Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-04-07

Would either Of you like TO help me in
the laboratory this afternoon 2" he asked.
81 need two assistants to-day"
IL was hot an uncommon thing for the
teacher 70 seek the compauionship Of his
/ older pupils 10y making some little plan Of
/ TINS sort, and SO pleasant were the walks.
and the rowing, and the kite flying, or what
| ever recreation in which he took a part,
that he never had difficulty in securing
hearty cooperation. Some men would have
lost their dignity aud Influence In trying TO
" be boys again" but Mr.. Blake seemed only
TO increase his. To-day however. was 10 be
a day Of work. The girls who had been
maiyellonsly long time putting on their
things near the stove, when they found
mat nothing morc was to hc talked about
Slipped away by twus and thrccs until only
sarah Byties was left. She appeared to be
making A bundle Of her books, having taken
them all out Of her desk, and occasionally
looked up towards the group Of takers as II
she was waiting for the teacher 10 be left
alone.
Well nj two O'Clock shall expect YOU. d"
said Mr. 49, as the boys left.
Sarah kept fumbling her books without
saving word. but finding that nothing was
likely TO break the silence took them mp in
her arms, and said, rather stiiily, " Good-day
Mr. Blake"
"Good-day," said the teacher, ia the same
kind tone as usual. and. although looking di-
rectly at her, not appearing to notice her
manner or her burden.
She vut out biting her lips, and, al
though too proud to cry suffering all too
plainly from vexatin.
He knows what | mean" She said 10 her
self, "and he don't care o Bit II it had
been any other girl, he would have made a
fuss about il. Hes glad TO get nd of me"
she added bitterly,
Some hind of voice family asked within
her And why shouldn't he be glad have
You ever tried TO please him %
why should !, il he don't care for me 2"
she asked so tiercely as 10 startle herself hy
the impression that she had said it aloud
She turned her head to see il she were over
heard, and her eyes fell upon Mr. Blake who
had just byeriaken her
Niilldt seeming 10 notice her scowl,
which bnke up into an expression of con-
fusion as she saw him, he simply said
let nc take some Of those books, Sarah.
or at least give you string 10 tie them to-
gether. Are you taking them home to have
them recovered "
She heiitatcd for an instant the color rose
TO her face, and she stamnered out /
not exactly"
lnsteai Of pursuing the subject farther,
Mr.. b. said
" want you to get acquainted with my
wife Saiph can't you call and see her this
afternoon z"
Sarah tould not well refuse, the manner
was SO kind and hearty. So, without trump
ing up an excuse, as she often did when invi-
tations were extended. She said will ty
to comei and the two parted at a fork in
the road
CHAPTER VI
PLEASANT AFrEHaoos
The hlf-holiday on Saturday hardly an-
swcret rs purpose as q season Of prepare
tion for Sunday. unless an unusual amount
of fatigue be considered as the thing most
likely To insure a day of rest. Ia most fam
lilies odds and ends of work are allowed 10
accumulate, and must needs be removed at
the cnl a the week The children also put
in special pleas for recreation on Saturday
so that it is, on the whole, the busiest day of
the sven, Mrs, Reems had the extraordi-
nary aculty Of making each days duty and
each article Of furniture keep its place so
that little time was needed to put them to
rights" She was also a woman who seemed
to have good deal OF spare time, much Of
which she devoted to planning for and shar-
ing in the recreations Of Edward and Fannie.
Thus it happened, when Eddie" came
home and announced that the teacher had in
vted James barley and himself to help him
in the laboratory. there We're no kindlings to
prepare, nor rabbits cages TO be cleaned, nor
Iona l. 20. ,,,1,.
" BE sure. Eddie, to get back to early supper,
for TOMORROW. you know, must not be a
tired day"
At TIVE o'clock, James and Edward en-
tered Mr.. Blake's laboratory and found him
already hsy at work putting in order a
magnetic battery. They had always been
interested in the experiments which the
teacher hid exhibited to the school, and had
often LOOKED with curious eyes through the
doorway which only Simon had been al
lowed 10 mter. To be permitted 10 handle
air-pumps aud electrical machines, and the
wonderful chemical apparatus, was a COW
eted privilege which had been necessarily
denied TO the boys in general, and they
looked up,n Simon as a sort of Leyite,
whose waiting upon the priest Of science
was a marked distinction. In fact, believe
they regarded him as in some sense wiser
and nore I, be dreaded for having some
what to do with TASKS, and solutions, and
the dreaded .eyden jar, aud it needed only
a little Display of knowledge on his part,
and a few dak hints as to what happened
in the laboratory, to confirm the impression.
The day had low come when the two pupils
next in age to Simon We're TO have this illu-
sion in measure dispelled.
There is good deal of drudgery to be
gone through in order to prepare for the
pleasure OF witnessing curious phenomena
said Mr. b. We must earn play by work.
Franklin would have failed to make his dis
covery Of electricity if he had not carefully
observed all the conditions of success.
Science is not all kite-fying, ! assure you
Edward, You mayrinse ont those tubes. You
will find some of them hard customers, and
may hare 10 apply some dilute acid to re-
move what looks like ordinary dust. You,
James may help me by filling and fitting
these wires p and the teacher went on andeX-
planned to each boy the details Of his work,
ending with the remark Il hope your cour-
age will hold out TO the end of the alphabet
Both boys went to work with will, evi-
IDENTIFY supposing they could master those
simple letters very soon. But Edward soon
found that it required both skill and pa
tience to be even a good bottle-washer, and
James wires proved TO be very contrary
When Mr. Blake saw that the boys began to
tire, he came to their aid
IL dlre say that Christ would compare re-
ligion to boy washing test-tubes, if he
were here"
Edward looked surprised.
do YOU think our work here in the lab
oratory would be beneath his notice amy