Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-25
Che family Circle.
For the Freeman Boys and Girls.
by UNCLE NED

| permitted 10 remember anything. Ih
FREEMAN boys and girls are Jewels, ever,
one. Qaeen Nictoria's boys and girls ar,
not Il brighter or better set. And thinl
You are likely to see as much sunshine, t,
sit ut as good tables. to rest on as soft pill
lows, apd to die in places rs near heaven, "a
those children of royalty. The best royal
| ty is not the royalty of blood and of crowns
but the royalty of brains and hearts.
And such royal boys and girls you III
are-or may be. And every one will be
just rs royal-;tnd heir to as sure and gran,
crown-as he chooses. Your crown,
depend upon yourselves. The best crown,
are never inherited.
L suppose there are two or three thou
sand of these young friends-my nephew:
and nieceS-in the FREEMAN family
wish | could have You all together on some
pleasant day for rambles in the woods anc
sports Of every kind, for songs and chats
for nut cracking and candy pulling and
eating fruit, for stories and rides, and puz-
zles and plays, to plan together for the
future, and to talk of the Good Father OF
all, and the heaven and home above And
perhaps, like most uncles with wrinkled
faces and silvering heads, | might be giving
some words Of advice
Did You ever wonder at the habit of old
folks to be always giving advice? And
perhaps YOU have thought old folks must
have curious eyes in order to see so many
occasions for advising. And do YOU sup
pose they We're born with their curious
eyes, or is there some time in life when the
eyes undergo a great and curious change?
Well, YOU will find out, Perhaps in a few
years You will be Il bit like old folks.
My eyes are curious this morning, and
50 | can see that tomorrow will be like to-
day, you will be next week Just about what
You are this week, and SO when YOU ct to
be men and women you will still be BOYS
and girls very much rs now. And So, if
You would become the best kind of old
boys and large girls. YOU need to be the
best kind of young boys and little girls
The boy that walked up this morning is the
same boy that went to sleep last night.
You know Rip Van Wrinkle was the same
Rip Van Winklc when he woke, though
everything else had changed in his long
sleep.
Now see that you need to be we'll ad-
vised, and have three counsels for Won.
l. About the habit of finishing ann
piece Of r0rh that You begin The man
who does not finish his jobs is ALWAYS in Il
hurry, and never gets anything done Now
one job finished is better than hundred
just begun. We never do only what we
finish. Are you studying book or saving
Il wood pile or piecing u bed quilt or weed
ing u garden? Plan and pcrsevere and
keep at it till the last page is read, the last
stick is cut and piled, the last stitch taken,
and the last weed pulled This finishing
habit is one of the best man making and
woman making habits. suppose the
great and tall Lincoln never felt greater
II taller in his life than when he laid down |
his finished grammar and said Il have |
mastered that science and now can mas |
er another
,. The habit Of dosmy htryt job>. M
,lcaSant tasks, chcertully. There will be
ome hard jobs all along through life in
his working world. And so it is useless
o be making hard jobs harder by dread
no them and doing them with an unwin-
NC heart. Whatever onght to he done ut
II, ought To be done cheerfully. There
5 no good place in this world for Il boy or
irl who has no courage To grapple with
nd master hard tasks. How the ncttles
sed to sting my hands, and would try to
andle them very carefully. But found
ley stung very little if | took hold of
lem with both hands to pull them up
Dot and branch. Don't be afraid of the
cities, boys. Pit h into them. There is
OF IL nettle anywhere in life but will yield
nd leave no sting if You take hold of it
18th good courage and work cheerfullv.
,. The habit Of ljulsg. to nuke others
tppy You can learn two of the greatest
ssons Of life in one short day. Be selfish
/ the forenoon, seeking only your own
Use and enjoyment, and you will be I'M
lppy enough by noon; be unselfish. try 8
9 only to help and please others all the f
ternoon, AMI you will BE- truly hlppy ut !
ening. U
What boy or girl hts no. got both these
,sons learned we'll enough? Then will =.
ey practice with reference to the great t
od lesson instead of the great bad les
n?