Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-02-25


sired that his boys should be like him.
Tor he considered that the acme Of ed
ucatlonal perfection lay in The power Of
conquoring Euclid, and he often ex-
pressed his opinion, that, were Euclid
living then, he "could give the old ge-
ometTlclan hard tussIe." He seemed
not to comprehend that different minds
are made with different capacities, and
what one mind grasped with ease, an
other OF equal power would fail to com
prehend. Hence, because Jeremiah
progressed rapidly in his mathematical
studies, and could already survey a
piece OF land Of many angles, he mag
med that because Samuel made no pro
gress III the Same branch, be was idle
and careless, and treated him accor-
dn9Iy. lie never candidly conyorsed
with his younger son, with view to
ascertain the tue bent Of his mind, but
he had his own standard Of the power
Of all minds, and he pertinacioasly Y ad-
herel to it.
There was another thing that Mr..
Winthrop could not see, and that was
llaC Samuel was continually pondering
upon such profitable matter as was in
tareating to him and that he was scarce
y ever idle nor did his father see. Ell
thor, that If he ever wished his bow to
become mathematician, he was pur-
SUNG the very course to prevent such
. result. Instead Of endeayorino to
make the study interesting to the child,
he was making it obnoxious.
The dinner hour came, and Samuel
had not worked the sum. The father
was angry and obliged the boy to 90
without his dinner, at the same time
telling him that he was an idle, lazy
child.
Poor Samuel left for the chamber,
and there he sat and cried. At length
his mind seemed to pass from the wrong
ne had suffered at the hand Of his pa
rent and took another turn, and the
marks Of grief left his face. There was
p large fire in the room below his cham
Der, SO that he was not very cold, and
getting up he went to a closet, and
from beneath a lot Of old clothes he
took forth some long strips of wood and
commenced whiting. It was not for
mere past time that he whitfield, for he
was fashioning some curious affair from
those peices Of wood. He had bits of
wire, little scraps Of tin plate, pieces of
tWne, and dozens Of small wheels that
he had made himself, and he seemed
to be working to get them together af-
ter some peculiar fashion of his own.
Half the afternoon had thus passed
away, when his sister entered his cham
Der. She had her apron gathered up
ii her hand, and after closing the door
softly behind her, she approached the
SPOT 7Thero her brother sat.
'SEIere, Sanmy-see,I ,I have brought
You something to eat. I know YOU
must be hungry"
AS she spoke, she opened her apron
and took out four cakes, piece Of pie,
and some cheese, The b0y was hun
gry, and hesitated not to avail himself
Of his sisters kind offer. He kissed
her as he took the cakes, and thanked
her.
ooh, what q pretty thing that is YOU
are making!" uttered Fanny, as she
gazed upon the resnlt of her brothers
labor. 'Won't you give it to me after
it is done -
'Not this one, sister," returned the
boy with a smile, E'but as soon as T oct
time Will make you one equally as
pretty"
Fanny thanked her brother. and
shortly afterwards left the room, while
the boy went on with his work.
Before long the various materials
that had been subject to SamueIs lack
knife and pincers had assumed form
and comeliness, and they were Joined
and grooved together in curious man
ner
The embryo philosopher set the ma
chlne-for it looked very much like a
machine upon the floor, and then
stood off and gazed upon 1t. His ewes
/ Cleaned with . peculiar glow of salts
faction, and he looked proud and han
|py. While he stood and oazed un6r
the child Of his labors, the door Of his
chamber opened, and his father enter
ed.
~ H'.-''tt YOU not studying - eX-
claimed Mr.. Winthrop, as he noticed
the boy standing IN the middle Of the
floor.
Samuel trembled when he heard his
fathers voice, and turned pale with
''Ha, what is this ?'' said Mr. Win
throp, as he caught sight of the curious
construction on the floor. ''This is the
secret OF your idleness. Now I see
how it IS you cannot master your stud.
les. You spend your time making fly-
pens and play-houses. I'll see whether
you learn to attend to your lessons OF
not, Therei'' -..s
aa.