Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-07-29
The Top of the Ladder, and How to
Get There.

| Nine O'Clock! lh0 school tell
rang, nut Arthur, deep in the Life
of Wellington, and with his fngers
in both eals, did not hear 1t. Vel
lington was his hero, and he read
al d re-read every detail Of his bril-
liant life. 1t was life worth living.
Arthur thought, all excitement and
glory. He meant to be yelling
ton himself some day. He finished
the book in about half al hour ,and
then hurried to school, thinking
coutemptuously of its routine aud
of the boys who seemed SO confetti
ed with their simple lives. How
he should surprise them all some
day, be thought, later-these boys
who laughed when the master call
ed him to account for his tardiness,
aud wouldn't take his excuse of not
hearing the bell. He had to com
fort himself some way, for be was
forced to pay for his half hours
reading by two hours study, after
school under the masters eye.
He met Robert Blackburn on
his way home. He had been study
ing in the summer house ever since
school was out, and was as glad as
Aathur to stre CHI himself.
"What makes you stndy when
you don't have % Arthur asked
impatiently.
II do have to-" was the quiet
.o.i, sSI u.pt 70 Lo corponnIr
some day
"a teacher, I suppose Arthur
said, with sotnething in lis tone,
if not his words, that made Robert
color.
But he only said in his simple.
decided way, Yes. teacher, but
not perhals of bonks-I am stady
ing for d soldier s life"
"You!'' Arthu,'s surprise was
so genuine that Robert had tolaugb.
"But you dre so quiet, and care
so much for books and all that,
Arthur said, alter moments
pause to collect himself. Now
with me it is so different. I must
have life and excitement. l seem
more fitted for tha'. This school
business is 100 i,ksome."
Robert smiled. "We cannot rule
till we learn to obey, You know; ;
and how can we learn better than
by submitting without question to
school rules and discipline? l re
ally enjoy this now that | intend
to be soldier. Every day is clear
gain. I know l am fitting myself
tor It.
A strange and decidedly new
feeling of respect for this quiet boy,
with his firm resolution aud self
control, came over Arthur.
"Bnt the books,'' be said, "what
use can all those stupid Latin rules
and geography and history be to a
generai?"
"Why, a general will want all
kinds of kbcwledge if he is to be
good for anything. The more knowI-
edge the mcfe power be Will have.
What would he do it a new coun-
try if be had no knowledge of ge
ograpEy OF epgineering?"
Arthur felt ashamed and dis
couraged by this time, and wss
BUNDLED sufficiently TO admit a
little of it to Robert, and confessed
that his ambition too was TO he a
soldier, and soldier like Yelling
ton
First rate!'' said Robert heart
lilly. ''Then we will work together
and see who gets TO the head of ibe
ladder frst." Qnite inspired by
Roberts determination to prepare
himself for the future he wanted,
Arthur started I'M the same sensi-
BILE way. He was soon surprised
at the actual pleasure he took in
school. Those irksome rules seem
ed quite dlffe, ent things, low that
he locked at Himself as a soldier
under orders; learning to obey.
. Sometimes he would feel like Civ
Ing up some vexing problem, bit
q hint from Robert ole day that
Wellington never called Difficult
ties impossibilities," proved the