Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-05-22
PUSH oN-A PLEA FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

| PUSH ON-A PLEA FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
ssPush him on, Mr.. Lee-push him on that
is all you have got to do. | don't mind terms
only you push him on, and keep him well up
to the mark. And don't be afraid of giving
him plenty OF lessons, Mr.. Lee he's clever.
active boy, and that's the only way of keeping
him out OF mischief. No use in sending chill
dren to school to idle their time away-that's
my view of the case. Education is a fine thing,
Mr.. Lee, very fine thing, and mean Frank
to be scholar. Hard work and plenty of
lt-that was the way when was boy. l was
kept at it morning, noon and night and see
what it has done foi me. Yes, Mr.. Lee. push
him on, and l shall be proud of him some
day" And having thus given his view of the
case, Mr.. Denton took up his hat. and wishing
the teacher good morning, went to his ware
house.
Mr., Denton was wealthy merchant in the
town of H, man very much looked up to
and respected man who paid the best price
for everything, and consequently expect the
best article; no better material in all the
country than that which came into his mill to
be manufactured no better goods to be met
with any where than those turned out of his
warehouse at H. He also paid the best price
for education, and in consequence expected
the best article, and plenty of it, too. No adj
vocate he for sending children to schools
where they left at four O'Clock, and had holi
days three times a week. He was quite right
when he said that education had done great
deal for him. 'sHard work and plenty of t''
had laid the foundation Of his present stan
ding it had placed him at the head of one of
the most fourishing concerns in H; it had
moulded his rough, firm nature, into form
somewhat more befittiDg the elegancies OF the
sphere in which he moved to use his own
words, s'it had made man out of him.
What it should do for the delicate, exctabie,
sensitive little Frank, was question not yet
answered.
'sNow, my dear, where are your books
You must work hard tonight, for we are late
with tea, and if you don't mind you will not
have your lesson ready for Mr.. Lee by to-mor-
row morning.
sob, mamma, mayn't just go into the
garden little first; it does look SO fine, and
haven't had time to go in all day. Mayn'tI
go in, mamma 20
'sNo my dear, You must wait till the lessons
are done. You know you must push on, and
have them perfectly done. Lessons first and
play afterwards, you know--that is the way to
be a scholar.''
Frank looked with sigh at the grass plot,
and his hoop, lying so temptingy there under
the elm tree; then, fetching his books out OF
the hall, and cleaning his slate, commenced
operations.
"What lessons have you tonight, dear ?''
s'English history, mamma; parsing, and
geography, and composition, and Latin gram
mar, and French verbs, and then this sum in
fractions to prove 90 and the little fellow sigh
ed again, and looked at his hoop. There was
no play tonight, at any rate.
ssThere, think | know it now,'' said he
and laying his tiny hand on the page, so as.to
hide the words, he began to recite his geo.
graphical lesson. The reader will not be sur
prised to learn that his childish pronunciation
Of the alien words was such as MIR. Lees Ger
man professor would hardly have commended;
neither will we inquire too impertinently into
the value and permanence of the ideas they
ssThe Thurgian states comprise the grand
duchy of Sachausen, Weimar, Eisenach, the
three Sachausen duchies of Coburg, Gotha,
Meiningen, and Altenbnrg, the two Reus prn-
cipalitieS of Gretz and Schleitz, and the two
Schwarzenberg principalities of Rudolstadt
and Sondershausen. Their united areas are
4, ,934 square miles, with population of 970,-
900. There, I'm glad Eve done with that
n ow for the sum-
For while nothing was heard but the
of the pencil, and gentle rustling
sound, as the breeze blew the long flower star
red jessamine branches across the window.
''Oh mamma, my head does ache can't 1
fnish this sum tomorrow, or ask Mr.. Lee to
excuse it ?''
ssNo, dear; it must be done. You know
papa wishes you to push on, and learn as much |
IS you can" And Mrs. Denton put another
leaf into her Berlin work, and went on with |
sQuecchy.''
The little fingers closed over the pencil once |
more, and the sleepy eyes bent down over |
their task. Buttime conquers most things; |
md when eight O'Clock struck. the last lesson |
was mastered, the last verb learned ssgood |
hight, mamma,' and confused conglomera- |
lion of Sachausen duchies, verbs, fractions, /
parts of speech and Latin numbers, Frank
vent up stairs to bed.
ssLessons all prepared 90 said Mr. Denton,
IS he came in from business and stretched him.
ef out in the great easy chair.
eyes all of them. Don't you think, my
lear, Mr.. Lee pushes Frank little too fast
You know he is but child yet-not nine
,ears old--and he does not seem well be-
ides-"
'sNonsense, my dear, nonsense. Why,
when [ was boy, | did twice as much. 1
mean to ask Mr.. Lee next quarter about his
earning Greek. He's clever child, and it's
pity he should not be kept up to the mark
besides you know, he'll never get on when he
,oes to grammar school without good knowl
,dge of the classics, and Pm determined to
make scholar of him-nothing like keeping
to the mark.
SO the subject passed. Mr.. Denton was a.
way on business all day, and when he came
lome Frank was generally gone to bed, so he
lid not notice the heavy eye and flushed
meek, NOT lHe paie loreneau ana tremOllnS
land; he only knew that his little boy had
,egun to construe Cesar aud work sums in
ractions, that he had taken the first prize in
history, and could match his compositions
With those of the biggest boy in school; he
vas going to be scholar, credit to the fami-
Y, as Mr.. Denton had made up his mind he
hould be, and that was quite sufficient.
"From the centre A, at the distance A B,
lescribe the circle B Q D." murmured little
Frank, as the tides of sleep drove back lfe's
weeds and pebbles on the bright shores of
lream land. Yes he was sspushing on,'' but