The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-08

tor her, and tho first meeting proved .
success. She had to study each day to
be ready and wideawake for her class.
They lived in limestone region. Dit
terent forms of coral abounded. and
other fossils were plenty. An old cup
board in tho shed was turned into 4
cabinet.
One day, Nate, who had wandered
two or three miles. brought homo .
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
a simple fashion. Her book was al
ways at hand. By and by they classi-
fed each specimen, and tho best of
their kind was taken to shelves in the
sitting-room:
Her own enthusiasm, in study aroused,
and far from hardship; 1t now became q
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
lunch in farm wagons and rode to the
spot; and, if the search was not alto
gether successful, it left them the men,
DRY of a very happy time.
In the meantime the farm prospered.
She did all the work in the house and
all the sewing, going out, too, in the
garden, where she raised few flowers,
AMI helped to gather q few vegetables.
Daniel and the boys were bitterly op-
posed to her helping them.
Mother" said Jerry, If you won't
ever think you must 20 out, I'll do any,
thing to make up. 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
1t all ran the thought that her children
were all growing up; they would he.
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
were not to be broken.
Boys lot us form a 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 all creation" he
was heard to exclaim, "the way she
works all 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"
Atterward 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 q merry
group was gathered around the table.
Ivory two woolzs ouAnins
given to some journey. It was laid out
in advance and faithfully studied.
Once, Theodore remembers, q shout of
laughter was raised when 9 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.
1t was pure, simple life. It would
have been too wild aud lonely but for
the charms of this devoted mother.
Her hours of loneliness were hidden
from them. but she learned in an I'M
usual degree to throw every energy in
to the days work OF study, and create,
as it were, fresh enthusiasm for tho
present hour. Her loving sacrifice was
rewarded. Each child made her his
peculiar confdant. She became the
inspiration of his life.
English history opened wide field
to this family. One afternoon she
brought in Shakespeare to prove some
historical question. 1t was rainy day
and the boys were all at home. Jerry
began to read Hamlet" aloud it proved
a treasure that brought them into q
new world of delight. Sometimes they
took different characters for represen-
tation, and the evening ended in frolic,
for good natured mirth was never re-
pressed.
First of all preparation had been
made for the Sabbath. There was q
church in this town, but at distance
of several miles, and during many days
the roads we're not passable. She had
leaned upon Infinite strength. gather
ing wisdom through all their expert
ences. The secret of many q promise
had been revealed to her understand
ing and above everything she desired
that the Scriptures might become pre-
cious to her children. She took up
Bible characters, bringing to bare the
same vivid interest, the same power of
making them realities.
These lessons were varied by little
sketches or reports of one Sunday to
be read aloud the next. OF this Nate
took hold with special zest. None of
this family could sing, but she thought
of substitute. They learned the
Psalms, much of lsaish, and many
hymns, repeating them in concert,
learning to count upon this hour around
the fire as others do upon mmsic.
How many of these times came to
her in after life-a vision of the bright
faces of ner boys as they clustered af-
fectionately around her.
Time rolled bv A railroad nasae6