Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-11-21

interest ii some study that should bind
i them all together, and In which she
could lead. Was she too old to begin
/ Never had the desire to become the
very center Of interest to them taken
such q hold upon her.
A few weeks after she said one
morning at the breakfast table: "Boys,
! I've been thinking that we might begin
geology this summer and study it, all
ofus together. + have found a text
book; by and by Thede can draw a
chart, perhaps. Jerry viii take hold,
| know, and Nate and Johnny can hunt
for specimens. We have an hour or
two every night. Ill H. ..sss..s ~ .ssan
| The children's interest awoke in
| Hash, and chat very evening the ques-
| ton discussed was one brought by Nate.
! "What is the difference betw cen
limestone aud granite ?" .2 = +s #. d
4 simple one, but it opened the way
| for her, and the first meeting proved
success. She had to study each day to
be ready and w5deawake for her class.
They lived in limestone region. Diff
ferent forms of coral abcunded, and
| other fossils we're plenty. An old cup
board in the shed was turned into d
| cabinet.
One day, Nate, who had wandered
| two Or three miles, brought home a
piece Of rock, where curious finger
shaped creatures were embedded.
Great was the delight of all
| to find them described as ortho-
! coratites, and an excursion to the
spot was planned for the next holiday
| Question after question led them back
| to the origin or the earth. She found
the nebular hypothesis, and hardly
| slept one night trying to comprehend it
| clearly enough to put before others in
ways at hand. By and by they CLASH
| fed each specimen, and the best of
their kind was taken to shelves in the
sitting room.
Her own enthusiasm, in study aroused,
! and far from hardship, it now became
| delight. Her spirit was contagious.
The boys, always fond Of mother"
| wondered what new life possessed her,
but they accepted the change all the
same. She found that she could teach
and also inspire the 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
spot: and. it the search was not alto
gether success sful, it left them the mem
DRY Of a very happy time.
In tue meantime the farm prospered.
She did all the work in the house and
all the sewing, going ont, too, in the
garden, where she raised few flowers,
AMI helped to gather few vegetables
Daniel and the boys were bitterly op-
posed to her helping them.
Mother" said Jerry, eff you won't
ever think you must go out, I'll do any
thing to make up. I don't want you to
look like these women we see sometimes
in the fields"
She generally yielded; her work was
enough for one pair OF hands. Through
it all ran the thought that her children
were all growing up; they would be-
come educated men; she would not let
them go ahead, not so as to pass her
entirely.
Winter came Now Daniel could see
to the work but these habits of study
we're not to be broken.
Boys let us form history club"
was the proposition; ut shan't interfere
with your lessons at school,"
They took the history of the United
States, which the young children were
studying. Beginning with the New
England settlements, 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 ell CREATION" he
was heard to exclaim, "the way she
works MI day and goes on at night over
her books"
The mother said 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 Saturday after
noon.
II never had such pupils" said he,
"as your sons in history; and, indeed,
they want to look into everything"
Afterward he heard with delight the
story of her evenings work. The deep
SHOWS often shut them in, but the red
light shone clearly and bright from that
sitting room window, and a merry
group was gathered around the table.
Every two weeks an evening was
given to some journey. 1t was laid out
in advance and faithfully studied.
Once, Theodore remembers, shout of
laughter was raised when o'clock came
by Jerry's exclamation:
"Oh mother, don't go home; we are
all having such good time!"
Five years they lived in this way, and
almost entirely by themselves. They
studied botany. She knew the names
OF every tree and shrub for miles
around. The little boys made collec-
ton Of BIRDS eggs, and then began to
watch closely the habits Of the birds.
It was g. pure, simple life. It would
have been too wild and lonely but for
the charms Of this devoted mother.
Her hours Of loneliness were hidden
from them. but she learned in an un-
usual degree to throw every energy in
to the days work OF study, and create, /
as it were, fresh enthusiasm for the
present hour. Her loving sacrifice was
rewarded. Each child made her his
peculiar confdant She became the
inspiration of his life. T., n
English history opened a wide field
to. shis family. One afternoon she
brought in Shakespeare TO prove some
historical question. It was rainy day
and the boys were all at home. Jerry
began to read Hamlet" aloud itproved
treasure that brought them into q
LIZ Il