The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-05-19
From Arthur's Home Magazine
THE LITTLE IDIOT.
DY ELLEN derry.

ooh, 90 away! 60 awayl Take your bool
and put it away out of my sight. You neve
will learn to read, and what is the use Of fuss
ingg There take your book and run away.
The speaker bad begun in an angry, impa
tient tone; but the sorrowful look in the deli
cate little face caused her to soften it copsij
erably at the close; and as Arrah took tb,
book and run out of the room, she continued
"She will be glad enough, fancy, TO pu
the book out Of her own sight. always tolc
poor Bella she had not intellect enough t
learn to read but mothers do hate to believe
such things of their chillren. had no faith
that should succeed when began; bu
Herbert was so anxious to have me try"
"a nd have you tried all you are gong to 2
There was a touch Of rebuke in the mild tone
Of the questioner, aud Mrs. Benton hesiiated
a little, and settled her widows cap upon hel
head as she replied: ~ .,,s Doe
"Well, yes; at least at present. The house
keeping is really about as much as can at.
tended to, and it is as much as one persons
time is worth to take care Of Arabs clothes.
She is a very careless child" .-rrr7
I That evening Mrs. Benton rather abruptly
told her brother n.law that Arrah could not
be Taught 10 read. -
at is very evident" said he, "that she has
not intellect enough to learn; and in my opin-
ion, it is just worrying her for nothing. She
knew A and 0 when her mother died, and
she knows them now; but as to getting any
more of the letters into her hoad, it is just
impossible" 90
The stern, busting woman, could not real
ize how heavily her words fell on the heart OF
her listener, who quietly replied:
"Woll, perhaps you had better letit 60"
Aunt Willet, dear old lady, understood bet
ter the cause of bis sudden loss Of appetite,
and why be gave such NAL oppropos replies
TO Mr.. Benton's ren afk', as she went on CON-
planning of servants, and discussing various
household matters aud items of business with
at least as much interest as she had shown iu
speaking of little Arrah. She noticed his
laeilLrnity, AMI wondered il she hs offended
him; but she could uot realize how much suf
ferng her words caused him.
"The child is such a sickly little thing"
she often said TO herself, "and so stupid, il
would be a mercy il she did not live 10 grow
up 3t 'ia 'ol-tia nt'. p" III
Aunt Willet took occasion, when Mrs. Ben
ton had gone ont TO attend to some house
hold matter, to suggest TO MIR. Herbert that it
would do no arm II Arrah did not earn to
read ,igbt away. Mrs. Beoton had no zine
to attend 10 her property, aud after Two or
three yeats be had better get governess,
who would give up her whole time to her.
~ e thought is very good one, said he,
aud he resolved to act upon it, in the mean
tnnc teaching Arrah a little himself. He
soon gave up that attempt, however, for he
was awkward at it, and Arrah appeared ex.
tremely dull; and quite against his will, be
found the agonizipg conviction forcing itself
upon him, that his only child, the namesake
and living copy Of a most fair aud lovely
mother, was indeed an imbecie. u
So, like n silent spirit, Auab, 10 simple
white, and long cleaning curls, fitted dom
room TO room, playing with her closely toys,
aud worshipirg in mutc way, the bright,
sweet flowers in the conservatory.
Three years passed, and a person recon
mended as possessing every desirable qua!ica-
ton was engaged, at a high salary, TO take
charge of Arrall's education. u .ses i..s
+ ''She is niue years DID," said Mr.. Herbert,
''and think you will be able 10 teach her 10
read"
"Oh, certainly, certainly: am sure she
will learn very soon" said Miss Barber; and
she proceeded to fix up tho school room with
everything she thought necessary, Tightening
Arrah with a collection of blackboards, maps,
globes, DC. aud still more by the solcinn air
with which she laid down code laws for
her future observance. Naturally enough,
Arrah preferred the conservatory to the new
school room, aud finding this out, tho govern
ess locked the little door through which she
was accustomed 10 go into il from what had
oeen her Imother's sitting room. Poor Ariah
grieved about it for weeks, and then the gov
erness informed Mr.. Herbert that she was very
sorry TO say she did not think Miss Arrabela
could be taught to read. She had dcne all
she could. A and o were all tho letters she
know or could lear,. So the school room
was locked up and the conservatory door un
locked, and Arrah returned 10 her old way Of
life; while her father, hoping against hope,
reasoned that IL Arrah had remembered those
two letters through all those years, sho must
be able 10 learn more. But, before another
goyeruess could be procured, poor little Arrah
had The measles, aul taking cold, was very
dangerously i'll. She continued so weak, after
her recovery, that all thoughts Of getting a
gove'ncss FOR her where abandoned for the
: ime being. q stfl -fpLTtg ~ Lgrr
Months passed on, and Mr.. Herbert brought
a new bride 70 cheer The home which the
death OF Arrah's mother had left 80 desolato.
He had hoped that Arrah would be company
and consolation for him as she grew older;
but be gradually and almost uocopsciously
yielded to the opinion SO often expressed by
Mrs. Blenton, that Arrah never wosld know
much, and so TUNED to another wife for CON-
papv