The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-05-30

play with. So I thought I'd get him some.'
! 'Is Tommy your brother p - 80. s-t,. +.
| No, ma'am. I never had any brother or sis
ter either His voice softened as he spoke.
! HE belongs to the folks where I stay &
sTll send Tommy something as pretty as
/ birds eggs. See here she broke, OF large
bunch of Glacs and handed him the pur-
pie plumes. Garry this to him. Put it in a
| pitcher of water, and it'll keep fresh several
/ days and here are some flowers for you,' and
she gave him the little bunch of Violets she
had gathered. Run quick with them now, or
you will be late to school,
s'Are you the new teaeher?'
tYes'
-sPm going then: fll be there in time,' and
he ran off fIT2 ac go 9
Now only the night. before, he had declared
! up and down he wouldn't go to school, 1t
was no use. He never would be anybody, and
he was tired of being fogged and boxed. He
wouldn't stand it from woman teacher. And
it they sent him to school he'd play shookey,'
he would. Yet the very next morning he was
in hurry to go, fearful that he should be late.
Who will dare to say there is not magic in
kind words?
Miss Merton went early 10 the school house.
The worst boy was already there.
sAh,' said she kindly, you beat me. But
| Pm very glad you're here, for want 10 learn
something about the school. What is your
1 name? p 1r- -es
Bill Hendrickson, ma a'am.'
Say William, my dear, or Will. Bill is not
pretty nickname - Es.- u -. .....,.. 81.
| Kits what Eve been called ever since my
father died. and he sighed.
Then your father is dead, poor boy She
spoke tenderly. "And your mother-
She's dead, too, ma'am. She died when
was little baby. [ cannot even remember
how she looked and new tears gathered into
his blue eyes.
Courage, thought Miss Merton A boy who
weeps at the name of his dead mother, can
/ dot be all bad. And she laid her hand caress-
ingly on his brown hair, and said softly, Il
know how to feel for you, Willie, for I, too,
am an orphan s :
That gentle touch 1t melted the poor boys
heart entirely, but with the better feelings
that then surged over his soul came feeling
of shame, too, and for the first time in his life
he blushed for his matted hair, and his dirty
face and hands.
Il believe he said after moments thought,
| Tll run down to the brook and wash myself.
forgot it this morning. No didn't either,
disdaining the falsehood, Il was too mad to do
it, but I'll wash now
do, Willie, that's good boy. I love to
see my pupils neat and tidy. Here's towel
for you to wipe on. I always bring one with
me to school, for the little ones most always
need washing after dinner. And here are
pair of pocket combs-brau new ones. Pli
give them to you if you promise to use them
every day.
Willie ran to the brook and made such
dexterous use of the towel and combs, that
he hardly seemed like the same boy when he
returned.
! why, you're real handsome Miss Merton
spoke involuntarily, but she spoke the truth,
for he was handsome little fellow, with a
high fair brow, and wealth of nut brown hair
clustering about his temples, in soft, silky
curls.
Il shall not have much time to talk to you,
for hear the children coming, and as she
spoke little snatches of musical laughter came
ringing through the open door; fbut one thing
I must say, I need your help Willie
He looked up and his blue eyes dilated in
wonder. His help? What could he do to
She continued: 4 need your help, Willie
i You are probably one of the oldest pupils
shall have, and the little ones will look up to
you as an example. IF they see you quiet,
mannerly, orderly, faithful to your studies,
and prompt in recitations, they will strive to
emulate you, and I shall have but little diff
Guilty in governing the school; but if, on the
E gent of your lessons, and dilatory in coming
to your class, they will imbibe your spirit, and
I shall go home every night sad and weary
Willie you are cut out for good boy and she
moved her hand over his now glossy hair
Your head is good one. IF you will only
guide it with your heart, it will make good,
and perhaps great man of you. Can trust
you, Willie? will you help me to make this
school credit to the districtY
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 all can. Perhaps shall forget
| sometimes, and act bad, because so used
to cutting up, that it'll go hard to be good at
once, but if do, just look at me and I'll give
up
The other scholars came just then, and look
ed surprised enough to see Willie there in
| earnest conversation with the teacher. They
hung back bashfully. CE
Tell me their names, Willie,' said Miss
Merton, kindly, and as she spoke to each one,
she took them gently by the hand, stroking
the heads of the little boys, and kissing the
cheeks of the girls r.-E ..e.
School opened. The scholars watched in
vain for Willie to begin his antics, but proud
of the confidence reposed in him, he never,
that morning, violated single rule. is-sa
l You have done nobly,' said Miss Merton to
him. She opened her dinner pail. 'Bless me,
but Mrs. Gray must have thought I had a
VOLTS appetite Cant you help me deyour
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
4 rhubarb pie.
eAre there any cow.slips in the brookY' she
. asked, when the meal was finished.
1 20, yes, ma'am plenty of them d s =
/ II wish you would bring me five or six pref
ty ones. am going to make herbarium,
and want some of all the early flowers
/ The boy did not know what herbarium
was, but he brought the flowers quickly, and
looked ON with curious eyes while she analyzed
4 one of them, and then, after consulting her
Botany carefully arranged the remainder in
the shape of a crescent, and placed them be-
tween the leaves of q large blank book she