Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-04-11
"Well, l care" said Miss Westcott,

it depends upon yourself what you be-
come. The poorest boy in this country
has an equal chance with the wealthiest
and his circumstances are more favora-
BILE for becoming eminent, for he learns
to depend upon himself. | will assist
you all l can in your studies, Thomas,
and | know you will succeed; remem-
Der that am your friend, and come to
me in every difficulty
Tom Jones had not been brought up;
he had come up, because he had been
born into the world and couldn't help
it; but as for any mental or moral
training, he was almost as ignorant of it
as wild bramble of a pruning knife.
His father was an Incorporate, bad man
and his mother was a totally inefficient
woman. At home he received nothing
but blows, and abroad nothing but
abuse. His bad passions were there
fore all excited and fostered, and his
good ones we're never called out. He
always expected that his teachers would
| hate him, so he aroused anew his COM
bative powers to oppose them, and he
had made up his mind to turn "the new
schooma'a am out of doors" When.
therefore, Miss Westcott said she was
glad to have him in her school, he was
amazed and that she should manifest
such an interest for him and give him
a set of books, was perfectly incompre-
hensible to him. Miss Westcott under
stood his position and character, and
determined to modify them. She felt
that he was equally capable of good and
bad actions, though the bad now pre-
dominated. She knew that his active
mind must be busy; one might as we'll
think of claiming the lightning as bend
ing down by force that wild spirit to
his books. She would give him employ
ment, but such as would call out new
train of ideas and thoughts. He must
feel that he was doing good for others
sake, and that he was not guided along
by his own wayward will, and yet there
must be no appearance of restraint upon
him he must choose to do good.
Tom Jones went home that night with
a new feeling in his breast; for the
first time in his life he felt that he was
capable of rising above his present con-
dition and becoming somewhat greater
and better than he then was. His mind
became inundated with new and strange
emotions, and like mighty river turn
ed from its course, his thoughts and
energies from that hour sought new
direction.
The next morning he was up with
the dawn, and when Miss Westcott ar
rived at the school-house she found Tom
Jones there with his evergreens.
.Good morning, Thomas" she said,
kindly; $50 you are here before me-.
You must have risen early. l see you
have found some beautiful evergreens.
Now, if you will help me hang them,
we will have the room all arranged by
8 o'clock"
81 have brought hammer and some
nails" said Tom. 81 thought we should
need some"
''Yes, so We shall; am glad you
thought of it," replied Miss Westcott.
That day every scholar looked sur
prised to see Tom Jones actually study
ing his book and hear him answer sew
eral questions correctly, and they were
still more confounded when, at recess
Miss Westcott said:
"You will take care of these little
children, will you not. and see that they
do not get hurt ? You must be their
protector
One would as soon think of setting a
wolf to guard flock of lambs, as Tom
Jones to take good care Of little chill.
dren.
"Well,' exclaimed Sam Evans, 81
never saw such schoolma am in all the
days of my life did you, Tom ?''
"No,'' replied Tom, "but l wish
had, and would have been quite {
different boy from what l am now, but
I am going to study now, and learr
something. Miss Westcott says 1 can
and | am determined to try"
| was astonished to observe the effect
that Miss Westcott's treatment of Tom
had upon the scholars. They began te
consider him of some Importance, and
to feel sort of respect for him, which
they manifested, first by dropping the
nickname, Tom, and substituting Tom
my, which revealed certainly more
kindly feeling toward him.
In less than week Miss Westcott
had the school completely under control
yet it was by love and respect that she
governed. and not by any iron rule
7
she moved among her scholars a very
queen, and yet so gained their conf
dence and esteem, that it did not seen
to be submission to another's will, bu
the promptings of their own desire t.
please One glance of her dark ey,
would have quelled an insurrection. ant