Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-22
THE SHOE-MEyDER,

li.tle nephew, child q about fc.r wear. oil H.
who was setting on broken cricket m the III; !,
yard where he lived, crying bitterly.
i can't play ike other children, aud have !
= gocsl time, sobbed Bonnie.
| am sorry for you, Bennie, = reioin9d I'm.
Gle John IN a kindly tone, 'sbut cheer M itfie
/ man, and see if cannot help yoa. IL 1 were i
rieh man. ycu would >oen be all right. but pa
ueEee and perseverance can accomplish a greal
| clever as the doctors. Come, suppose carry :,
sen aesn TO The shop l ~sat Ia measure yoal
Ice, ami see II cannot MAKE them whole again
so that ron viii be able to run about as mucl
as you v ant 10. VIII yoa be a brave boy and
not mind a little pain IN order to get well?"
/ he promised.
/ Pound added, fearing 70 increase the how.
missries If he failed in the attempt: 'but will
| try, and trying sometimes works wonders. And
| Won mast try also and be a good bow. and mind
| what say while ! am at work
So the kifd uncle lifted up the boy, aad took
him down to his little workshop, a room 81,
feet by eighteen: in weather boarded tene-
ment. He gave Bonnie An old knife and some
bits Of wood, with which TO amuse himself
while he laid aside his own employment of
mending shoes, to puzzle out mechanical de-
| sign similar TO one which he had heard pbysi-
clans make use of to remedy the distortion. He
| became so absorbed in his occupation, that he
forgot the presence of the child, until on rising
| to get tool from drawer, he saw the little
\
| was fast asleep.
"Seep on, Bennie," he murmured, land
take what rest you can, for poverty and toll
await thee, or still worse, helplessness and
| want, If succeed not; but 1 must and will, for
your sake" lie had just finished his plan and
| was congratulating himself il woud answer
quite well, when the child awoke, complaining
OF being hungry, and wanted to be taken
home.
'' Here is n biscuit for Won, Bennie.- said
John, and yeu must try to amuse yourself a
MI rfA ts -.
home You know you can't get well unless
you help me by being a good boy. Here are
some pictures to look al" he added, handing
are I hey about?' inquired Bennie, after he had
| looked at the pictures. "MOre work for me. .
thought John, ''the boy must be taught to read.
explain them to you, but if you win be patient
will teach you to read some day, and then you
can understand the pictures yourself. Would
| Won like to LEARNT"
YES" replied Bennie "Tom Pratt reads
and goes to school. Can 60 to school?'
Your father is too poor to send You to
school, answered John. "but II .you get well.
| so as to run about, you can come here every
day and learn from me. But play now BY
yourself, and let uncle John work."
And thus good John Pounds plolded on a
century ago, while angels, looking down on his
benevolent toll, must have rejoiced. He sue
ceeded to his hearts content Bonnie was
| cured, and ran about as well as any boy. Then
commenced the task of teaching him for the
A
difficult for Bonnie to stay indoors and learn,
| but by coaxing and perseverance, John sue
| ceeded likewise IN this. 1t occurred to him,
however, that the child would learn faster and
be happier for companion. So he hunted up
| another ragged, neglected child, and there
! seated, with last and shoe on his lap, might any
day be seen John Pounds teaching those chill
| dren. And the worklgrew on his hands. Daily
! he felt stimulated to assist others, until his
room was crowded. Some sat on the table one
climbed upon the shelf, others brought logs
I m tn aE2 f<~<N NJ.
scarce. ButJOhn taught the children to gather
the hand-bills from the street, from which they
| could learn their letters. When this was done
he taught them to spell.
' Bennie,' he would say. look up at the win
wink?'
| "The sum-. answered Bennie
"Spell sum-" said John, and then followed
his lesson, until the two children could spell
| sun.
Tommy, what is it 1 am mending::' he
would ask OF another.
A shoe" answered Tommy.
Then the class were taught TO spell shoe. OFT
times the recitations would be interrupted 10y
children knocking at the door with the request
(" Please, sir, may We come TO your schoOt?''
! Johns big heart was panied TO refuse bu,
there was no more room. So he had to limit
| ms number, and select the most ignorant, and
| those who were most likely, from neglected
circumstances, or vicious Influences, to lose all
chance OF Improvement, if ne turned them
| away. As soon as they were able to read he
| begged clothes for them, that they might at
| tend other schools; keeping the garments at hi.
own house, and requiring the children to come
there and dress; and return the clothes at night
| as his means were so scanty, it REQ uired the ut
, most care and diligence on his part to exc on,
| sufficient for his Benevolent projects. Thus
year by year he labored on, without any pc
| cuniary reward.
Moments that he could snatch from slee,
were spent in making toys for the little children
as rewards, or inducements to them to learn.
Besides mental instruction, he taught them
| practical knowledge, showing them how Il
mend shoes and cook their food. When the,
| were sick he would prescribe for them, per-
| suading the older scholars to nurse the younger
thus, IN every way he labored for the eleva
ton OF the place where he lived, which wa
Portsmouth, England, setting an example OF
rare benevOlence.
One winters evening, about fifteen wears
aIter the commencement of this gratuitous
school, wel-iressed, intelligent looking mar
| knocked at the door OF John Pounds dwelling
John opened the door, and saw stranger
standing there, who accosted him with the
| friendly exclamation:
! "weli, good neighbor Pounds, do you not
No, do not" replied John; cbut if on ht
| TO know you and memory fails me, walk i'm and
| reveal Yourself" The man entered, and tax.
We'll, master, do you not recognize Peter
watkins, your old scholar, who sat many day
IN your workshop learning to read?'
why, Peter, is il yOu?o said John, rising
| and taking him by the hand. 8" How altered
you are! Who would have recognized my little
| schOlarc''
"Well! should not be this day what am. If
| II had not been for you and your Instructions
might to-day be in prison for crime or leading
| the wretched life of a burglar, had YOU moi
rescued me from temptation and ignorance
-" do you remember the letter you wrote 10
Mr.. Fiibert, asking him to take me as a clerk
| in his st0re?''
eyes, yes, Peter, I recoliect you well enough
now" replied John.
"Well,'' continued Peter, " Your words of
encouragement, BE honest and industrious.
and try to rise in the world sounded many a
time I'm my ears. / Obeyed them, and to- av i
am the thrifty owner OF a saw-mill, with a nice
wife, who had little property of her cwn.
have come to beg you to accept forty pounds as
small return for all owe ven, handing MT.
rounds bank note as he spoke.
" No, no, Peter. keep your scrip |. cried John.
my ia0ors are works OF love. 90 not toll for
money" =. -
Well enough I know that" continued
ieter,. "butit would be satisfaction to think
mad gwen you some return, master. You are
growing old, and may find it well to lay BY
something for sickness. Pray take it, for /
think Won do wrong to refuse all recompense.-
But John was memorable, and the mill owner
was compelled to depart, taking his money
with him. About a month after, a young-wo-
man called at Pounds shop, likewise entreating
of him to receive her unbOunded thanks and n
sum of money she had laid by for him i'm return
for all she owed to his instructions and good in
huence. She had walked, she said three miles