The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-04-26

w ny, YOU are scarce out OIL Ueu, Cullu;
and are still dreaming
Not a bit Of it, mother. l have not
been SO wide awake for many day; and |
Am surely going to do it, if father will let
me-. You know how always longed to go
to school, and be real ,reH educated. | am
going to get well and do it yet"
But Mrs. Kitson so strongly opposed
/" the canyassing" and wiped her eyes so
vigorously with her apron, unseen as she
thought, than the poor girl said no more OF
her plan until her father came to dinner,
when she told him about it, and met firm
and prompt opposal, which she battled
bravely.
Father, they say I'm dying" she said,
"you think I'm dying, and | feel it; but it
need not be. The DIR. said needed more
air, and feel best in the open air, and
believe it can cure me, with something at
the same time to take up my mind. Let
me try this o, beg of you let me try it.
| can't die yet father! and o, I know |
shall if you thwart me in this !" and she
flung both arms around his neck, sobbing
violently. Tears rained down her fathers
cheeks, and he said,
"Well, mother, we'll let her try it, ifshe'l
only promise to quit it the very day she
feels the worse for it twill you Rachie? {"
ayes, yes, indeed, will " and she kissed
her father and mother both, in delight.
Raches plan was called all sorts of names
"a strange freak" "a sick girls whim,"
"a hazardous undertaking." ETC.. but the
Doctor said " it would not hurt her at least {"
and so in one week from the morning of her
proposing it, she started with her little satch-
ell in her hand, in search of health.
She babe her parents an afectionate
good bye, and left them. 1t was early in
September. and clear invigorating breeze,
such as one only feels in New England,
came with all its life-giving freshness from
the Northwest, and new feelings of hope
and elasticity from its inspiration permeated
Rachie's whole depressed mind and physi-
cal system and she drew in long draughts
of the precious elixir almost unconsciously
1t is true that she coughed oftener and
harder, at first and then for want of breath
she was often compelled to sit by the road
side but the cool air battled back the
burning hectic that rushed in tides to her
thin cheeks indoors and taking out her
diary she alternately took short notes, and
gazed with admiration about her, and thus
her little periods of resting and waiting by
the way, were made source Of pleasure to
her.
At night she found that she had earned
nearly two dollars; and though she was
very, very tired, instead of spending the
night in restless tossings, az at home, she
slept soundly, and when she coughed, even,
was not awakened, 80 deep was her slumber
The next morning found her not whit the
worse, in body, and much better in spirits !;
and when October's hectic fell on the hills,
the unnatural flush had left Rachies cheek
for good-her harsh cough had diminished
to an occasional slight one-the pain in her
side was nearly gone and her cheeks were
beginning to lose their hOlows.
When the latter days of November
brought her back once more, her mother
wept outright, for joy, and her father wiped
his eyes hard and said,
Who'd thought it ever in the world !!
She's as plump as a pigeon, thank the
Lord !" and they both kissed her over and
over again.
II thought i'll knew tit came to me
so strong" said Rachie, as soon as she
could get breath from their kissing.
Had | time or room, might tell you
many particulars Of Rachie's life which are
very interesting, and which show what a
girl ofresolute will can do-how she grew
stronger and stronger in body, and by her
own unaded efforts, she is now student in
the graduating class of Woman's Col
lege."
EDUCATIONAL VENEKRING.-When it
comes to education, we wish veneering had
never been invented. And now that George
and Maria are about to begin school, let US
enter our protest against veneering estab-
lishments. There are schools for boys, and
hundreds ofschools for girls, where the whole
business transacted is the putting on of q
thin layer Of outward appearance. Every
thing is taught from compend. History
is boiled down to strong decoction of facts
and dates, and Ann Matilda is required to
swallow it. There were five thousand on
one side, commanded by Gen. Brown. There
were seven thousand on the other command
ed by Gen. Smith. Gen. Smith was sur
prised on Sunday morning, and driven back
with loss Of FIVE hundred men and three
pieces of artillery" This Ann Matilda, and
Ann Aatildas parents, and Ann Matthias
friends fondly believe is history. 1t is paid
for as history, and labeled history, and must
be history. But whatever there is OF phil
osopby, Of poetry, of culture, of mental dis
cipline in history, is gone. This desiccated
extract has no nourishment whatever. OF
the peculiarities of race, of the domestic
life, Ann Matilda learns nothing. She has
swallowed register, a gazetteer, but not
history. But she has passed her examina-
ton and graduated" Her education is all
right. 1t has the seal of the proper author
tiles on it, and she can 60 in peace.
English literature is worse taught than
/ history. 1t is thing that can not be learn
ed from a compend. The very essence of
the highest culture for people who speak the
English language, is in English literature.
But no one can learn English literature at
second hand. A good, thorough knowledge
Of the authors themselves in their works, is
the only road to this culture And all short
cuts are decisions.
The great mistake in the education of
girls, and for that matter Of boys, is, that
they master nothing. A little here and
little there is the plan. The object seems
to be TO enable the pupil to give long cat
alogue Of things studied. And for this char
latanism the parents who demand it are
chiefly responsible. There are schools
which are thorough. 1t is not for US to
point them out, but for parents to be sure
they are not caught with the chaif of an emp
~ Pretense. In education, veneering viii
peel of.
A bronze statute of the sewing machine
inventor. Elias Howe, is in process of cast
ing in Philadelphia, and will be placed in
| Central Park next summer.