The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-09-05


OF the formation and purposes of the Perseverance
Club in letter from Miss Hggleson, and she answer
ed promptly, kindly, and gratefully saying she
would be delighted to receive the young ladies on the
following Saturday and distribute them where tbev
most needed
Miss Higgleson gave little Nan piece of advice
on the quiet my DEAR, she said, "try to read slow
ly and distinctly; don't tumble out your words in
great rush. often wish 1 had the time to take YOU
alone and teach you to read'
Little Mans face flushed and burned; but then her
Aunt Nan thought she read very nicely and she con-
Guided In her thoughts: "I guess read we'll enough
for anybody find at the Frankfort Home"
Well, they fifteen excited little girls, the
Perseverance Club, that Saturday they introduced
themselves to the smiling matron of the Frankfort
Home; and they were distributed upstairs and down
where where they were most needed 1t was dull
day. but what did that matter? Only the blocking of
the street cars was ever to keep them away.
The room into which little Nan was shown contain
ed very old man who dressing gown and
slippers and sat in high-back antiquated chair
Behind him was grandfather's clock; a cage with
Its parrot, hung the wall He sitting between
window and table and on the table was lighted
coal-ol lamp.
"Mr. Wharton" said the matron, "this little lady,
Miss Nan Gordon, has come to read to you you will
like that Here, little girl, you take the rocking chair.
Mr. Wharton likes his company to be comfortable"
The matron gone and little Nan looked furtiye-
~ at her old man. She had thought frequently of
the crankiest old lady in the home had arranged
all sorts of concliatory remarks for herself to make
but the old man tall and ean sitting there in his
dressing gown, looking like ghost, was more than
she had bargained for
81 hope, he said, chat yours pretty fair reader
DO you slur your r's?'
Little Nan gave Jump and glanced toward the
door, thinking with alright: "The matron has gone
and given crazy man." "No" she supposed
more reasonably, ''he's just old and cranky and I
belong to the Perseverance Club.
81 say, Do you slur your r's?" Mr. Wharton asked
a second time, in louder voice.
"It's bad habit" he muttered
He handed her the morning paper and she wheel
ed about in the rocking chair toward the coal-oil
lamp and began to read. She was conscious of two
things as the words poured from her lips: she was
even jumblng the of the sentences and she was
slurring all her RS. She read whole column and
stopped breathlessly. She hoped that Mr. Wharton
had gone to Sleep he very quiet but suddenly
deep voice sounded from the high backed chair:
Where you you attended school?" demanded Mr.
Wharton. ''Don't you know that clear pronuncia
ton is necessary for person who reads aloud? that
one must be deliberate and certain? Aren't Won
aware that it's hard listeners nerves where the
RS are slurred and the gs dropped repeatedly? IF
I'd taken down the mistakes I'll be bound they'd have
covered two sides of a sheet of paper possibly four
sides"
Little Nan felt very bad; the tears were in her
blue eyes. She belonged to the Perseverance Club
but she couldn't blame Miss Higg1eson or anybody
Tor what was happening. "Don't you want me to
read to you any more? she asked and the tears were
in her voice too.
"How often did you intend to conner" asked Mr.
Wharton.
every Saturday" said little Man. family
"Of course, want you to read" said the old man.
u can't do 1T myself any more, with any sort of sat
isfaction. Look here, how old are your
''Tm eleven next Tuesday" acknowledged little
Nan. feeling desperately old
What's your name, and where do you attend
schoo1?"
Nan. and t to the lincoln I'm in tI,o eft,