The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-11-15


meant to do it some time. I've found
textbook by and by, perhaps. Thede
can draw us chart. Jerry will take
hold, | know, and Nate ana Johnnie can
hunt for specimens. Wen have an hour
or two every night
The children S interest awoke in a
flash, and that very evening the dues-
tion discussed was one brought in by
Nate "What is the difference between
limestone and grantee A simple one,
but It opened the way for her, and their
first meeting proved success She
had to study each day TO be ready and
wide awake for her class. They lived
in limestone region. Different forms
of coral abounded, and other fossils
were plenty. An old cupboard in the
shed was turned into cabinet. One
day, Nate. who had wandered off two
or three mile, brought home piece of
rock, where curious, long, finger shaped
creatures were imbedded. Great was
the delight of all to find them described
as ortho-cerdtiteS, and an expedition to
the spot was planned for some half
holiday. Question after question led
back to the origin of the earth She
found the nebular hypothesis, and hard.
" slept one night trying to oompre-
hend it clearly enough TO put it before
others in simple fashion Her book
was always at hand. BY and by they
classified each specimen, and the best
of their kind were taken to shelves in
the stting-room. Her own enthusiasm
in study was aroused, and, far from q
hardship, it now became a delight Her
spirit was contagious. The boys, always
fond of "mother,n wondered what new
life possessed her, but they accepted the
change all the same. She found that
she could teach, and also could inspire
her pupils. They heard of gully, five
or six miles away, where crystals had
been found. Making holiday, for
which the boys worked like Trojans,
they took their lunch in the farm wagon
and rode to the spot; and if their search
was not altogether successful, it left
them the memory Of aShappy time.
In the meanwhile the farm pros
pered. She did all the work in the
house, and all the sewing; going out,
too, in the garden, where she raised a
few flowers, and helping TO gather veg
etables. Daniel and the boys were bit
terly opposed to her helping them.
1
ever think you must 90 out, Ill do any
thing to make up. don't want you to
look like those women we see some
times in the fields. Generally she
yielded; her work was enough for one
pair Of hands. Through it all now ran
the thought that her children were
growing up; they would become edu-
Gated men; she would not let them
get ahead, not so as TO pass her en-
tirely.
Winter came. Now Daniel could see
to the work. but these habits Of study
were not to be broken, "Boys, let us
form a history club, 7 was the PROPOSE
ton; lit shan t interfere with your les
sons at SCHOOL, They took the history
of the United States, which the two
younger children were studying. Be
ginning with the New England settle
ments, and being six in number, they
called each other, for the time, after the
six States, persuading old Daniel to
take his native Rhode Island. "That
woman beats all creation, he was heard
to exclaim, ''the way she works all day
and goes on at night over her books. y
| The mother used to say she hardly
knew if she were any older than her
boys when they were trying to trip each
other with questions. The teacher of
| the district school came over one Satur-
| day afternoon. never had such pu-
pills. said he, ''as your sons, in his
tory; and, indeed, they want to look
into everything" Afterward he heard
with delight the story Of their evenings
work. The deep SHOWS often shut them
in, but the red light shone clearly and
bright from that sitttng-room window,
and merry group were gathered
around the table. Every two weeks an
evening was given to some journey. It
was laid out in advance, and faithfully
studied. Once, Theodore remembers,
a shout of laughter was raised when
nine O'Clock came, by Jerry's eXclama-
ton: "Oh, mother, don't go home now;
we are all having such a good timen'
Five years they lived in this way, and
almost entirely by themselves. They
studied botany. She knew the name of
every tree and shrub for miles around.
The little boys made a collection of
birds eggs, and then began to watch
closely the habits of the birds. 1t was a
pure, simple life. 1t would have been too
wild and lonely but for the charm of this
devoted mother. Her hours of loneliness
were hidden from them, but she learned
in an unusual degree to throw every en-
ergy, into the day work of study, and
create, as it were. fresh enthusiasm
for the present hour. Her loving saeri-
fee was rewarded Each child made
her his peculiar arconfidante. She became
the inspiration of his life.
English history opened a wide field
to this family. One afternoon she
brought in Shakespeare TO prove some
historical question. II was a rainy day
and the boys were all at home. Jerry
began to read "Hamlet' aloud; il
! proved treasure that brought them in
TO new world of delight. Sometimes
they took different characters for rep
resentation, and the evening ended in a
frolic, for good-natured mirth was new
er repressed.
4 First of all. a preparation had been