"My boy," said he next day, “I am going to walk to town; will you come? And, by the by, fetch your domino box; I should like to show it to a person there." "Father," said I by the way, "there are no fairies now; how then can my domino box be changed into a geranium in a blue-and-white flower-pot?” "My dear," said my father, leaning his hand on my shoulder, "everybody who is in earnest to be good, carries two fairies about with him one here,” and he touched my forehead, "and one here," and he touched my heart. "I don't understand, father.” “I can wait until you do, my son." My father stopped at a nursery gardener's, and after looking over the flowers, paused before a large geranium. "Ah, this is finer than that which your mother was so fond of. What is the price of this, sir?” "Only seven and six pence," said the gardener. My father buttoned up his pocket. “I can't afford it to-day," said he gently, and we walked out. III On entering the town we stopped again at a china warehouse. "Have you a flower-pot like that I bought some months ago? Ah, here is one, marked three and six pence. Yes, that is the price. Well, when mother's birthday comes again, we must buy her another. That is some months to wait. And we can wait, my boy. For truth, that blooms all the year round, is better than a poor geranium; and a word that is never broken is better than a piece of delft.” My head, which had been drooping before, rose again; but the rush of joy at my heart almost stifled me. "I have called to pay your little bill," said my father, entering a shop where all kinds of pretty toys and knick-knacks were sold. "And, by the way," he added, "my little boy can show you a beautiful domino box." I produced my treasure, and the shopman praised it highly. "It is always well, my boy, to know what a thing is worth, in case one wishes to part with it. If my son gets tired of his plaything, what will you give him for it?" "Why, sir," said the shopman; "I think we could give eighteen shillings for it." "Eighteen shillings!" said my father; "you would give that? Well, my boy, whenever you do grow tired of your box, you have my leave to sell it.” My father paid his bill, and went out. I lingered behind a few moments, and joined him at the end of the street. "Father, father!" I cried, clapping my hands, "we can buy the geranium; we can buy the flower-pot!" And I pulled a handful of silver from my pocket. "Did I not say right?" said my father. "You have found the two fairies!" Ah! how proud, how overjoyed I was, when, after placing vase and flower on the window-sill, I plucked my mother by the gown, and made her follow me to the spot. "It is his doing and his money!" said my father; "good actions have mended the bad." Read: Grimm's stories of "Old Sultan," "Faithful John," and "The Seven Ravens." Read: "The Honest Bootblack," in White's School Management. Lead the children toward the thought that faithfulness in little things gives the power to be faithful in great trials. 1 In German Household Tales, Riverside Literature Series. FELLOW-LABORERS BY THEODORE C. WILLIAMS Not a star our eyes can see Not a flower that breathes and blows Brush it with their quickening wings Brooks, as from the hills they flow, Turn the mill-wheels round and round. Each strong thing some service gives Far and wide; and nothing lives For itself or just its own: "T is but death to live alone. FOURTH YEAR ETHICAL CENTRE: GOLDEN DEEDS INTRODUCTION EXPERIENCED teachers agree that there is often a striking change in children from the third to the fourth grade, though the change in some cases may not be marked until later. This change in attitude has frequently three aspects: the child, instead of being docile, has "a chip on his shoulder"; instead of delighting in fairy tales, he is hungry for solid facts; and instead of working as one of a group, he becomes independent and self-assertive. It is wise, therefore, to give in this grade a number of stories that are heroic and true, that call out the response of our best selves and lift us beyond isolation and selfishness. The stirring lines from Emerson's "Voluntaries, So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is God to man, When Duty whispers low, Thou must, have been most successfully made the central idea of the fourth grade in one of our Massachusetts schools. One day a building next the school was being torn down. It took almost saintly self-control for the children to keep from looking out of the window; but the lines of Emerson's poem were repeated by the class, and all turned their eyes to their books. SEPTEMBER: THE CALL TO RIGHTDOING Tell the story of Devid and Goliath. I Samuel, Cuap zvi 1 or essence of the story is the simple. direct courage of Davis, varer comes from his entire faith in God's bep auc from the call be feels to do this task. The courage dort of being needed, that is the point to bring out. Questions: Who were the Philistines? Who was Goliata? How was be armed? Was his armor heavy? What did be call out to the Israelites? Who was David's father? What did David do every day? How long had Goliath threatened the Israelites? Where did Jesse send David? Did he leave his sheep unprotected? Was David afraid when he saw Goliath? Why not? What did David say to the men near him? Why did Eliab, David's brother, blame David? What did David mean when he said: "Is there not a cause?" What did Saul way to David? What did David answer? Why wass David so sure that he could win? (Verses 36 and 37.) Why did Goliath despise David? (Verse 42.) What did David answer? (Verse 45.) Is a person who is doing wrong as fearless as one who is doing right? How can a person who is afraid get over it? THE CHOICE OF HERCULES! BY XENOPHON When Hercules was old enough to become his own master, he went into a solitary place to think about + Adapted from Memorabilia, by Joel H. Metcalf, in World Stories. |