Ethics of success. Book II. A reader for the middle grades of schools ..

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BOOK THREE. A Reader for the Higher Grades of Schools Copyright, 1894, | BY

WILLIAM M. THAYER,

Copyright, 1909, BY

SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY. a

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE.

Tuts Reader for the “ Lower Grades’’ is not designed for primary schools, but for the lower grades of readers — those who have learned to read fairly well. Then, pupils are old enough to appreciate the ethical idea, and to see clearly the true elements of success. For example, in a town where there are ten grades—the High School being the tenth — the Reader for the “ Higher Grades” is for the ninth and tenth; the “‘ Middle Grades ” for the seventh and eighth; and the “ Lower” for fifth and sixth. School grading differs in different localities, but the foregoing explanation shows the purpose of the series.

INFRODUCTION.

BY MARY A. LIVERMORE.

SincE character is the crown and glory of individual ‘life, and the very foundations of society rest upon it, we cannot begin too early to develop it in the child. Its beginnings are in infancy, and the influences which shape it, although insignificant in themselves, are subtle and important in their effect on the child. The mother’s smile, the father’s word of praise, the simple, good deed of another, which is commended, frequently give the child a bias in the right direction and become the first step in character building.

Abstract truths are of little value in the ethical training of the young, for whom this book is designed. But let — the same truths be embodied in incidents of real life, and they seize the attention, are fixed in the memory, and by and by the lessons taught by them become a part of their being. They become object lessons, which

“The child admires,

The youth endeavors, and the man acquires.”

This reading-book of ‘the ethical series has been prepared for children of low grade, and great pains has been taken in its preparation. The same great idea runs through its pages as through the other volumes of the series, that the end of all education in the school, in the home, and through life, is the formation of character. The incidents are new, and not a repetition of those already given in the other readers, and they are taken from the life histories of good men and women.

Although prepared for young readers, the book never descends to “baby talk,” is free from puerilities, and unites dignity and simplicity of style most happily. At the same time it is free from long words, except such as are in familiar use, and monosyllables and words of two syllables are mainly employed. The book is: worthy extensive patronage.

Contents

The Best . .

Sowing and Reaping .

Suppose. habe Cary Depend on Yourself Never Give Up .

I. The Best

HEN Longfellow, the poet, was in

college, he wrote to his father, “I

mean to be the BEST in something.” That

meant a great deal; it meant that he would

be successful. He worked his way up, and stood with the best poets and authors.

THE BEST is success. The best boy and girl, the best scholar, the best worker, the best friend, the best citizen is successful on these lines. If he be best on all other lines, his success is complete. No person can go higher than that. And this is true of the body, mind, and soul.

You have heard of the poet, Mrs. Felicia D. Hemans. When she was a child, her mother taught her to do everything just as well as she could. “You will love to do things more, and you will enjoy doing them better, if you do them as well as you can,” she

il said. “ You will make | a better woman, too, and will be loved more.’

Felicia: was a rare little girl, who never doubted her mother’s word or advice. She really thought that her mother knew more than she herself did about everything, and that is what thoughtless children do not believe. At seven years of age, she could read, spell, write, and sew better than any other girl of her age in town, and she found that what her mother said about enjoying doing things well was true.

Her mother learned that Felicia loved to read poetry better than prose, and so she selected poetry for her. She found, also, that she could compose rhymes, which was unusual for a girl of her age. She concluded that Felicia was a girl of sterling talents, and she must teach her wisely.

“ Read, study, and write; just as you wash dishes and sew, the very best you can. It is the only way to excel in anything. Don’t hurry; take time, and do things well; it always takes time to do things the best

THE BEST. 13 way.” In this manner Felicia’s mtother taught her.

As she grew older and composed longer bs: a

AFTER THE BEST.

poems, still more care was used to get the best. In this way she became a famous poet when she was a young lady. When she Was married, she could keep house just as well as she could write poetry, which is more than some poets and authors can do now. It was because she learned in childhood to try for the best, and observed the rule in everything up to womanhood.

The late Dr. Channing was so poor in boyhood that he could not have an overcoat. He had, however, what was better than many overcoats, wise parents, who taught him that he should always aim at the best.

