5. In this our day of proof, our land of hope, 6. O Hope, sweet flatterer, thy delusive touch Sheds on afflicted minds the balm of comfort, Relieves the load of poverty, sustains · The captive bending with the weight of bonds, 7. That man must daily wiser grow, 8. His resting-place is noted by a stone 9. Loveliness Needs not the foreign aid of ornament, 10. Of all the causes that conspire to blind 11. A soul immortal spending all ner fires, Wasting her strength in strenuous idleness, Thrown into tumult, raptured or alarmed DUTIES TO SUPERIORS IN AGE, KNOWLEDGE, OR GOODNESS. 1. In one of the most populous cities of New England, a few years since, a party of lads, all members of the same school, got up a grand sleigh ride. The sleigh was a very large and splendid one, drawn by six gray horses. 2. On the day following the ride, as the teacher entered the school room, he found his pupils in high merriment, as they chatted about the fun and frolic of their excursion. In answer to some inquiries which he made about the matter, one of the lads volunteered to give an account of their trip and its various incidents. 3. As he drew near the end of his story, he exclaimed, "O, sir, there was one little circumstance that I had almost forgotten. As we were coming home, we saw ahead of us a queer-looking affair in the road. 4. "It proved to be a rusty old sleigh, fastened behind a covered wagon, proceeding at a very slow rate, and taking up the whole road. Finding that the owner was not disposed to turn out, we determined upon a volley of snowballs and a good hurrah. 5. "They produced the right effect, for the crazy machine turned out into the deep snow, and the skinny old pony started on a full trot. As we passed, some one gave the old jilt of a horse a good crack, which made him run faster than ever he did before, I'll warrant. 6. "And so, with another volley of snowballs, pitched into the front of the wagon, and three times three cheers, we rushed by. With that, an old fellow in the wagon, who was buried up under an old hat, and who had dropped the reins, bawled out, Why do you frighten my horse?' เ 7. "Why don't you turn out then?' says the driver. So we gave him three rousing cheers more; his horse was frightened again, and ran up against a loaded team, and, I believe, almost capsized the old creature. And so we left him." 8. "Well, boys," replied the instructor, whose celebrity and success have never been surpassed, "take your seats, and I will take my turn and tell you a story, and all about a sleigh ride too. 9. "Yesterday afternoon, a very venerable old clergyman was on his way from Boston to Salem, to pass the residue of the winter at the house of his son. That he might be prepared for journeying in the spring, he took with him his wagon, and for the winter his sleigh, which he fastened behind the wagon. owner. 10. "His sight and hearing were somewhat blunted by age, and he was proceeding very slowly and quietly, for his horse was old and feeble, like his His thoughts reverted to the scenes of his youth of his manhood—and of his riper years. 11. "Almost forgetting himself in the multitude of his thoughts, he was suddenly disturbed, and even terrified, by loud hurrahs from behind, and by a furious pelting and clattering of balls of snow and ice upon the top of his wagon. 12. "In his trepidation he dropped his reins, and as his aged and feeble hands were quite benumbed with cold, he could not gather them up, and his horse began to run away. In the midst of the old man's trouble, there rushed by him, with loud shouts, a large party of boys, in a sleigh drawn by six horses. 13. "Turn out, turn out, old fellow;' 'Give us the road, old boy;'What will you take for your pony?' Go it, frozen-nose; What's the price of oats?' were the various cries that met his ear. 14. "Pray do not frighten my horse,' exclaimed the infirm driver. Turn out then, turn out,' was the answer, which was followed by repeated cracks and blows from the long whip of the grand sleigh, with showers of snowballs, and three tremendous hurrahs from the boys who were in it. 15. "The terror of the old man and his horse was increased, and the latter ran away with him, to the imminent danger of his life. He contrived, however, to secure his reins and to stop his horse just in season to prevent his being dashed against a loaded team. 16. "A short distance brought him to his journey's end, and the house of his son. His old horse was comfortably housed and fed, and he himself abundantly provided for. 17. "That son, boys, is your instructor; and that old fellow, and old boy-who did not turn out for you, but who would gladly have given you the whole road, had he heard your approach that old frozennose, was your master's father! 18. Some of the boys buried their heads beneath their desks; some cried; and many hastened to the teacher with apologies and regrets without end. All were freely pardoned, but were cautioned that they should be more civil, for the future, to inoffensive travellers, and more respectful to the aged and infirm. 19. Aged persons should be treated with the greatest deference and respect, simply because they are old. A parent should be treated with peculiar regard simply because he is a parent. Others are entitled to superior respect merely from the station they occupy. 20. A clergyman is entitled to particular regard on account of his office. The young should conduct themselves towards him with becoming modesty and deference. Parents should speak of him with respect, if they would have him do their children good, by his superior knowledge of truth and duty. 21. A teacher must be treated with respect by parents, or he will be of little or no use to his pupils. His employment must be regarded as one of the most important and honorable professions. 22. Parents should require their children to obey their teacher, and to show him the same respect as they themselves demand. When this cannot be done, it is better to remove them from the care of the teacher. Parents should consult, too, with the teacher of their children, and join with him in enforcing what is right. 23. To our superiors in knowledge, we should, in all modesty, ever yiel due deference. To superior goodness, all should bow with the deepest veneration. To be good is better than to be great. 24. All reverence the goodness of Washington more than the mighty power of Napoleon. True goodness is often found in the most humble situations. But wherever found, it should draw forth the purest homage of our hearts. 25 It is a mistake, to suppose that we abase ourselves by showing due deference to our superiors. Nothing is more noble, or more truly graceful, than the nice observance of all those little rules that should regulate our intercourse with them. |