The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-20

you disliked the master. Didn't you
tell your father that you thought Mr.
Cameron was the best teacher in the
city,"
$50 he is, and I like him; but ]
call it running America down to say
the Scotch are smarter. Guthrie
and Mckenzie are Scotch, and they
are not any smarter than the Other
fellows"
"You are not in charitable mood
to-day, or you would recognize Mr.
Cameron's right to be proud of his
country. Scotland has produced
many eminent men,"
$50 has America"
Eyes, Ned, America has. But don't
forget Americas great men had
broad, liberal spirits. lam glad you
are going to try for this prize; and if
you are stimulated by true impulses,
you may win"
81 am going to, mother. If we
were in New Hampshire, l could
gather twenty wild flowers easily, and
tell their names. You know l like to
study the flowers. l hope we may
have botany for regular study.
The master asked us yesterday who
could tell him the name of the tree
that is in the school yard just from
its bark and shape, and l was the
only one who knew. l suppose that
is why Guthrie twitted to day."
Mr.. Cameron began the next day
to teach botany, and very interest
ing study he made it. The ground
was not yet thawed enough for him
to find a wild flower for the first
lesson, SO he brought a twig of the
horse chestnut in bud. The boys
became so absorbed that they had
overstepped the time limit ere they
were aware.
1t was May before Mr.. Cameron
told them to begin work for them
selves. Ned went to work in earnest.
1t was study he enjoyed above all
others; and, then, was he not going
to prove the superiority of America?
He said nothing to the other boys
about his purpose, and hoped, if he
did not win, that the boy who did
would be an American; for Guthrie
had shown himself quite bright in
the botany Rotations, and he was
beginning to feel little bit afraid of
him.
May passed, and the first of June
found him with only one flower
pressed to his satisfaction. Through
June, he had better success. He had
pressed one of the Orchis family
the Lady's Slipper, the pink variety.
He had pressed four before he got
one to retain its color. Then how
happy he was. He brought it out to
show his parents, and his mother
added to his happiness by declaring
that no professor could do it better.
II believe" she said, "this botany
contest is going to develop your
latent abilities just like the kick the
boy gave Sir Isaac Newton"
At the first of July Ned had four
specimens: the Hepatica and Column
bine, belonging to the Crowfoot fam
lily; the Lady's Slipper, belonging to
the Orchis family; and the Indian
Turnip, or Jack-in- the Pulpit, be-
longing to the Arum family.
Butter-and-eggs was the first one
he tried in July. 1t was so common,
he felt sure he would have no diff
Guilty in finding the botanical name.
But, alas! for days he worked at it.
His mother told him perseverance al
ways met with success. So persevere
he did. Toad flax, belonging to the
figwort family" At last he had it.
He was working himself into such
a nervous state that his mother sent
him to New Hampshire for two weeks,
with the injunction that he was not
to study flower 'as a science"
What grief that was However, he
consoled himself with the knowledge
that it would be of no use to press
New Hampshire flowers. The speci-
mems had to be gathered in Massa-
chusetts. those near home preferred.
Ned told his Uncle Eli all about
it.
That's right, Ned, said Uncle Eli.
HCborp ,onn tho St,R xua,r. ,oo5o r.