall we do?” + +Cairo seemed to know that Kitty was in distress, and he took hold of her +dress with his mouth, as if he would pull her along to a pile of +wheat-sheaves, which were bound up in bundles. Kitty crept under them +and sat down. + +The faithful dog stayed close by her and tried to comfort her. He put +his paws upon her shoulder and his head close up to her face, as if he +would wipe off her tears. Cairo looked as if he would like to say, My +dear little mistress, how I do pity you, what can I do for you? + +[Illustration: + + ~Third Day.~ + Little Kitty Green and her dog Cairo. p. 54. +] + +Kitty sat there under the wheat-sheaves a long time, crying, and Cairo +never left her for a moment. He looked up into her face, and rubbed his +nose over her hands and arms, and there he stayed and guarded her as +faithfully as any little sentinel could, until the rain was over. + +When the rain was over, he took the basket in his mouth, and trotted +home close by the side of Kitty. + + * * * * * + +The children were all so much delighted with the story of Kitty’s +affectionate little dog, that they begged Mary to read it twice. Mary +gratified them whenever she could, and she read it again to please them. + +When the occupations of the afternoon were finished, Mary said, “It is +time to put up the things:” but no one seemed ready for school to close. +Mary liked to have her scholars think school was a pleasant place, but +she did not allow them to overstay the usual time. + +“You know,” said she, “we are to have the Bible-reading yet.” + +The work was all gathered together by Harry Linn and Lily Forester; the +books and slates were put into their places, the desks were neatly +arranged, and then, teacher and scholars repaired to the oak tree in the +wood, to have the Bible-reading. + +Mary asked them if they remembered what she had read to them yesterday? + +Carry Deacon said, “Yes, I remember. You read about Adam and Eve, and +about our heavenly Father sending them away out of the beautiful garden +of Eden where they lived, and that he sent them away because they were +disobedient.” + +“And, Mary,” said Eddy Forester, “you told us you would read to us next +time about the way to get back again to God, and the beautiful garden +which you called Paradise.” + +Mary read to her little scholars, the first, second and twelfth verses, +in the second chapter in the first epistle of John; the eighth and +twenty-third verses in the third chapter; and the seventh, eighth, +ninth, tenth and eleventh verses in the fourth chapter. + +She then told them, that Jesus Christ our Saviour, was sent into the +world, not only to show us the way to God and Paradise, (which is +heaven,) but to fit us to go to that holy and happy place. + +She explained to them, that when Adam and Eve had sinned, and our +heavenly Father sent them out of the beautiful garden of Eden, he knew +they could not be happy without him; and he pitied them, and loved them +so much, that he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, from heaven down to +earth, to be their Saviour, and our Saviour, and the Saviour of the +whole world. + +Our heavenly Father knows all things, and he knows how wicked the heart +is, and that the wicked one who had tempted Adam and Eve to sin, would +follow the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve wherever they went, and +that he would tempt them to sin too, and to forget Him. And because he +loved them, and us, and everybody, He sent his only begotten and dearly +beloved son to be our Saviour, to die for us and to teach us how to +avoid sin, and how to come to him and love him, and to love one another. + +Eddy Forester said, “Mary, does the wicked tempter follow you and me and +everybody?” + +“Yes,” said Mary, “and he is always trying to make us sin. He knows, +that if he can prevail upon us to commit sin, we shall be separated from +God. He hates God, and every thing that is good, because, where God is, +he cannot come. The greatest evil that can happen to any of us, is to be +separated from God, by sin.” + +“If we stay close to God, the wicked one cannot hurt us, can he, Mary?” +said Eddy. + +“No! and if we ask Him, he will put his good Spirit in our hearts, and +then there will be no room for the wicked one. This good Spirit of God, +will guide us to the knowledge of our Saviour, and then we shall like to +read about him in the Bible. You are too young to understand all that +the dear Saviour has done, and suffered for us, to take away our sin and +to make us the children of God; but I want you to think about Him very +often; and by and by, I hope you will know more than you do now.” + +“Then will we be our Saviour’s little lambs, Mary,” said Eddy, “the +little lambs that you once read to us about, that he carried in his +arms?” + +“Yes,” said Mary; “it is a long journey back to God and to Paradise, and +sometimes there are very rough places to get over; and our Saviour loves +his little lambs so dearly, that he carries them in his arms over all +the rough places, and if we keep close to him, he can bring us safely +into the Paradise of God.” + +Mary’s little scholars seemed full of love, and they did not want to go +home, they felt so safe and happy at school; but Mary told them their +fathers and mothers would be waiting for them, and now they must bid one +another good-bye. Carry Deacon said they must have two kisses apiece +from Mary; so she kissed them all twice, and then they went home. + +It is good to begin the day with thoughts of God, if we would have his +blessing upon its close. + +[Illustration: THE END.] + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + =TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:= + + Italics, bold letters, blackletter font and small + capitals are represented by _ = ~ and ALL CAPS + respectively. + + Perceived typos have been silently corrected. + + Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. + + Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78324 *** |