The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-07-14
Tho Geography Trap.

always be honest, boys" said On.
Gle Nathan to the youngsters. "Don't
ever try to cheat at play, at work. or at
lessons.
81 remember well how I tried to
cheat my teacher once, and how came
to grief in consequence.
eve had new teacher that term, q
Miss Mason; and we were all delighted
with the way she heard US recite in
geography the first day. No passing
the questions around the class by turn.
but all answered in concert. You know
it is such fun to school-boys and girls to
be allowed to make some kind of q
noise, and we made the old school
house ring.
cit was Just the same the next day
and the next. There was large class
of us, and we considered that recitation
prime fun.
1.-THE fourth day of school came;
and, as l drew out the geography from
my desk to prepare my lesson some
thing seemed to whisper to me:
What's the use of your taking so much
pains to learn your lessons when the
class all answer together? Who is go
ing to notice if your voice isn't among
the restp You can pick up enough
from what you know of geography, and
| what the rest answer, to put in an Occa-
sional word; and it will do just as
WE'LL
81 suspect that imp of mischief went
about and whispered the same in the
ears of the rest of the class; and you
may conclude so, too. before my story is
done. am ashamed to tell you, boys,
that listened to the evil suggestion,
and spent the time drawing pictures on
my slate, and arranging jack-knife
trade with Ned White, that should have
been given to my geography lesson.
And withal the geography was a new
one that term, and not one of the class
had ever studied it before.
SO First class in geography called
Miss Mason that afternoon, and just
then there was a knock at the door.
She answered it as we were taking our
seats. and ushered in the minister and
his wife, a committeeman and his wife.
my two grOwn-up sisters, and last, but
most important of all to me, nv cousin
Nathan, for whom was named. and
for whose good opinion 1 cared more
than for almost any other persons. He
always had such pleasant way of re-
warding me when / did well, and such
a way, too, of making me feel his dis
pleasure when was in the wrong. At
that moment would have give every
thing 1 possessed in the world for the
knowledge of my lesson, but it was too
late to wish for what might have had
SO easily. 1t seemed to me felt small
and mean enough to crawl into knot
hole!
SIS You may recite in concert said
Miss Mason. What peninsulas on the
Arctic coast?
Boothia and MELVILLE piped up a
small girl, the very least and most diff
dent of the whole class, while the rest of
us sat dumb as statues, but redder in
the face.
"In concertr said Miss Mason.
what ones on the Atlantic coast?'
"Again the small girl answered alone.
"'Once more; and this decidedly in
concert said Miss Mason, emphat-
ically. what ones on the Pacific coast.
"For the third time Susie answered
alone.
"'You will now answer by turns,
since you cannot seem to answer in con-
cert" said Miss Mason; and three more
questions went round the class, each
to be finally answered by Susie.
"Miss Mason laid the geography
down on the desk, with peculiar smile
on her face. Those of the class who
have learned their lesson for to-day will
please raise their right hands,
"Up went one little hand. Susie's,
of course.
"Miss Mason looked amused enough
to see how the rest of us had walked
into her trap.
"'Perhaps you thought she said,
that, because had heard you answer
in concert heretofore, should always
do the same; but that is quite uncertain.
1 shall never tell you beforehand how
you will answer, so the only safe way is
to prepare your lesson. Now, / will
tell you little story; and then 1 will
hear Susie recite the rest of her lesson,
while the others take their seats and
prepare to recite after school.
"Once upon time, the whole world
agreed to meet together and shout all
at once, to see what great noise it
would make. But, when they met, it
seemed each one thought his voice could
make no difference in such a crowd, so
he would not listen to the rest. All
thought so except one old lady, who
went to do her duty and had no thought
of Sinking it. So, when the signal was
given for them to shout, all that was
heard was one lady squealing '.Boor'
at the top of her voice. Moral: each do
your duty, and the shout will come"
ohoroofo g.
seats, and into our biographies. Oh,
dear! how humiliating it was, before
visitors, to see the rest of the school dis
missed, while we remained; but you
may be sure we did not need the punish
ment again.
$50 charge you once more, my
boys,
Always and everywhere
Be honest and fair"
illustrated Christian Weekly.