Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-12

i believe ho said, after a moments thought,
I'll run down to tho brook and wash myself, |
forgot it this morning. No | didn't either dis
daining the falsehood, L was too mad to do it, but
I'll wash now
DO, Willie, that's a good bog. / love to see
my pupils neat and tidy. Here's q towel for you
to wipe on. | always bring one with me to school,
for the little ones most always need washing after
dinner. And hero are a pair Of pocket combs
bran new ones. I'll give them to you if you'll
promise to use them every day.
Willie ran to the brook and made such a dexter.
Gus use Of towel and combs, that he hardly seem
ed like the same boy when he returned.
Why, you're real handsome Miss Merton
spoke involuntarily, but she spoke the truth, for
be was a handsome little fellow, with a high. fair
brow, aud a wealth Of nut brown hair clustering
about his temple, in soft, silky curls.
4 shall not have much time TO talk to you, for |
hear the children coming and as she spoke little
%snatches of musical laughter anne ringing through
the open dooi but one thing l must say, | need
your help, Willie
lie looked up and his blue eyes dilated in won.
der. His help ? What could he do to help her.
She continued: i need your help, Willie. You
are probably one of the Oldest pupils | shall have,
and the little ones will look up to you as an exam.
pie. If they see you quiet, mannerly, orderly
faithful to your studies, and prompt in recitations
they will strive to emulate you, and | shall have
but little difficulty in governing the school buI
1t, on the contrary, you are noisy, forward, rude
negligent of your lessons, and d~ilatory in coming
to your class, they will imbibe your spirit, anG
shall 60 home every night sad and weary. Willie
you are cut out for q good boy and she moved
her hand over his now glossy hair, "Your head
is a good one. If you will only guide it by your
heart, it will make a good, and perhaps a great
man Of you. Can | trust you, Willie, will you
help me to make this school q credit to the dis.
trict ?
Willie had never been talked to in that way be.
fore, lie had never had trust repOsed 10 him
lie hardly knew what to make of it now, but be
did not hesitate to say at once, 4 will help all
can. Perhaps | shall forget sometimes, and ael
bad, because | am so used to cutting up, that it'll
20 hard to be good at once, but if l do, just look
ut me and I'll give up
The other scholars came just then, and looked
surprised enough to see Willie there in earnest
conversation with the teacher. They hung back
bashfully.
Tell me their names, Willie said Miss Merton
kindly, and as she spoke to each one, she tool
them gently by the hand, stroked the heads of tn,
little boys, and Kissing the checks Of the littl,
girls.
School opened. The scholars watched in vail
for Willie to begin his antics, but proud of III
J confidence reposed in him, he never, that morn;nj
d violated a single rule,
You have done nobly, said Miss Merton to him
She opened her dinner pail. Bless me, but Mrs
u Gray must have thought l had a VOLTS appetite
! Can't you help me deVour some of this generou
, dinner The boy used to scraps and orusts, too
II eagerly the nice, white bread, the thin slices
pink ham, the fresh, hard boiled eggs. the see
II cakes and rhubar5 pie.
y Are there any cow-slips in the brook p she asl
y ed, when the meal was finished.
%, yes ma'am, plenty of them
Il wish you would bring me five or six prett
ones. l am going TO make q herbarium, and
want some Of all the early flowers
The boy didn' know what e herbarium was, bt
II he brought the flowers quickly, and looked @
with curious eyes while che a nalyzed one of then
" and then, after consulting her Botany, careful,
arranged the remainder in the shape of a crescen
. and pla ced them between the leaves of a larl
. blank book she took from her desk.
The other scholars gathered around her, ar
, one little girl asked what she did with til
!, work p
Miss Merton explained and then carefully tur
ing the leaves. showed them a page on which Ii
pressed the delicate stars OF the trailing arbutu
and another on which lay the shell-tinted fowe
of the anemone, and another where the pretty |
tic spring beauties lay clustered.
i am DESTROYS of making a very large and bea
tiful collection, which l wish TO present, when f
ished, to an invalid friend Of mine, a lady whC
lameness prevents her from getting out into
fields and forests to see the lowers. Do y
know, Willie, whether there is any blood r.
20 grows about here l don't know but what il.
" too late for its blossoms, but ] hOpenot, for l wi
!, some very much they are so beautiful, such
snowy whiteness.'
Il know where there's plenty, ma'am.
helped dig it many a time. Old Granny Wilmo
where | used to live, always wanted some to
in spirits every spring. I'll get you some to N
10 row.
!" DO, Willie, and any other wild flowers you n
find. l shall be so glad of them, and in ret
I'll teach you Botany, at moons and before sci
in the morning, and give you book like mine
place your specimens in. Wouldn't you like
H0 have q herbarium p
%, yes, ma'am, | guess l would, and the |
,oI eyes were very bright, Early next morning '
md lie was at the school-house with six beautiful 81
Tia linens of blood root and cever other specimen
II flowers which had peeped OFT of the moss and
bo derbrush of the forest. And Miss Merton
!, them in a new herbarium, with William Hen
~ son written on the cover, and a beautiful piece
, poetry written on The first page. She divided
,ss the flowers and gave him half, showing him
to analyze them, and how to press them and v
ing under each in her own fair cnirogTaphy,
ma. name, class and order, the spot where it grew,
peculiar characteristics, its medical qualities,
had them, and also an appropriate quotation f
{ n some poet, and the language which florists /