The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-12-09

endured were parts of a verb, but the
connection was not explained, though
the application was often made to his
back.
l The cripple's mind was made up be-
fore morning, and believing that it would
be benevolent act to develope the
powers of the boys mind by little
proper training, so that he might become
reconciled to study, and needing also a
lad to do many things that his lamcness
and ill health made painful to him, he
proposed to Robert to live with him,
tend his store, and learn whatever he
might be able to teach him. Robert
was never SO happy in his life. The
days flew like feathers, and he did not
know which he liked est, the cripple,
the shop, or his studies He wrote all
the words of the spelling book on
slate, and when he could collect class
of the village children, he taught them
how to write from his example. He
never heard the word grammar mention
ed, but he soon learned to write senten-
ces, and in less than two years wrote
letters for various domestics who came
on errands to the shop, and even had
begun to correspond with the village
school teacher, who had taken a great
liking to him. He was so serviceablc
to the cripple that he enlarged his shop
and his stock of goods. Besides making
shoes themselves when they had leisure,
they employed other workmen, and be-
fore Robert was Of age he became the
partner of his excellent master.
1t was not long before Robert be-
came chairman Of the School Committee
and what was his astonishment one day
to see his old teacher come into the
shop, to be examined for a vacant schoo
in one Of the districts.
"Of course you have taught before p
said Robert, assuming an air of indiffer
ence.
have" said the teacher, I" and for
nearly twenty years"
What are your leading principles of
instruction and discipline %
81 have learned to place little de
pendence upon lessons committed to
memory, and none at all upon the rod. "
I" Why so many tn nix these essen
tial to thorough instruction and good
government.
{" l thought so once, but my opinion
was entirely changed some years ago by
an incident which drove an unfortunate
boy from school and from home. That
was the great error of my life, and dear
ly have | paid for it,"
"Thc odium of the boys disappear
ance attached to me, though the parents
sustained me at the time. But when
the boy was given up as lost, they blam-
ed me for not resisting their wishes, and
have been induced to leave that region
to avoid their reproaches, and the scenes
which reminded me of that crime. Here
| am unknown, and my experience will
not be lost"
You are playing the truant your
self, then, and do not like the school of
affliction, whose lessons are only words
You would not like to be beaten, and
then sent home to be rebeaten, after ou
had solemnly promised not to play
truant again" -
The teachers eyes were fixed upon
the speaker as they had not been before,
for the words told upon his heart, as
we'll as upon his memory. AS he scan
ned the features Of the committee man,
and seemed to recognize them, he ex-
There can be no mistake :"
None at ALL" said Robert, Offering
his hand, 81 am the truant himself"
The poor tcached seized the proffered
hand, and as he begged his pupils par
don, he wept like a child. Robert, too,
who she'd no tears when a child, was
melted by those of his teacher, and the
good cripple could hardly prevent the
teacher from worsbipp;ng him, when
Robert introduced hun as the friend
whose bcnevolcnce and judgment had S
1isccrned remnant of good in the
starving truant boy, and by wise instruc- I
lion had led him to love knowledge from
which he had formerly fled. I
BE- IN old gentleman travelling some i
years ago, inside the Bath mail had two |
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