The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-11-11

III d 4tAtAI
bad boys and said they must not be
given up. That letter has provoked a
most intelligent mme from a western
school teacher. who has been teaching
bovs FOR twenty years. He says that his
so-called bad boys almost invariably
turned out TO be his best boys, best
scholars. ard best men, and he never
punishcd one with the rod. His illustra-
tons are very apt. entertaining and IN
structive. for he is no ordinary teacher.
but is a highly cultured gentleman. and
writes a beautiful letter. His letter con-
tanned several PAGES and was eagerly
persued. He says am a believer in the
rod, but it has been my lot to have to
use it mostly, but lightly, on mamma 5
pets-the good boys who never did any
thing wrong. He does not believe IN
moral turpitude or total depraVity, but
that all natural instincts are good, and
that evil is only an abuse or misuse OF
the good. and he has never seen a human
beirg who would not at times perform
some kind office for another, never OK
pectinS a reward. Once upon a time. the
story goes, a little girl was watching a
sculptor as he put the finishing touches
upon an angel that he had chiseled from
a block of marble, and she exclaimed:
"Ch, what a beautiful angel You have
r,alci'' NO said the sculptor, tine
angel was already in the marble. | have
only Clipped away the rough stone that
hid it.
So it is with every man-there is an
--., 4Lo,0 Jo,,r too alton hiIdnn Inv
the stony covering. The skilful sculptor
could find it.
This reminds me of an Incident that
happened many years ago in Rome while
I lived there. 1t was on Sunday While q
great freshet was inundating a portion
of the town. A poor boy, the son OF a
widow, had rowed his little boat out in
an eddy to catch some wood that was
floating down. BY some mischance his
boat was caught by the current and be
was carried rapidly down the stream.
His mother had seen it all and ran down
the bank screaming for help. Many peo-
pie ran along with her, but could do moth
ing. 1t was near a quarter of a mile to
the junction where scores of mon and
boys were watching the surGing waters.
AS the little boat neared the bridge pillar
it capsiZed and the boy disappeared with
the boat. In an instant it came to the
surface again and the boy was seen cling
ing to the chain at it's end. Save that
boy, somebody" said one. III give 50
to save that boy" said another. iii give
80" I'll give 500 said another, but
nobody dared to venture. The mother
cried in agony. Wont somebody save
my boy" Just then a young man was
seen rushing wildly down, throwing off
his coat and shoes as he came and part
ing the crowd, he ran down into the wa
ter and struck boldly out for the boy. He
got him, and clasping one arm around
his waist swan with the other and laid
him at his mothers feet. He was limp
and speechless, but alive. Putting on his
shoes and Goa the young man walked
quickly away. But he was known to most
Of those present. He was a barkeeper
and his moral standing was not good,
fer he was ~profane in speech and his
! associates were the sports and drinking
men of the town. He was under the ban,
but there was an angel in him some
where. He knew the poor widow and
ccpt any reward. have often rumi-
! mated over that heroic deed and Won
dereG.
u - ttdtI tl llICllt Boy tIo liz
difference between a bad boy and a good
| one is that the stone is harder to chip
from the former, but gives a finer and
more durable polish when the rough out
! side is chiseled away, but the good boys
| angel is found in chalk, and soon crum-
bles or decays.
EIc tells of Bob, the worst boy ever
taught. 1t was far out in western Texas,
mi uhop +ho cchoo1 woc made ~ - Woe
predicted that Bob and the teacher would
have q fight in less than a week. He
was fully appraised that Bob was wicked
and cursed like a sailor and would fight
at The drop of a hat and drop it himself.
Bob's father was dead and his mother an
invalid and very poor, but Bob loved her
! and was kind and good to her and cooked
the breakfast before he went to school,
F, Which was > miles away. He always hur-
ried home after school to chop the wood
and bring water ard help her with the
supper. The teachers punishment of his
pupils, when it had to be given, was
keeping them after school and recurring
them to get their lessons. Bob very re-
s~pectfully asked to be allowed to go
| home to wait upon his mother. He be-
haved very Well for q week, but his bad
day came and he did not study at all. He
seemed to be ready for a row. The
teacher told him mildly but firmly that
/ he must stay in until he got his lesson
He gave a look of defiance and shut IN
his book. My friend says: 1T was one
of the trials Of my life. pretended 10
be reading q book, but | was only think
Ing. In half an hour Bob opened his
book, but saw tears in MS eyes. After
a while he said, L can't study now.
Please, sir, let me go home. It's got
TINS cark and mother Will be scared.
She's all alone and sick. Please, sir.
will get this lesson tomorrow and 7
won't be bad any more Well 7 was
just overcome, and l took him in nv
arms and We Wept together. Never did
Bob give me any more trouble and ali Tho
neightors wondered. | verjlv believe
That II had whipped him he would
rave been ruined by II Aftor =.