The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-06-07

looking up from the paper he was read
ing, and speaking to younger brother,
who was sitting by the stove playing with
a favorite dog.
"Well, what are they2 Let's have
them" said Fred, stopping in his sport
with the dog.
"The first is, Never get vexed with
any thing you can help;' the second is,
Never get vexed with anything you cant
help"
" Are not these rules as well suited
to you as to me !" inquired Fred, silly.
" No doubt of that" replied Giles
" but then it is so much easier to hand
over piece of good advise to another,
than to keep it for ones own use."
/" But what say you," continued Giles,
Z" to these rules? How would it work if
we should adopt them ~
"I think they take pretty wide and
clean sweep" said Fred. They don't
leave fellow any chance at all to get
vexed."
THAT might be an objection to them,"
said Giles, off any one was WISER better,
or happier for getting vexed; they are
sensible rules. 1t is foolish to vex our
selves about what can be helped, and it is
useless to vex ourselves about what can't
be helped. Let us help each other to re-
member and obey these two simple rules.
What say your
"I'll agree to it," said Fred, who was
usually ready to agree to anything his
brother proposed, if it was only proposed
good-humoredly.
"That's too bad !" exclaimed Fred,
the next morning, while making prepara.
tions for school.
What is the matter ?" inquired
Giles.
81 have broken my shoe-string, and
it is vexatious I'm in such hurry"
cit is vexatious, no doubt" replied
Giles "but you must not get vexed, for
this is one of the things that can be helped.
You will find a string in the left corner
of the top drawer.
I" But we shall be late at school," said
Fred.
"No, we shall not" said Giles. 1--WE
shall only have to walk little faster.
Besides, if you keep cool, you will find
the string, and put it in much sooner than
you can if you get vexed and worried"
THAT'S " true" said Fred, as he start.
ed for the string quite restored to good
humor.
Several opportunities occurred during
the day for putting in practice the newly
adopted rules. The last was this -
In the evening Giles broke the blade
of his knife, while carving hard piece
Of wood.
at can't be helped" said Fred, $50
you must not get vexed about it."
at might have been helped" said
Giles "but can do better than to fret
about it. can learn lesson ofcare
for the future, which may some day save
knife more valuable than this. The
rules work well. Lets try them to-mor-
row."
The next morning Fred devoted an
hour before school to writing composition.
After he had written half-a-dozen lines,
his mother called him off to do something
for her. During his absence his sister
Lucy made use ofhis pen and ink to
write her namein school-book. In doing
so she carelesslyet fall drop of ink on
the page he was writing. Fred returned
while she was busily employed in doing
what she could to repair the mischief.
You have made great blot on my
composition he cried, looking over her
! shoulder.
E Il am very sorry. did not mean to
, do it," said Lucy.
Fred was so vexed that he would have
answered his sister very roughly, if Giles
had not interposed.
S "Take care. Fred you know the thing
$ is done and can't be helped"
g Fred tried hard to suppress his vexa-
: ton.
81 know it was an accident" he said
: pleasantly, after a brief struggle with
$ himself
; Lucy left the room, and Fred sat down
: again to his composition. After mo-
4 ment he looked up.
5 " No great harm has been done, after
e ALL" he said. Two or three alterations
b. are much needed, and if write it over
e again can make them"
c 80 much for cool head and not get
e ting vexed," said Giles, laughing. =" Our
g rule works WE'LL"
At night, Fred tore his coat while
climbing over fence.
"That's too bad," said he.
a &" 1t can be helped" said Giles: " fol
!. it can be mended."
!. THE way to help it is what trouble.
, me-" said Fred. Il don't like to ask
I, mother, she has so much to do
Giles proposed that Fred should gel
= over his difficulty by asking Lucy to dc
!. the job for him, as her mother had taught
q her to mend very neatly. Fred was MOI
4 at first disposed to adopt this measure
: He knew that Lucy disliked meandine
y very much, and was afraid she would be
J cross if asked to do it; but he at last de-
;, cided to run the risk of that. They found
: Lucy busy with piece of embroidery
. and quite engaged in her work. FREQ
. looked at Giles when he saw how hi
% sister was occupied but he had gon,
too far to retreat, and must make bolt
push.
y Il wish to ask great favor of you
> Lucy" said Fred; "but l fear | hav,
\ come in the wrong time"
What do you want ?" said Lucy.
Il am almost afraid to tell you. I'll
too bad to ask you to do what | know
= you dislike
You are good while at getting tc
. what is wanted said Lucy, laughing
% "Come. tell me-"
!, Fred, thus encouraged, displayed thu
- rent.
"Well, take of your coat will Dc
II my best" said Lucy cheerfully.