M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-09
TIE YOUNG PHILOSOPHER.
A STORY FOR PARENTS.

emlah was In an opposite corner, en-.
gagged in ciFhering out a sum which he
had foundih his arithmetic.
SAM said the farmer to his young.
est boy, shave you worked out that
sum yel?"
No SIR returned the boy in a hesi,
tating manner.
Didn't tell you to stick to your
arithmetic till you had done it?' utter
ed Mr.. Winthrop, in a severe tone.
Samuel hung down his head, and
looked troubled.
why haven't you done it9' contin-
ued the father.
Il can't do it, sir tremblingly re.
turned the boy.
Can't do it2 And why not? Look
at jeremiah, there, with his slate and
arithmetic. He had ciphered further
than you had long before he as as old
as you are.'
Jerry was always fond of mathe.
matlcal problems, sir, but cannot faS.
ten my mind on them. They have nc
interest TO me-
'That'S because you don't try to fee
an interest in your studies. What book
is that you are readingp
'lt's work OH philosophy, SIR
A work on fiddle. sticks! Go, pu
it away this instant, and then get YOU
slate, and don't let me see you away
from your arithmetic again until yol
can work out these roots. Do you un
dersIand me?'
Samuel made no answer, but silent
ly put away his philosophy, and then
he got his slate and sat- down in the
chimney corner. His neither lip trem.
bled, aud his eyes were moistened, for
lie was unhappy. His father had been
harsh towards him, and he telt that il
was without cause.
Sam, said Jerry, as soon as the old
man had gone, i will do that sum !or
YOU
q'No, Jerry, returned the younger
brother, but with grateful look, 'that
would be deceiving father. / will try
to do the sum, though fear | shall not
succeed
Samuel worked very hard, but all 10
10 purpose. His mind was not on the
subject before him. The roots and
squares, the bases, hypothenuses anC
perpendiculars, though comparatively
simple in themselves, were to him a
mingled mass of incomprehensible
things, and the more he tried the more
did lie become perpiexed and bothered
The truth was his father did not I'm
derStand him.
Samuel was bright boy, and uncom
monty intelligent for one OF his age
Mr.. Winthrop was thorough mathe.
matlcian--he never yet came across 6
problem he could not solve, and he de.
sired that his boys should be like him,
Tor he conceived that the acme of edu-
callonal perfection lay in the power oI
conquerng Euclie, and he often expires.
sed his opinion that, were Euclid liv,
ing then, he could give the OLD geome,
trlcian a hard tussel.' He seemed no
to comprehend that different minds wert
ntade with different capacities and tina
what one mind grasped with ease, an
other OF equal power would lail TO com
prehend. Hence, because Jerry pro
gresssed rapidly in his mathematical
studies and could already survey a piec,
OF land many angles, he imagined tha
because Samuel made no progress il
the same branch he was idle and care,
less, and treated him accordingly. H,
never candidly conversed with hi
younger son, with a view to ascertain
the true bent OF his mind but he hac
his own standard of the power OF al
minds, and he pertinacionsly adhered
TO it.
There was another thing that Mr.
Winthrop could not see, that Samuel
was continually pondering upon such
profitable matter was interesting 10 him
and that he was scarcely ever idle; nol
did his father see, either, that if he ever
wished his boy to become mathema.
ticiah, he was pursuing the very course
TO prevent such result. Instead oil
[endeavoring TO noke the study inter-
esling to the child, he was making it
obnoxious.
The dinnerhour came and Sa muel
had not worked out the sum. His faith
el was angry, and obliged the boy to
60 without his dinner, at the same time
telling him that he was an idle lazy
child. s.e .rs.oH s.lylr. ..... -.s.
Samuel left the kitchen and
wentup to his chamber, and there he
sat and cried. At length bis mind
seemed to pass from the wrong he had
suffered at the hand of his parent, and
took another turn, and the grief marks
left his face. There was a large fire
in The room below his chamber, SO that
he was not very cold; and getting up,