Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-07
THE FATHERS ERROR.

LID L III Lin - 1uhOles
MIR. solOm on winthrop was plain old farm
er-an austere. precise man. who did everything
by established rules, and could see no reason
why people should grasp at anything beyond
what had been reached by their great-grand-
father. He had three children, two boys and a
girl There was Jeremiah, seventeen years oid;
samuel, fifteen; Fanny, fourteen.
1t was n cold winters day. Samuel was in the
kitchen, reading book, and so interested was
he that he did not notice the entrance OF his
father. Jerry was IN the opposite corner, en-
gagged in cyphering out a sum which he had
found in his arithmetic.
Sam" said his father, shave you worked
mo, father" answered the boy, hesitatfngly.
Didn't / tell you to stick 70 your arithmetic
I'LL you had done IL ?'' said Mr.. Winthrop in a
samuel hung down his head and looked trou-
bled.
why haven't you done t?' continued the
IL can't DO it, father" tremblingly said
Cant 10 it, And why not? Look at Jerry,
further than you have long before he was as old
Jerry was always fond of sums and prob.
lens, father. They have no interest at all for
That's because you don't try to feel an in
terest in your studies. What book is that you
reading"
Its a work on philosophy, father
A work on hddiesticks, Go, put il away this
instant, and then get your slate; and don't you
let me see You away from your arithmetic until
You can work out those roots? Do you under
stand?''
Samuel made no answer, but silently he put
away his philosophy; and then he got his slate
and sat down in the chimney corner. His lip
trembled and his eyes moistened, for he was very
unhappy. His father had been harsh towards
him, and he felt that ii was without a cause.
Z" Sam" said Jerry, soon their father had
gone out of the room, "Ill do that sum for you"
No, Jerry, replied the young brother, with
fnn1 f.u~
IN try TO do the sum, but fear that shall not
succeed"
Samuel worked very hard, but to no purpose
His mind was not on the subject before him.
The roots and squares, the bases and perpen-
siculars, though comparatively simple in them
selves, we're TO him a mass of incomprehensible
things; and the more he tried, the more he be-
came perplexed and bothered.
The truth was his father did not understand
him.
Samuel was a bright boy, and uncommonly
intelligent for one of his age. Dir. Winthrop
was a thorough mathematician; he hardly ever
came across problem he could not solve, and
he desired that his boy should be like him; he
considered that the acme of educational per-
fiction lay in the power of conquering Euclid;
and he often expressed the opinion that, were
Euclid living then, he could ~ give the old
geometrician a hard tussle.n He seemed not
10 understand tlat different minds were made
with different capacities, and what one mind
grasped with ease another OF equal power would
fail TO comprehend. Hence, because Jerry pro-
gressed rapidly with his mathematical studies,
and could already survey piece of land of many
angles, he imagined that As Samuel made no
progress in the same branch, he was idle and
careless, and 50 treated him accordingly. He
never candidly conversed with his younger son,
with a view to ascertain the true bent of his
mind; but he had his own standard of the
hered TO it,
There was another thing that Mr. Winthrop
could not see, and that was that Samuel was
continually pondering upon such profitable
matter as was interesting TO him, and that he
either, that il he ever wished his boy to become
Q mathematician, he was pursuing the very
course To prevent such q result. Instead of en-
deayoring to make the study interesting to the
child, he was making il obnoxious.
The dinner hour came, and Samuel had not
worked out the sum. His father was angry, and
oohged me boy 10 go without ms dinner, at the
same time telling him that he was an idle, lazy
lad.
Poor Samuel left the kitchen for his own
room, and there he sat and cried. At length his
mind seemed 10 pass from the wrong he had
suffered at the hand of his father, and his face
hghtened up. There was a large fire in the
room below his chamber, 20 he was not very
cold; and getting up, he went TO a closet, and
from under a lot OF old clothes he took forth
some long strips of wood. He evidently
fashioning some curious affair from these pieces
of wood He had bits OF wire, little scraps of
tin plate, pieces of Irvine and dozens of small
wheels that he had made himself, and he seemed
10 be working to get the whole together after
some particular fashion of his own.
Hair the afternoon had thus passed away
when his sister entered his chamber. She had
her apron gathered up in her hand, and after
closing the door softly behind her she approached
the spot where her brother sat.
Here, Sammy! see, 1 have brought you
something to eat. l know you must be hun
CRY"
As she spoke she opened her apron and took
out tour cakes, piece of pie and some cheese.
The boy was hungry, and hesitated not TO avail
himself OF his sisters Kind offer. He kissed her
A. he took the cakes, and thanked her.
oh, what pretty thing Is that you max
mgr uttered Fannie, she gaZed upon her
brothers labor Won't you give il to me after
.. Not this one, sister," returned the boy with
asmile; ''but L will make you one equally as
pretty"
Fannie thanked her brother, and soon after
left the room, while the boy went on with his
work.
Before long the various materials that had
been subject To Samuels knife and pincers
were joined and grooved together in q curious
manner.
The embryo philosopher sat the machine-for
IL looked like a machine-upon the floor, then
gzzed upon il intently. His eye cleaned with
peculiar glow OF satifaction; he looked proud and
happy. While he stood and gazed upon the
ch,d OF his ia6ors, the door opened and his
what. are you not studying?' exclaimed Mr..
Winthrop, as be noticed the boy standing in the
Samuel trembled when he heard his fathers
voice, and turned pale with fear.
''Hs, what Is this"' said his father, as he
floor. This Is the secret OF your idleness. s.Nov
see how 10 is you cannot master your studies
Yoa spend your time in making them ny-cages.
III zee whether you'll learn to attend 70 your
Lessons or not Therei"
As the father uttered these harsh calculations,
he put his foot upon the object his displeasure.
The boy uttered q quick cry, and sprang for
ward, but too late The curious construction
Wa crushed 90 stoms-the labor of long weeks.
Looking at the mass OF ruins and then covering
his face with his hands, he burst into tears.
Amt you ashamed?" said Dir. Winthrop, ga
great boy like you 70 spend your time In making
clap traps, and then cry about IL because j
choose you should attend 20 your studies. Now
20 10 the barn and help Jerry she'll corn"
The boy was too full OF grief 20 make any ex-
planztiOn, and without q word he left his cham
Der But for long, long days afterwards he was
weary and dOwn-hearted.
Samuel" said Mr.. Winthrop, one day after
the spring had opened, al have seen Mr.. Young
and he Is willing TO take you as an apprentice.
Jerry and can get along ON the farm, and L
think the best thing you can do Is 70 learn the
blaeksmiths trade have given up ali hopes
OF ever making a surveyor out of you and IL YOU
had farm YOU would not know how 10 measure
il or lay 1t out. derry will soon be able 10 take
my place as surveyor, and have already made
arrange mentS for having him sworn and ohts,