River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-24


1t Is so with some lives that cumber
For time the Lord 5 domain:
Out o. trial and mighty sorrow
There cOmeth a countless gain
And fruit for the Masters pleasure
Is born of loss and pain.
\ LESSON IN FRACTIONS.
1t was such blow to me-such a
bitter, overwhelming blow! had been
50 comfortable and happy since the
Schoolmaster had boarded with me.
The big front chamber had been so
grim and ghostly, always shut up and
empty. 1t was our spare room when
poor, dear Charley was alive; but now
that | was widow and poor, it was a
needless luxury to keep a guest cham
Der. None of our old friends cared to
visit me now; just when | needed them
most, when | was lonely and sad and
miserable, they refused to come. But
when Mr.. Slade took the room | didn't
grieve about the loss of friends. 1t
seemed odd to have money for the
guest chamber, but the way that | was
situated reconciled me to the thought
very speedily indeed.
Then when my boy Charley got into
that scrape at school | should just have
died if it had been anybody but Mr.
Slade
Madam, he said, your boy is mis-
chievous very mischieyous."
Eyes. sir, | said meekly.
And to extend a rope in such
manner that the unconscious heels of
his teacher shall be tripped up thereby;
to fill the hat Of his instructor with
stones; to put wax upon the bench so
that the tails of his coat may adhere to
this sticky substance and thus come to
grief. All these things are very repre-
hensible, madam, and merit condign
punishment.
Yes. sir" l replied. and wiped
away my regretful tears, for | knew
what was coming.
Either Charley would be expelled
from the school or dreadfully beaten by
this injured man. 1t was better to
have him beaten than expelled, but
either was horrible
please don't expel him. Mr.. Slade, :
said. He must be punished, of
coarse; but please don't beat him very
hard
Il shall not beat him at all, he
said.
Don't expel him. l entreated.
Nor expel him. he replied "If
you II leave the boy to me, there will
be no further trouble. He has a good
heart, and an open, generous manly
nature III appeal to these, madam,
if you'll allow me- think we can get
along with Charley if we take the right
way
"Oh. Mr.. Sladc, l said. how noble
you are! how generous! how mag
unanimous! | think Heaven was good
to send me such "a boarder.'
He grew little red under my praise,
and as it was school time, bowed him
self out; but really he looked like an
archangel to me as he walked down
the street. OF course the smile was
absurd. He was tall and lean and
ungainlv; the tails of his long coat did
not flap as gracefully as many another
coat close b.. Charley said he was
knock-kneed, but to me that day he
was all that was desirable in man.
The way he managed Charley after
that was miraculous; there is no other
word for it. The boy was as wild and
untamable IS young colt when Mr..
+ Slade took hold of him, and shortly
afterward he was the most tractable
and orderly of mortals. l could see
i though. the time and trouble it cost to
work such wonders with him. In the
spring they went fishing together, and
/ Mr.. Slade taught Charley how to
manage his hook and line and wheedle
the poor little fish to his bait. In mid
summer they got up a collection OF
beetles and bugs and all sorts of things.
/ II was terrible to the poor insects.
suppose: but, oh, dear heaven what
rest and comfort it was to me to have
Charley amused and kept out of
/ trouble.
+ began "a rest upon Mr.. Slade. to
contide i'm him. TO ask his advice, and
invariably takeit, upon all occasions,
to gratefully take advantage Of his
knacE in repairing things about the
house. putting in order troublesome
domestic utensils. He always put up
+ the shades in house-cleaning time, and
i buno the pictures; and what | should
have done without him that time the
machine cot out of order, heaven only
knows | had dress to hnish Tor
Mrs. Chapel. and was working away
when, all at once, the machine began
to squeak dreadfully. It was rasp-
inc noise. fit to raise the hair on one :
head, and mine had aehed dreadfully
all the morning. oiled and fused at
1t, but all to no purpose; 1t squeakeu
more and more. And, TO crown ALI
the nice pumpkin pie | had made for
Mr.. Slade's luncheon was burned to a
crisp. | smelled it. and rushed TO the
stove. but too late It was a black
ruin and | sat down and cried over 6it.
1t secInad1o me. SO sad. and terrible, 1
wanted to JIG down and die when IN
walked Mr. Slade to his luncheon.
i Its no use coming IN, said II
don t know how you can board here
ANYWAY, / am such a miserable house
Keeper. It would be so much better II
Charley and were dead.
.sWfiat has happeneda asked Mr..
Slade.
felt ashamed wilen say the look
of alarm in his face
..If Il very sad. 1 sAto burn the crust
of a nice pie all to a crisp
..Do yon think So SAID Mr.. Slade.
Now for me il is 2 most excellent MS
chance. Ofall things iu the world ( re-
we're the burned crust Of pie ! have