The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-31
ON SECOND THOUGHT
RY JAY & HOUSE,
tFrem Philadelphia Public Lsdger)
Gems from. McGnffey's Fifth Reader

Gems from. McCuffeyss Fifth Reader
1t is related of Frederick the Great,
King of Prussia. that as he was seated,
one day, in his private apartments
written petition was brought TO MN
with the request that it be immediate
~ read The King had just returned
from hunting and the glare of the sun,
or some other cause, had so affected
his eyesight that he found it difficult
to make out i single word of the man
useript.
His private secretary happened to
be absent; and the soldier who brought
the petition could not read. There was
a page or faverite boy-servant. IN at
him the king called. The page was a
son of one Of the noblemen of the
court, but proved to be a very poor
reader.
In the first place, he did not articu-
late distinctly. He huddled his words
together in the utterance, as if they
were sylla bles of one long word, which
he must get thru with as speedily as
possible His pronunciation was bads-
and he did not IN odulate his voice SO
as to bring out the meaning of what
he read. Every sentence was uttered
with 8 dismal m0Retony of voice, as II
il did not differ in any respect from
that which preceded it.
stop" said the King impatiently.
rs it.an auctioneer's catalog of goods
to be sold that you are hurrying over?
Send your companion to me-. Another
page who stood at the door now en-
tered, and to him the King gave the
petition This second page began by
hemming and clearing his throat in
such an affected manner that the king
jocosely asked him if he had not slept
in the public garden, with the gate
open. the night before.
The second page had a good share
OF self-conceit, however, and so was
not greatly disconnected by the King 5
jest. He determined that he would
avoid the rock on which his conf
panion had been, wrecked So he
commenced reading the petition with
great formality and elaboration, en-
phaSizing every word and prolonging
the articulation of every syllable. But
his manner was so tedious that the
King cried out: ''Stopi Are you recit-
ing a lesson in elementary sounds?
Out of the room! But no; stay! Send
me the little girl who is sitting there
by the fountain"
The girl thus pointed out by the
King was a daughter of one of the
laborers employed by the royal gar
dener: and she had come to help her
father weed the flower beds. 1t
CHANGED that, like many of the poor
people in Prussia, even in that day,
she had received a good education.
She was somewhat alarmed when she
found herself in the Kings pres
enee. but was treasured when the
King told her he only wanted her
to read for him, as his eyes were
weak.
Now Ernestine (for this was the
name of the little girD was so fond of
reading aloud that frequently many of
the poor people in the neighborhood
would assemble at her fathers house
to hear her; and those whe could not
read themselves would bring to her
letters to decipher from distant friends
or children. She thus acquired the
habit of reading various sorts of hand
writing promptly and well.
The King gave her the petition and
she rapidly glanced thru the opening
lines to get some idea of what it was
about. AS she read her eyes began
to glisten and her breast to heave
What is the natter" asked the
King; don't you know hew to read?
oh, yes, sire" she replied, addressing
him with the title usually applied to
please"
The two pages were about to leave
the room. Remain" said the King.
The little girl began to read the pc
ution. 1t was from a poor widow
whose only son had been drafted to
serve in the army. altho his health
was delicate and his pursuits had been
of a character to unfit him for mill
tary life. His father had been killed
in battle and the son was ambitious
of being portrait painter.
The writer told her story in sim
pie, concise manner that carried TO
the heart a conviction of its truth; and
ErneStine read it with so much feeling,
and with an articulation so just, in
tones SO pure and distinct, that when
she had finished, the King, into whose
eyes the tears had started, exclaimed;
"Ohl now I understand what it is all
about; but might never have known
Certainly, I never should have felt)
its meaning had I trusted to these
young gentlemen, whom 1 now dis
miss from my service for enc year.
recommending them to occupy the
time in learning to read.
LAS for you, my young lady" con-
tinued the King. 'T know you will ask