The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-27

| like you To ace dad shake away every t'other twi-
light, like a partridge in a brush heap, hesbakes
don't keep him down, though, tell yonn
stephen, what are you whispering there ~
inquired Miss Mansfield, gently.
Ma'am Please you, was telling him the
| shakes tSRt nothuf ~
g. AM IT'S yerself | hope to see yari,l wild 'em
this blessed morrow spoke up Indignantly
warm-hearted, overgrown Irish boy, who had jus,
shdSen off the troublesome enemy himself
Silence! my boys; we must make up for time
lost in good earnest
please, Miss how big be the world ~ asked a
yollow'hesded little girl, coming up timidiy to
| her side
| 9" How big deyou think it is2o
Maggie says II D. hundred miles big n
Magsies homes, Scotch fsee was covered with
scarlet ,as Miss Mansfield turned her eye con'ic.l
| iy to her corner.
What is the world shaped like, Ruth ~ she
proceeded to ask
Like pumpkia-round, Miss replied Ruth,
hesitating; but it be bigger-be't il ~ she add
ed, doubtfulIy
Certainly - returned Annie, biting her lip /,
Maggie, what do You Think Is the earth rs
large as pumpkin or ball. the size Of this
prairie ~
~ dinna ken !" returned the REDEEMED Mag
gle; but Ruth nodded assent, and several whis-
pered Yes, ma'am'o
"ls il larger %
No one volunteered an OPINION
:" How wide is the Atlantic ocean ~
Three thousand miles widep answered q
dozen, with parrot-like precision, in n breath
How could the Atlantic ocean and this pra-
| RE, then, be together upon this world 2-kUw
could we and all other people live upon the
world, if It were only hundred miles big! as
you say, or only as large as this prairie ~
81 ne'er thRrs, &. 'Lal, e,-'lsi'aed Magsic b.
eye Frightening with the reflection of a new idea
bat larger spoke up
"Why, Miss Mansfield 10 We live on the
world | always Teckonsd we lived ~ it, for
surelp
Annie dropped her laughing lips below the
| Arithmetic she held open
In it How could We ever see the sun the
moon, or the siars2n
| "Sure enough I" "For certain = How Gurus y
nssented all the larger ones in kind OF qaiet
| smazement; while the lesser fry strained their
eyes rs though they expected thereby TO strain
their minds TO comprehension of the wonderful
problem.
Annie called them around her, and gave long
and simple oral lesson in practical Geography
which quite turned their little heads with new
ideas.
Let me say one word here This picture is
net an exaggerated enc; neither is it by any means
TO DO taken u fair sample of all prairie schools
or Of NIL upon our prairie 1t is only in the most
uncultivated parts, or amid the greatest hurry Of
| businees, that those parents who can themselves
read and write, neglect to instruct their children
in the u G Of science.
Car lesve these little ones in this swamp Of
! igsorancc, and 20 to my dear, happy home T.
| asked Annie of herself that nigh, lifting her
eyes from the last home-etter, which they hal
hliptQVni With War Nj mill do
sert the field the first repusel have eniiste,
in the service of my, country and OF my God and
l viii moi lightly quail ~
She knew that the first intelligence Of her i'll
ROSS would he signal for a command to return
and therefore abe had concealed il entirely from
her parents, writing cheorfully in tho intervals
of hcr nspsss, avGr wbe'--A-e. ts---"'-- -.
~ mnrtr " srcruer ainna'suiuur oi disease
bound her again to a feverod bed; md this
time she could not hide the fact from her distant
friends, for her throbbing temples resisted the
control Of her will for weeks -.
| GLOW do you do, my child % asked one morn
| ing, the kind ply sioian who came TO Annie ocoif
sonally from distant village, MS he drew his
chair tenderly to her bedside
| Annie lifted her langud cye-lids with faint
smile.
81 don't know, indeed, dear doctor" she replied.
al am almost weary of life "
| we cary OF ui you Fleal " ~ III RH tiinc WE
sent you home again, il that is the case ~
"Oh, no--not homer said the sick girl ear
nestly.
"And why not home my dear girl 2" urged
the doctor, looking pcnctratingly into her face.
while he pressed her 6tful pulse.
"Not because 1t il not the dearest spot on
earth 10 me, doctor, bnt---but my duty Ii hare /;
my place is here These poor children need n
teacher so much p and tears glassed over her eyes
ss she spoke.
"Yonr place mas here, while you were strong
enough to fill it, but your place Is at home now,
where they are calling you back to DO nursed-or
ought to be calling you ! tell you that you
must not run the risk of teaching again within
many months, my perseveripg little frendp
| "Got letter for the school maam ~ called n
chubby boy, drawing himself from under the
blanket curtain, with one finger in his mouth,
looking up as though he expected TO be dissected
alive by " the doctors" dreaded eyes.
"a letter from homep cried Annie, with a
sudden flush of energy. "Oh doctor this will
do me more good than all your powders and
pillsw
81 dare say dare say Don't use ceremony
with me-open it Immediately, Miss Annie!
want TO watch the effect Of the 'tonicvp
The flush died TO sallownesssn Annie's cheek
as the hastily perused letter dropped in her tirel
hand
"You must have communicated mcsmerisally
or geographically with them, doctorI They tell
me to come home, peremptorilyV
Precisely exsctlyp returned he, with satis.
faction. "You know wa doctors have always been
accused Of magic, since tho days Of hsscuapins
and we must keep up our reputation! ! must 1T
you little into our secret il you have 1t not AL
ready he continued, laughing. "The magic Of
The ~ Ia altogether more potent than all the boast
Ell magic Of clarvoysnce
SO Annie Mansfield went back 70 her home
went far more tearfu'ly than she had quilted il
for her tears fell for others than herself and shs
did not try 10 restrain them Her scholars
large and small gathered abont her with lament
a,ians that might, inIeed, have forced tsara from
| n heart Of flint Shs b,dc the l,wer-pratvie
sorrowfu good bye Many Of it's flowers still liz
folded between tho leaves Of her school hooks and
Bible, AMI speak TO her noiselessly of The hour,
OF pain and pleasure in which she Quilted them
The cottngs on the hiil-sds-----i surely need
not lell how il welcomed bcr back nor how hel
father and mother mingled tears with their smile,
Of Joy, M they folded their arms together around
tho fcvcr-wGstod, fragile form Of their returned
| darling
The rose had scarcely begun 10 bud again or
Aunie's cheek, when her mother WIS laid upon
bed ~ hclplessness md suffering Providence
had called home the child, 10 be the stay oftbe pr
rents declining years. Her post was pow there
she knew II, and was contontod.
| In tho light tolls and duties Of PASTOR
daughter, houeokeeper, and nurse 10 her still
feeble mother, Annie has found health and happi
ness Yet ofton---how oftcp, none but herself
can know do her thoughts wander back IN the
prairie. land--ths neglected nursery Of America
SonIuERs BRorugRLY Loyg-Mr Inge mem
Der Of Congress from Alabama, aud Mr. Stany
II North Carolina lately had an alteration in
the House OF Representatives, and cbsllenge
WINS the result. The story goes, that Mr. Sanly
was arrested, with view 70 give security not to
| i.a.L ,ha llama Wa laukt ~heth.s Instl