Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-08
The Old Slate.

The Old Slate
4 have a great mind to break this stu
pid old slate said little Charlie Fidget.
one morning as he sat over his first sum
in Subtraction
Why, what has the poor slate done 2
asked the pleasant voice of his sister Hell
en-, behind him
Nothing just what [ complain Of; it
won't do this plaguy sum for me; and
here it Is almost school time
What a wicked slate Charles
SO It IS. / mean to fling it out of the
window and break it to pieces on the
stones
win that do your sum, Charles2'
No; but if there were no states in the
world | should have no good-for-nothiug
sums to do
%, o. that does not follow, by any
means Did states make the science of
arithemetic2 Would people never have
to count and calculate, if there were no
states You forget pens, lead pencils.
and paper you forget all about oral ar
rithmctic, Charlie
Well. don't love to cipher, that's all
know about it.
And so, you hasty boy. you get angry
with the poor, harmless slate, that is so
convenient when yov make mistakes. and
want to rub them out again Now that
is the way with a great many thoughtless.
quick tempered people They try to find
fault with somebody or something else.
and get into a passion, and perhaps do
mischief, when, if they would but reflect
little, it is their own dear selves who
ought to bear the blame Now. Charlie.
let me see what | can do for YOU
So Helen sat down in her mothers great
easy chair; she tried to look grave and
diguiied, like an old lady, though she was
but eighteen. Charlie came rather un-
willingly, laid the slate in her lap, and
began TO play with the trimmings on her
apron.
Why, what is all this . said She, sol
diers, and cats, and dogs, and houses, with
windows Of all shapes and sizes p
Charlie looked foolish. %. the sum is
on the other side, said he turning it over.
All, silly boy said Helen, here YOU
have been sitting half an hour drawing
pictures instead of trying to do your sum.
And now. which do YOU think ought to be
broken YOU or the slate p and she held
it up high, as if she meant to knock his
brains out with it.
Charlie looked up, with his hands at
his ears. making believe he was frighten-
ed, but laughing all the while, for he knew
She was only playing with him Pesent-
ly. however, she put on a serious face and
said.
Now. my little man, you must 90 to
work in good earnest, to make up for lost
time
o, Helen. itwants only twenty minutes
of nine: [ can't possibly do this sum and
get to school by nine l shall be late
What shall do Miss Fletcher will GER
taiuly punish me if it is not done. Can't
you, just this once, dear Helen p
No said Helen.
90 do, that's dear, good sister just
this once.
No. Charlie there would be 10 kind
ness in that. You would never learn a
rithmetic in that way
just once still pleaded Charlie
No answered Helen in kind but res
olute tone; if I do it once, you will fud
1t harder to be refused tomorrow you
will depend upon me and sit playing and
drawing pictures, instead of ciphering-
viii do a much kinder thing. [ will
keep you close at it till the Job is over
So she passed her hand gently round
him, and though Charlie pouted at first.
and could hardly see through his tears
she questioned him about his rule. and
then began to show him the proper way
to DO ms sum yet letting him work it out
himself, in such a pleasant manner that
he was soon ashamed of being sullen First
she held the pencil herself and put down
the figures as he told her to do: and then
she made him copy the whole nicely, on
another part Of the slate and rub out her
figures.
After this was finished patiently and
Charlie was surprised to find
he should still be in good season for
school
Now, tomorrow, Charlie said Helen,
don't waste a moment. but 90 to your
lesson at once. whatever it is. and YOU
viii find it a great saving not only Of time
but Of temper You won't get into a
passion with this clever old slate of mine
1t went to school with me when / was a
little girl. and I should have been sorry
# you had smashed it for not doing your
work, Half the time Charlie, when you
see a person fdgcty and angry, and com
planning Of things and people, you may be
sure he has either done something he
ought not to do, or left uudone something
he ought TO DO
Away ran Charlie to school, thinking
to himself Well l suppose [ was wrong
both ways | ought not to have been
drawing soldiers, and l ought to have
been ciphcring
[Youth's Companion