The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-02
THE OUNCE.


1T an academy and was pretty well posted.
and when the committee came to examine
mo i could see that they were very forci-
bly, impressed by the ease with which I
answered all their questions.
When commenced my first school land
the same ideas which governed me then
governed me for long time afterward),
looked upon the children before me as SO
many little individuals whom had got to
I'LL with learning. I knew what was writ
ten In the books, and was TO teach II to
the children before me. had learned it
all, and believed that they could. At
least, III they did not, / meant that 10
should bo no fault Of mine.
In my first class In arithmetic were two
boys whom / have selected to figure In this
sketch. have taken them because their
subsequent career affords striking exam
pie Of the facts wish to present. shall
not give you their real names, for they are
both living and are worthy men. shall
tell you that they were Luke Weston and
James Shute. Luke was rather heavily
built, with large, full head q horid,
chubby face, dark brown hair and inclined
10 be slow and dreamy when called upon
TO work with his mind.
James Shute, on the other hand, was
light Of frame, with q small, compact
head, hair of a flaxen hue, light blue eyes
and possessed an organization highly nerv-
GUS and sensitive. He cared but little for
the rough sports out Of doors, seeming
rather TO prefer his books and perfect him
self in his lessons
Luke and James were In the same
classes, In all the branches which they
studied together and the few months of
difference in their ages were In favor Of
t... e.. Lrt Il I.s&l
very short time / discovered that Luke
Weston did not learn his lessons we'll He
blundered in his arithmetic and stumbled
lamely over his spelling lessons.
James Shute became my favorite scholar.
He worried over his slate with an assiduity
which was untiring, and felt pride in
exhibiting his powers to my visitors.
Upon the blackboard he could perform
wonders for one so young.
With Luke Weston / was sorely per-
plexed. He did not get his lessons we'll at
all. When he came to compound fractions
he could do nothing with them. Left to
himself, with his own time and method,
he could worry the sums out, but he was
behindband In his recitations and always
blundered upon the blackboard.
Luke, said / as / stopped him one
night after school, "why Is 1t that you do
not get your lessonsf'
He said he didn't know.
Don't tell me-" / cried, "that you
don't know. You don't study-that's the
reason. See how James Shute gets his les |
sons. You are older than he is"
Luke said he could not get such long |
lessons-he could not remember them He |
had tried hard enough to do the puzxling |
sums and to spell the long words, bus he |
could not do 1t. ~
/ told him it was all nonsense. He |
could do it IL he had mind to do. He
did net try He was more fond Of play
than of study. In short, i talked very Sc
verely TO him and assured him that IL he
did not have his lessons perfectly on the
following day / should punish him. He
went away with his head bowed, and, I
thought, in a sulky mood.
The following day came, and with 10
came the first class in arithmetic. James
Shute could do every sum. Luke Weston
had not done half Of them. When the
class came up to spell, James spelled all
the words and gave the definitions prompt
ly, but Luke could not remember them.
So / told Luke Weston that must pun
ish him, and stood him out on the floor,
and / made a great fools cap and put ID
upon his head, and there he stood until
the school was done. He did not cry, nor
did he look particularly ashamed, but he
his lips and looked ugly.
When relieved him of the fools cap at
the close of tho school, told him hoped
he would get his lessons better the next
time. He made me no reply. but left the
room with quick, stern step.
On the following day Luke did not come
to school, and on the day after that un-
derstood that he had gone to learn the
trade. i made some little in
quiry and found that he had declared that
he would go TO school to me no more, IL
he had to run away, and as his parents
were poor they had allowed him to 20 at
work in neighbor's shop.
In time finished my school, and James |
Shute bore of the palm of scholarship.
During the vacation I visited neigh
boring state and found employment there |
Then / went south and finally became en-
gagged as teacher of mathematics in u school
n New Orleans. The years slipped by, and
till remained I'm my new home. One day
received paper from my native state,
md / saw mention made Of one Luke
Weston as being the leader Of q strong
action In the Legislature. OF course that
'ould not be my Luke--it could not be the
'ne upon whom had put the fools cap.
= INV ptsstu Olli anu ny dilu Dy TeoQ IN
he papers that Luke Weston had been
elected president of the senate OF my native
tate, and that he was now powerful
eader of n powerful party. OF course this
vas the same Luke OF whom had before
cad, but it could not be the same Luke
who had worn my fools cap.
i finally read that Luke Weston had been
lected to the senate of the United States,
nd that he was greatly honored by all
Who knew him.
In another year / visited the home of
ny youth, and one of my first inquiries
vas OF Luke Weston. He was a United
states senator. So it was my Luke after
III.
And where was James Shutei He was
ookkeeper in bank and was accounted
very correct and faithful clerk. He had :
cen there IL years and would probably
emain there, as he liked the place and
ad no particular ambition or qualification
bove 10.