Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-23
THE LITTLE IDIOT .

THE LITTLE IDIOT.
ooh, go away! go away! Take your book
and put IL away out of my sight You neve
will learn to read, and what ls the use of fues
ingI There, take your book and run away"
The speaker had begun in On angry, impa
sien: tone, but the sorrOwful look in the deli
cate little face, ,aused her to soften /. consider
ably at the cloee; and, az Arrah took the book
and ran ont of the room, she continued:
"She will be glad enough, fancy, to put the
book ou. Of her own sight. always told pool
Bella she had not intellect enough to learn Il
read; but mothers do hate to believe such thinRt
Of their children. l had no faith ths. should
succeed when began, but Herbert was 40 snx
ious to have me try"
| "And you have tried oil you are going tol''
There was touch Of rebuke la the mild tone
of the questioneF, and Mrs. Benton hesitated q
little, and settled her WidoWs. cap upon hei
head. as che replied
| "Weli, yes; at least at present. The house
keeping ls really about ss much as can at
tend to; and 1t 10 60 much as one PERSONS time
10 worth to take care of Arabs clothes. She
is very careless child" ~
That evening Mrs. Benton rather abruptly
told her brother in-lsW that Arrah could not be
taught to read.
"ltis very evident" she said, ''that she has
not intellect enough to learn, and in my opinion
II is just worrying her for nothing. She knew
A and when her mother died, and she knows
them now. But as to getting any more of the
letters into her head, IL Is just impossible"
| The stern, bustling woman could not realize
how heavily her words fell upon the heart Of
her listener, who quietly replied:
"Well, perhaps you had better Jet it CO."
| Aunt Willet, dear old lady, understood bet
ter the cause of his sudden loss of appetite
and why he gave euch NAL apyopos replies tC
Mrs. Benton's remarks, as she wenton complain.
Ing OF servants, and discussing various house.
hold matters and items Of business with al
least as much interest as she had shown IL
speaking OF Arrah. She noticed his taciturni
ty, and wondered if she had offended him; but
she could not realize how much suffering hel
words cost him.
"The child is such sickly little thing, ,
she often, said to herself. "and so stupid, 4
would be mercy If she did not live to groy
up"
| Aunt Willet took occasion, when Mrs. Ben
ton had gone out to attend to some household
matter, to suggest to Mr, Herbert that it would
90 no harm II Arrshd did not learn to read right
away. Mrs Benton had not time to attend Ia
her properly, and after two or three years he had
better get governess, who would give up her
whole time to her.
| Tine thought is very good one" said he
and be resolved to act upon it, In the meantime
teaching Arrah a little himself. He soon CAV,
up the attempt, however, for he was awkward
at Ii and Arrah appeared extremely dull; enc
quite against his will ho found the agonizinG
conviction forcing Itself upon him, that bill
!, only child, the nsmesake and living COPY of q
most fair and lovely mother, Was indeed an i'm,
bec;le. 4
So, like a silent spirit, Arrah In simple
white, and long, cleaning curls, fitted from
room to room, playing with her costly toys, aut
Worshiping in mute way the bright swee
flowers in the conservatory.
Three years passed, and Q person recommend
ed as possessing every desirable qualification
was engaged to take charge of Afrah's educa
ton
"She ia nine years old" said Mr.. Herbert
Sand think you will be able to teach her {,
read" .er.
"0h, certainly, certainly; am sure she viii
learn very soon," esld Miss Barber; and eh,
proceeded to ht up the school room with ever,
thing abe thought necessary, fright ening Arral
with collection of blaokboards, msps, globes
ETC., and still more by the solemn air with whicl
she laid down code of laws for her future OBJ
servsnce. Naturally enough, Arrah preferre,
the conservatory to the new school room, ant
finding this out, the governeee locked the it'll,
door through which she was accustomed to q,
Into il from what had been her mothers sitlinl
room, Poor Arrah grieved about 1t three O
four weeks, and then the govemess informed Mr.
Herbert that sbe was very sorry to say thu
che did not think that Miss Arabella could b.
taught 20 read. She had done all she could =
A and o were all the letters she knew o
could learn. So the school room was lock
ed up and the conservatory door unlocked
and ArrAh returned TO her ole way of life; whil
her father, hoping against hope, reasoned tha
IL Arsah had remembered those two letter
through all th0ee years, che must be able b
learn more. But, before another governes
could be procured, poor little Arrah had th
measles, aud taking cold, was very dangeroual
ILL., She continued go weak after her recovery
that all thought of getting governess for he
was abandoned for the time being
Months passed on, and Mr.. Herbert brough
Q new bride to cheer the home which the dea q
of Arrah's mother had left so desolate. Fl
had hoped that Arrah would be company an
consolation for him as she grew older; but b
gradually, and almost unconsclously, yielded &
the opinions 80 often expressed by Mrs. Benton
that Arrah would never know much, and q
\ turned to another wife for company.
"Arabella is not very forward" said hc, hes
4 Iitahpgly, as he introduced her; and not lonI
after, Mrs Herbert learned from Mra Bento
that "let them cay what they pleased, she wa
nothing more or less than an IDIOT"
"Poor little thing" thought the kind-hearte,
step.mother, ~ will try and make her as happ
as possible.
j Arrah soon learned to love the sweet smil
land gentle voice Of her new friend, and was a
ways happy at her side, although she rarel
said anything.
"What is this, wonder7" as che pause
! In walk through the conservatory. at Is
very singular looking plant"
/ uItisa Mlmulus," said Arrah, "Dennis cay
Iii is sometimes called Monkey flower. Here
} small one Of the same kind"
Mrs. Herbert was surprised, as she had neve
3 before heard so long sentence from Arrah'
lips. She went on asking questions, and foun
that Arrah not only knew the names Of most q
D the plants, bat could talk quite intellgibl
Q about their different habits. Presently Oh
!, stopped before large box which bad just bee
j placed there. After considering for Q moment
: che darted out Of the open door, and ran dow
: Che gravel walk, to where the old Scotch gal
o. dener was OF work. Seizlng one Of bis bl
\ brown hands In both Of her own, she drew hiI
N hftar hur .irkO the green shouae Ho tOolr a