The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-29


out studying anything"
don't want to grow up Ignorant"
Amos answered, turning over the
leaves of his book. II always feel
better satisfied when I've got the les
son than | do when l let it go without
studying it. It's always easy enough |
when you stick right to it just the way
fellow plays ball. Let's buckle right
down to business, and we'll be through
in an hour"
Amos helped Saul and Jervis with
the review every evening for a week.
They were always wondering how he
could take so much pains. And he
said very little about the prize. He
seemed to study the same way he played
ball-with all his might and for the fun
of it, Every word in the Latin and
French translations which he was not
sure about he would search out in the
dictionaries over and overs again. Both
Jervis and Saul were making rapid
progress, and all the boys were wonder
ing how Amos could be so foolish Chat
is the way it was expresseD as to show
them everything he had learned, Saul
was considered bright boy, and good
scholar besides when he exerted him
self. 1t was thought that he might stand
as good chance for the prize as Amos
did. Something uneXpected happened,
however.
The day before examination was to
begin Amos received a letter from
the sister of an old school-fellow, Allan
Edwards, that brought him unpleasant
news. Allan was very ill. He could
not live. He wanted to see Amos.
"But you won't go away and miss
examination-will your" Saul and
Jervis asked you'll have to be eX
amined, of course, if you try for the
prize"
GIVE thought it all over" Amos
answered, slowly. '''I'd like TO receive
the twenty dollars, of course; but ]
don't see that it would make any differ.
ence about what have learned since
the year began whether / get it or
not What / have learned can keep,
even if l 90 away. / wouldn't take
twenty dollars to stay away from Allan
now"
) Amos showedUncle Rufus the letter,
packed his trunk and was gone on the
cars before night.
81 am glad he is out of the way,'
said George Dingley.
/ ~ cIl Il, dSlCCu OOC VII SbS
" But I wish we could get hold of those
question-papers."
Just the moment when everybody eX-
pected the examinations would begin
Wednesday morning after prayers
Uncle Rufus turned in his chair
and fell to looking out of the window
thoughtfully. Everybody waited in
surprise of course.
IA H., @la
, tee and myself that we will not have
any examinations this year," said Uncle
Rufas, quietly. "Itseems unnecessary
There was slight confusion All
looked at one another. The ways OF
,, Uncle Rufus were not easy to under
stand.
81 i have kept daily record of every
pupi1's recitations," he continued, land
the committee have made out their re.
!. port from these"
Then Uncle Rufus declared that il
had been decided to whom the prize
was due; and he explained that the
prize had not been offered at the be.
a ginning of The year because he wished
, to discover who was honest and indie.
pendent enough in the school to do his
work faithfully without the expectation
i of reward The right spirit in which
8 to achieve merit, he said, was the one
,, ahat stimulated pupil to perfect him.
= self for the sake of being perfect, in.
stead of doing it to win any prize or tc
beat any school-fellow.
d" And now / want every boy in the
school," said Uncle Rufus, looking
steadily at all the faces turned toward
{ him, 'to write on slip of paper the
name of the pupil he thinks has won
this prize. believe every one of yor
. are honest boys"
Slips were, handed around, and in {
few minutes the vote of the school was
taken.
Late that afternoon Saul and Jervis
, went down to the pOst-of1ice 10 mail {
large, bulky-looking letter; and three
days afterwards, in the post-osfice of 6
, little village several hundred mikes
4 away, Amos received it. 1t was ad
dressed in sauls big handwriting, and
Amos opened it with much curiosity
The document it contained ram as fol
lows "To Amos Bronson, our school
fellow: The undersigned take pleas
: ure in informing you that the Dolive
!. prize of twenty dollars has beer
= awarded to you by their vote and th'
- decision of the examining committee
> Here followed the signature of ever,
: boy in the school, even including y o,
= Forsytbe and George Dingley.
posta[order fordwenty dollars was en-
: closed.
Isn't it luckg' said Amos, show
ing what he had received 10 the post
. master, Allan Edwards father.
"Well, if it is, it's because yoG'v
, earned it, said old Mr. Edwards, pat
l ting on his spectaeles; chats all TIA
good luck there is-honest luck that ha
bean aorned y S,n,1olJ ScLooJ Jj,l,ag