The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-13
From tho Now York Observer.
THE PENITENT SCHOLAR.

School is out. The last lesson has been re-
cited and the evening hymn sung; and now
| the shouts OF merry voices are heard on the
| green. Their spirits overflow like long pent-
| up waters But one of their number is still
imprisoned All is quiet now in the school
room. There sits the teacher at her desk, with
q sad and troubled look At one of the desks
before her sits boy whose flushed counte-
nance and flashing eye tell of a struggle with
in. His arms are proudly folded NJ in def
ance, and his lips are compressed. Ho will
never say "Pm sorry; will you forgive mei'
| No not he His breath comes thick and fast
and the angry flush upon his cheek grows
deeper crimson. The door stands invitingly
open. A few quick steps, and he can be beyond
the reach Of his teacher. Involuntarily his
hand snatches up his cap, as she says, George,
come to me.o A moment more, and he has dart
ed out, and is away down the lane. The teach
er's face grows yet more sad her head sinks
| upon the desk, and the tears will come, AZ she
thinks Of the return he is making for all her
love and care for him.
The clock strikes five, and slowly putting on
her bonnet and shawl she prepares to go, when,
looking out at the door she sees the boy com
| ing towards the school-house, now taking
rapid steps forward, ms though fearful his res
olutiOn would fail him; then pausing, az if
ashamed to be seen coming back. What has
thus changed his purpose
Breathless with haste, he has thrown him
| self down upon the green grass by the side of
the brook, cooling his burning cheeks in the
pure sweet water and az gradually the flush
faded away, no in his heart died away the an
ger he felt towards his teacher
The soft south wind, az it stole by, lifting the
hair from his brow, seemed to whisper in his
an hot nd
ces within him murmured, $50 back, 20 back"
He started 10 his feet. Should he heed those
kind words-should he 20 back Could he go?
All and here WAS the struggle. Gould he be
man enough to conquer his pride and anger,
and in true humility retrace his steps and say
"forgive?p Could he 90 back As he repeated
the words he said TO himself I" u,H 20 back -
and the victory was won. Soon, with downcast
eye and throbbing heart, he stood before his
teacher, acknowledging in broken accents his
fault, and asking forgiveness. The sunbeams
streamed in through tho open window, filing
the room with golden light; but the sunlight in
those hearts was brighter yet. All, children,
ifyou would always have sunlight in your hearts,
never let the clouds Of anger rise to dim your
sky.
He was hero. He conquered himself; and
Solomon says, He that ruleth his spirit is
better than he that taketh city" At first he
cowardly ran away; but his courage came
again he rallied his forces, and took the city
Brave is the boy that has courage 10 do right,
when his proud heart says, 81 viii not.V
A BEAUTIFUL lDEA.-That was a beautiful
idea Of the wife of an Irish school-master, who
whiie poor himself had given gratuitous in
struction 10 Loor scholars but when increased
in worldly goods began TO think that he could
not afford 70 give bis services for nothing
"Oh, James, don't say the like Of that said
the gentle hearted woman, ''don't poor scholar
never comes into the house that don't feel
as k brought (rss4 oar from Heaven ,sith
him. | never mis- the bit give them--my
heart warns to the soft, homsly sound Of the
bare feet on the floor, aud the door almost
opei % let them inn
Rochester made nve hundred thousand bar