The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-28
DREAMING AND WORKING.


Henoefourth, oh. thou sole of mine,
Thou must take up sord and gauntlet
In the warfare most divine"
That was what little girl eleven
years old had written in a fair, round
hand in diary on that pleasant sum-
mer morning out under the trees.
"Why, Hattie Jordan, what dread
full spellingr' exclaimed her sisters
voice behind her. "You had better
stop dreaming at all events till YOU
learn how to spell the word, and 90 to
studying your spelling-book instead.
Why, there are six words wrong
there"
81 wouldn't peek, anyway, answered
Hattie, springing up, flushed and
angry.
II really didn't, dearie," replied
wise Agnes, drawing her down to her
side. II called you twice, but you did
not answer. But now tell me, Hattie,
what are you going to do in the place
of dreaming, for you know you've spent
great deal of time in thatp'
"Oh, sister, l want to do everything
that's strong and good Sometimes /
think I'll be great scholar, as Mar
garet Fuller was, or a writer, or lect-
urer, or something. Oh, Agnes, what
would you do first?"
"Well. dear, 1 think the first thing |
would go to the dictionary and study
until could spell every word in that
pretty verse of yours correctly, and
every day of this vacation | would
write out one page of something and
then study it out in the same way until
| could do better. What do you say,
for must go now"
But Hattie only shrugged her Shout
ders and, left alone, leaned back against
the tree and watched the birds fitting
about, and thought of doing great
things by-and-by, until the dinner bell
called her in to more practical things.
After dinner Hattie's father, who was
minister, came out on the piazza, and
asked the little girl to write note for
him, as his right hand was bound up
from bad cut, and everyone else was
busy.
"Ask Deacon Corners if he will
please send the choir up here" her
father said; for they often practiced
with his organ.
$50 Hattie wrote, "Please send the
quire up here"
And about an hour later who should
come up the steps but Deacon Corners
who was bookseller-andin his arms
several packages. 81 didn't know
which kind you wanted, sir, so l
brought SEVERAL" he said, wiping his
hot face.
Mr. Jordan looked in surprise at the
various styles of paper displayed, and
finally said, "but was not needing any
paper just now"
Then the deacon took out Hattie's
note, and the laugh they had over it
sent the poor child in tears to Agnes.
"You will believe me now, DEAR"
said her sister, "that if you want to be
of any use or help in the world, you
must be willing to begin improving just
where you see you need it. Thinking
of doing isn't working. Now you know
you are poor speller; begin there and
that will be one STEP"
Then Hattie took her pretty diary
and the dictionary and made those six
words right that she had spelled so poor
ly that morning; but that seemed such
little step toward becoming woman.
"Ibelieve / could do better if l had
verse to go by" she said to Agnes
that night.
Then here's one for you: BY pa
tent continuance in well-doing' Six
words made right does not seem much
to you tonight; but six words every
one of the more than the three hundred
working days in the year make how
manyP" oI
Most two thousand" answered
Hattie quickly. H..~
Eyes, and if every one of them
means, in Gods sight, something done
so as to make you a wiser and more
helpful woman to others, and taking
care of the talent He has given YOU,
isn't that worth while too, darling?''
And Hattie answered very softly,
EYES," for she saw then how her life
might be like ladder reaching up, to
what God called her to be, and the steps
of the ladder would be the patient do
ing of each little duty or work she found
in her way. -BaptiSt Weekly.