The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-25

to oppose them. and he had made
/ iP MS Ulna 10 ~tGru the uDW school
llI am out %, doors. When. therefore.
IlsS Ncsto0tt said she was glad TO have
ann IN her school, ne was amazed: and
that she should manifest such an inter
est for hlm and give him a set Of books,
was perfectly incompreheusible 10 him.
Miss Nes,cost understood his position
and character, and determined tomodify
them. She felt that he WAS EQUALLY cap
abe OF good and bad actions. though the
Dad now prgduminated. She know that
hts active mind must be busy; one might
as well think of claiming the lightning
as bending down by force that wild spirit
TO 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
alone by his own hayward will, and vet
there must be no appearance of restraint
upon him; he must choose to do good.
Tom Jones went home that night with
a new fee ing in his breast; for the first
time in his life he felt that he was cana
BILE of rising above his present condition,
and becoming somewhat greater and bet
ter than he was. His mind became in
undated with new and strange emotions,
and like mighty river turned from its
course-hiS thought and energies from
that hour sought new direction.
The next morning he was up with the
dawn, and when Miss Westcott arrived at
the school house, she found Tom Jones
there with his evergrecns.
Good morning, Thomas" she said
kindly-"so You are here before ne You
must have risen early, and | see You
have found some beautiful evcrgreens.
Now, if you will help me hang them,
We Will have the room all arranged by
8 o'clock
Il have brought a hammer and some
nails, said Tom, Il thought We should
need some"
"Ges, SO we shall; | am glad you
thought of it" replied Miss Westcott.
That day every scholar looked amazed
to see Tom Jones actually studying his
book, and hear him answer several qucs-
tons correctly: and they were still more
COMPOUNDED when atrecess 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 pro-
tector."
One would as soon have thought of
setting wolf to guard flock of lambs,
as Tom Jones to take good care of little
children.
"Well," exclaimed Sam Evans, 81
never saw such a schoolma'm in all my
life; did you, TomY
NO." replied Tom, "but I wish had
and would have been a different boy
from what am now; but am going to
study now, and learn something. Miss
Wesctott says | can and lam determined
to try"
1t was astonishing to observe the effect
/ Miss Westcott's treatment of Tom had
upon the scholars. They began to CON
slider him Of some importance, and To
feel a sort of respect for him which
they manifested by dropping the nick
name Tom and substituting Tommy
which certainly revealed a more kindly !
feeling towards him.
In less than week Miss Westcott had
the school completely under her control, |
yet it was by love and respect that she
governed, and not by any iron rule; she
moved among her scholars very queen,
and yet SO gained their confidence and
esteem that it did not seem to them sub |
/ mission to another's will, but the promp-
tings Of their own desire to please. One
glance OF her dark eve would have
quellcd an instruction, and one smile
made them happy for day.
| julia Westcott understood human ma
! ture. She made it study, as every
teacher ought to do. She rooted out
error and prejudice from the minds of
her pupils, showed them the evil of sin
and beauty of virtue, the advantages of
education, and the consequence Of igno-
rance; tau hit them their own capabili-
ties and responsibilities, and she adapted
her instructions to capacities and neccs-
sites. And thus she went on year after
year, scattering good seed into good
ground, and She reaped an abundant
harvest. From many happy home and
high place came a blessing upon her;
| and there is no one that breathes her
name with greater reverence, or remem-
bers her with more grateful affection.
than Tom Jones, who has filled with
ability one of the highest judicial Offices
in the Union, and freely acknowledges
that he owes his present character and
position, under Gods providence, to her
treatment and instructions
--S-~~NS-p- =
A Row of Pearls