The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-08-13

Attempt to put on airs.
They climb and climb toward the top.
And tumble down the stairs.
Robert s. Tdlcott. IN Golden Days.
A HELPING HAND.
Jacks and Roberts Difficulties, and How
They Helped One Another.
III you can not keep up with this
class you had better 60 into lower
one."
The country schoolmaster spoke
harshly, and Robert Gates heart sank
lower than before, if that were possible.
He was the biggest boy in his class
now, and how could he bear the shame
Of going among boys still smallerP
But there was no denying the fact
that the master had had a great deal Of
trouble with him, and that it did seem
as though he were hopelessly dull. Mr..
Hardy delighted in figures. To be
bright at figures, he thought, insured .
boy for success through life. Every
boy who came to him was tried by the
one test, and II he failed in that he had
no opportunity Of showing whether he
was bright ct anything else.
So Robert, whose talents did not lie
in figures, was having just the hard tug
at school, which, if we'll endured, wise
men tell us, gives the discipline which
makes the best and noblest men. He
had struggled through the miseries Of
notation, enumeration, addition, subtrac-
ton and multiplication. each of which
had been a separate hill Of difficulty to
him. And now long division stood up be-
fore him like dead, blank wall. There
was no getting around it, no getting
under it-he must climb to the top.
The boys were dismissed, leaving the
school house with whoop and rush
all but Robert, who. with his book and
his slate, slowly walked away. "A
cheery-faced boy stopped and looked
back at him, then ran to him, saying:
I'm give you lift, Bob"
Come on, Jack Brand" shouted
half dozen voices.
u can't come now" he replied.
"We're going to make up the base
ball club, and you'll lose your place.
We're going to put you in for pitcher. "
"Yoc'd better co." said Robert Il
hate to have you miss the fun"
"Never mind" said Jack, heartily.
1--WE plenty Of time for fun yet See
here. now-let's 60 out behind the old
barn and cipher away at your examples
They settled themselves on q grassy
slope in the quiet of one Of the rare days
of early June, and Robert opened bis
book with q heavy Sigh.
Its perfect tangle to me. he said,
with rueful shake Of the head, think.
ing Of the days in which he had watched
the slow placing and working of the OK.
amples on the blackboard. The WHY
and wherefore Of the curved lines had
never dawned upon him, the guessing
how many times it would "go" and
then setting down a figure, and the long
struggling column of figures gyratins
of to the right and finally ending in
nothing. 50 far A. he could see, was q
fearful piling up of mysteries. why"
be went on, II can't even remember
which is divisor and which Is dividend
when he questions me about the rules. "
"Oh, that's easy enough Il you only
think q moment laughed Jack. 1.-THE
divisor's thing you do something with.
This way now-mower, q thing YOU
NOW with. Reaper. q thing you rear
with. Divisor, thing you divide with
don't you seer"
"Why, yes, Of course do. now YOU
give me something to remember BY"
Then they bent themselves resolutely
to conquer the difficulties Of the process
before them. and It was fortunate tha
Jack was blessed with the gift Of pa
thence. for days passed before Ro6er
could see anything in it except q hug
and frightful puzzle The shouts O.
the boys at play came to them from ,
distance, but no sound more disturbing
than the soft whisper Of the summer
wind or the pert inquiring kecheel
kechee?" q. robin or wren disturbed
the droning murmur with which Jscl
untiringly went through the lessor
over and over again. little dreamin,
that he was securing for himself
valuable exercise in patience and sell
denial.
~ see it" 1t last exclaimed Robert
springing up with shout Of triumph
IL never expected to see dayligh
through such muddle, but I do. Now
let's be of and have . glorious play
But" he added. very earnestly, -
never can pay you up In the world"
Never mind that" said Jack
But" he added. "may be you col
some time"
And his words came true years later
When the boys went 70 prepare 70
college under the mild teachings Of Ii
village pastor. . strong contrast to th
rough schoolmaster, Latin and Greel
came to Robert almost - . pastime
He reveled in the line Of study NO,
opening before him with all the deligh
which comes of finding something 1
the world Of learning exactly to hi
| taste.
! Jackss troublos heOan vhsru Rohsrk,