Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-03-14

"May," said her father, "Where is
Robert ?'
81 don't know, sir"
"Where have you been ?"
"Out in the grove reading and
watching the birds"
"What book is that ?"
She handed him the volume.
arabian Nights Where did you
get this boOk?"
81 found it in the library, sir"
"Why don't you stay here with
your mother instead of wandering in
the woods reading such trash as this?"
The child did notanswer. She was
too young to put her thoughts in
words, to tell him what he called
trash was to her a world of beauty
and delight, in which she lived apart
from him and all others. She hung
her head, and the tears gathered in
her great black eyes.
at does no good to talk to her."
broke in the sharp tones of her moth
er. "She won't remember what you
say longer than she hears the
sound of your voice. Pve talked till
Pm tired.
81 don't see why you can't be like
other children, May" said her father.
Her head dropped lower; twogreat
round tears fell upon her torn apron.
Charles Moreland saw the tears and
it fretted him. He told the child
harshly to go away until she could
quit crying like baby. She went at
once, keeping back the tears until in
her own room. Then she sat down,
leaned her head on her arms and
cried freely. How very few parents
comprehend the depth and beauty OF
a child's heart.
May MOreland was warm-heart.
ed, sensitive child. Her parents were
cold, calculating people; they never
showed their affection for her other.
wise than by attending to her ANNA
wants, while she would have given
everything her child mind could i'm
agine for careSs. Thus the chic
beauty and grace of childhood was
taken out of her life. She felt tina
she did not deserve the reproaches o
her parents, yet she was far too timiC
to say SO. Her mothers words
weighed naught with her from thu
fact that she had been accustomed t.
hear such words from her daily; bu
word or look of reproof from he
father went to her heart, and tearing
from her such bitter tears as raineC
over her face. Mr.. and Mrs. More
land had only two children, Robert
whom they honored and spoiled, ant
May, whom by turns they neglected
and reproved. The boy was a you'll
of fifteen years, willful and unruly
the girl possessed of an intellect supe
rior to most children of her age.
May had never gone to school, hav
ing studied at home under a Cover
ness. One day she came to her ia
ther and with a nervous little pull a
, her apron asked if she might go
, school, dropping her eyes to wait hi
, answer.
2 eyes," he said, and she went tn
t next day.
l Now came many trials to May
We all know the sorrows and veXf
0 tions of school days; very insight
cant to us now, but far from it ther
May had her share of such troubles
all the more hard to bear that the
must lie in her child heart with n
e one to lend a sympathetic ear to the
: recital. We all know what a JOY
0 what a comfort, it was in childhood
t checkered days to find relief from so
: row in the brightness and beauty of
t mothers smile. May was denie
t this comfort. If wounded and sorel
e hurt by the malice of others, Il
mothers gentle sympathy poure
d balm upon the bruises. Some pc
: sons are very peculiar, and are new
liked, because they are never unde
d stood. Such character was Ma
,s Moreland even when child. Her
d was a superior mind. She was a f
vorite with her teacher, and dislike,
d even stunned by the scholars. 1t
y the way of the world. Genius is e.
. Wed, scorned, and derided by tho
d who, having made no progress {
k earth, dislike progression in Other
J. Such people possess just soul enOug
/, to justify God in his offer Of salvatio
rs So the years passed. Pleasant yea
ct to May, because she could satisfy h
o thirst for knowledge, unpleasant to