The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-19
A LESSON FOR 4 FIRST READER.

| see book. 1t is First Reader
A First Reader is book for very young
children.
And being a book for very young
children, containing in condensed
form the milk of literature, who would
have imagined that it ever could have
by any possibility become the means of
bringing the greatest confusion and
veXatiOn to a grown-up? But it did.
/, Samuella Golden, am that grown
up. And | am the author, or nearly
the author (under the ablest super
vision, | frankly confesS) of that First
Reader.
The way it came about was this.
have always been pas>ionately fond Of
children. When but a decidedly small
specimen OF humanity myself | adored
all the smaller specimens with whom |
CHANGED to meet. AT the tender age of
six, there being no baby then at my
own home, | deliberately entered the
home of our waSher-wOman one dav,
knowing her to be absent at the time,
and stole her five-mOnths-old PatSey
from the cradle in which he was peace
fully sleeping, and in spite of his kicks
and yells. when he awoke to the situa-
ton, | managed TO carry him safely to
our house-fortunately not far distant
and place him in the arms of my
very much astOnished mother. And
when he was reclaimed and carried
away again by his rightful owner, |
sat Inc down on the floor with bang,
and opened my mouth to its utmost
width, and lifted my voice to lis utmost
height, and refused most emphatically
TO be comforted.
This love of little ones did not
diminish in the least rs grew in stature
and in years. On the contrary. ii seemed
to increase. and it became rs natural for
me to talk baby talk and make baby
rhymes for every wee darling that came
in my way as it was for me To breathe.
and for the older Youngsters | had
always a story ready-some simple
thing about simple things. but, by
virtue of creation, my own. And
having conlrived to he an uuobscrved
listener to several of these stories. and
having also learned from Sue. his little
niece. and Il made up ont OF my own
head the jinglcs with which she often
sought To entertain him, Mr.. Erickson,
our >chOol-maSter-and a very clever
fellow, too said to me one afternoon:
"Aiiss Golden, | have undertaken a
task in which think-nay, L am sure
that YOU can. if you will, be of great
assistance to me.
And pray what may that task be?"
asked | wondeIingly.
The preparation of a First Reader"
l., Il /. IL,
pecuniary results to be princely,
though no doubt you would realize
enough to compensate you for what
ever time YOU might eXpend; but the
practice would be excellent for YOU.
and perhaps open the way for better
paving literary work.
Literary work, D" repeated l. ''Whv,
4 never even dreamed of such thing"
did you not he said. with smile.
well, you are not the first person who
has remained in ignorance of his or her
particular talent until a friend dis
covered it. But are YOU willing to give
me 4 helping hand with the book?n
Most willingly" said |. Tell me
plainly what am 10 do, or to try to do,
and | will begin this very evening"
And | did begin that very evening.
and extremely glad L was to do so. For
l had already, although April had
scarcely set in, trimmed my usual
amount of spring hats and bOnnetS,
which-Our community not following
strictly, for good and sufficient reasons,
the DEGREES of fashion included
most of the summer ones, thereby cut
ting off that source of income for four
or five months. And it had been highly
necessary that another source should
he discovered Immediately From which
statement we shall naturally infer that
the Golden family was golden only in
name. 1t was. Otherwise. of course
mean in 4 money sense. it was nickellv,
and not that to rs great an extent as
desirable.
Fsther-well. any kind of steady
business seemed 10 disagree with father;
consequently he contributed 10 our sup
port only by fits and, starts. Daniel,
our eldest boy, worked faithfully as an
assistant bOokkeeper in publishing
house in New York City. and sent
nearly half his salary to mother the
first of every month. George, our
Youngest boy, was clerk with "a hope of
some day becoming one of the firm) at
the Wildwood general store; and l. as
l have intimated above. was the Wild
wood milliner. But work as hard as we
might, Daniel, George and |, we could
do no more, even with the intermittent
help from father. than take care of our
selves and the rest of tie family in the