Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-07

ringing through the open door "but one
thing must say. need your help, Willie"
He looked up, and his blue eyes dilated in
wonder. His help What could he do to
help her.
She continued. 81 need your help, Willie.
You are probably one of the oldest pupils l
shall have, and the little ones will all look up
to you as an example. If they see you quiet,
mannerly, orderly, faithful to your studies,
and prompt in recitatons, they will strive to
emulate you and shall have but little diff.
Guilty IN governing the school but if, on the
contrary, you noisy, forward, rude, negli-
gent OF your lessons, and dilatory in coming to
your class, they will imbiSe your spirit, and |
shall go home every night sad and weary.
Willie, you are cut out for a good boy - and
she moved her hand over his now glossy hair
your head is good one. If you only guide
it with your heart it will make good and per-
haps great man of you, Can l trust YOU
Willie; will you help me to make this school
a credit to the district 90
Willie had never been talked to in that way
before. He had never had trust reposed in
him. He hardly knew what to make of it
now, but he did not hesitate to say at once, Il
will help you all l can. Perhaps shall forget
sometimes, and act bad, because Pm so used
to cutting up, that it'll go hard to be good all
at once, but if l do, just look at me and I'll
give up"
The other scholars came in just then, and
looked surprised enough to see Willie there in
earnest conversation with the teacher. They
hung back bashfuly.
"Tell me their names, Willie" said Miss
Merton kindly, and as he spo eacn one, she
took them gently by the hand, stroking the
heads of the little boys, and kissing the cheeks
of the little girls.
School opened. The scholars watched in
vain for Willie to begin his antics, but proud
of the confidence reposed i'll him, he never,
that morning, violated Il single rule.
you have done nobly," said Miss Merton
to him, as at the incoming she sat down by
him. She opened her dinner pail. "Bless
me, but Mrs. Gray must have thought had
VOLTS appetite, Can't you help me devour
some of this generous dinner" The boy,
used to scraps and crusts, took eagerly the
nice, white bread, the thin slices of pink ham,
the fresh, hard boiled eggs, the seed cakes,
and rhubarb pie.
care there any cowsips in the brook 2" she
asked, when the meal was finished.
80, yes, ma am, plenty of them"
81 wish you would bring me five or six pref
ty ones l am going to make a herbarium,
and | want some OF all the early flowers"
The boy didn't know what a herbarium
was, but he brought the flowers quickly, and
looked on with curious eyes while she ana
lyzed one of them, and then, after consulting
her botany, carefully arranged the remainder
i'll the shape OF crescent, and placed them be-
tween the leaves of the large blank book she
took from her desk
The other scholars gathered about her, and
one little girl asked "what she did that for"
Miss Merton explained, and then carefully
turning the leaves, showed them a page on
which lay pressed the delicate stars of the
trailing arbutus and another on which lay the
shell tinted flowers of the anemone, and an
other where the pretty little spring beauties
lay clustered.
81 am DESTROYS of making a very large and
beautiful collection, for | wish to present it.
when finished, to an invalid friend of mine--a
lady whose lameness prevents her getting out
into the fields and forests to see the flowers.
DO you know, Willie, whether there is any
boodroot grows about here. don't know but
, it is too late for its blossoms, but hope not
for want some of them very much for they
are SO beautiful such a snowy wilderness to
the flower"
81 know where there's plenty, ma am. I've
helped dig it many a time. Old Granny Viii.
north, where used to live, always wanted
some put in spirit every spring I'll get you
some tomorrow"
"Do, Willie, and any other wild flowers you
may find. l shall be so glad OF them and in
return Ill teach you botany, at moons and be.
fore school in the morning. and give you
book like mine to place your pecimens in.
Wouldn't you like to have herbarium g"
80 yes, ma'am, | guess | would" and the
blue eyes were very bright. Early the next
morning Willie was at the school house with
six beautiful specimens of bloodroot, and sew
eral other spring flowers which had peeped out
of the moss and underbrush of the forest
And Miss Merton laid the new herbarium,
with William HendricksOn written on the Gov
er, and beautiful piece OF poetry on the first
page. She divided all the flowers and gave
him half, showing him how to analyze them,
and how to press them, and writing under
each in her own fair chirography the name,
class, and order, the spot where it grew, its pc
culiar characteristics, its medicinal qualities
if it had them, and also an appropriate quota
ton from some poet, and the language which
florists have given it.
II y The week passed on Friday
night came and Willie, instead OF being the
worst had been the best boy in the school,
He was bright little fellow, and now that his
mind and heart were engaged, he bad fair to
outstrip all his mates. Miss Merton shared
her dinner with him every day, removing this
one cause of the boys restlessness and disobe-
dience, for every one knows a full stomach,
not an overloaded but a comfortably full stom-
ach, disposes one to be more genial and order.
ly than an empty one can possibly do. In
deed, we have often thought that if the city
missionaries would carry good dinner first
| to the poor sinners, and afterwards tract, the
chances of converting them would be much
| greater
Concluded tomorrow