He grew up to be one of the best men who ever lived. When he was over fifty years of age, he wrote to a boy: “ At your age I was poor, hardly able to buy clothes. But I wanted to make the most of myself, and so did my best.”

II. Sowing And Reaping

“WHATSOEVER a man soweth that shall he also reap.” Children know what the Bible means by this language. They have seen

SOWING AND REAPING. 15 farmers sow their seed — wheat, rye, oats, barley, and other grains. They know, too, that farmers reap what they sow. If they sow wheat, they reap wheat. If they sow oats, they reap oats.

So it is with boys and girls. It is sowingtime with them now. They are sowing good or bad seed, the good seed of thought, purity, truthfulness, industry, economy, and kindred virtues, or the bad seed of carelessness, vice, falsehood, laziness, and wastefulness. In manhood and womanhood they will reap what they sow now. They will be good men and women, or bad.

A few years since a,man was executed in New York for killing another. On the scaffold he made a few remarks before he was put to death. “I have been brought to this untimely end by my own acts,” he said. “No one is to blame but myself. I did not obey my parents when I wasa boy. I would have my own way. [ chose bad boys for companions. I would not work. I would not read or study. I was vulgar and profane. I treated my mother as no son ever should. And here I am.”

He could say no more. His anguish stopped further words. He meant that he was reaping what he sowed. He named the sort of seed he sowed — disobedience, wilfulness, evil company, laziness, vulgarity, profanity, unkindness to his mother. “ He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.”

Ross Winans was a_ builder of locomotives. He had a son Thomas, who was as bright and good a boy as ever lived. He loved work, and he loved school as well.

Thomas early showed a talent for railroad building. He built a toy railway at home, and ran a train on it. His father saw the bent of his mind in this, and resolved that he should become skilful on this line of work. Thomas improved, and made such rapid progress that he attracted public attention in early manhood.

Russia wanted a new railroad, and sent to this country for a builder. “Send your son

SUPPOSE. 17

Thomas,” said the Russian minister at Washington, who thought that Thomas Winans was the noblest young man he ever met. He said it to his father, Ross Winans.

Although Thomas was a young man, he went to Russia in response to the Czar.

“‘ T like that young man with the red shirt,” said the Czar. ‘ He knows his business and means to do it.” Thomas got the big contract, without giving bonds, the Czar regarding his word as good as his bond. He sowed good seed and reaped a good harvest.

Thomas Winans. left a fortune of twenty-five million dollars. And his character was worth vastly more than that.

Children, sow now. Sow'good seed. Care for it while it grows. Have your sickle ready. In due time you will reap a good harvest.

ITT.

SUPPOSE.

PHCEBE CARY.

SUPPOSE, my little lady, Your doll should break her head,

ETHICS OF SUCCESS.

Could you make it whole by crying Till your eyes and nose are red?

And wouldn’t it be pleasanter To treat it as a joke,

And say youre glad t’was dolly’s, And not your head, that broke?

Suppose your task, my little man, Is very hard to get, Will it make it any easier For you to sit and fret?

And wouldn’t it be wiser Than waiting, like a dunce, To go to work in earnest And learn the thing at once?

And suppose the world don’t please you, Nor the way some people do, Do you think the whole creation Will be altered just for your And isn’t it, my boy or girl, The wisest, bravest plan, Whatever comes or doesn’t come, To do the best you can?

DEPEND ON YOURSELF. 19

IV. Depend On Yourself

ScHOOLs cannot make true men and women out of girls and boys. ‘Teachers cannot do it. Girls and boys must do it themselves: The best schools and teachers in the world cannot make a good citizen out of an idle scholar. The latter must do his part, and it is by far the larger part. He- must be studious, mannerly, improve his time, love school, and be earnest to excel.

‘Depend on yourself” is what God and nature say to every child. Parents can help you. Teachers can help you. Others still can help you. But all these only help you to help yourself. The old maxim is, “ self-made or never made.”

Patrick Henry and Henry Clay were great statesmen in the early history of our country. But they were very poor in boyhood, and had no uncles, aunts,.or other friends to help them. Schools were few, short, and inferior. They could not depend upon them for an education.

They saw how it was, and set to work with all the spirit they could muster to know something. They worked their own way up to fame.

One of the most famous teachers who ever lived — Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, — used to tell his pupils, “ I cannot make worthy men of you, but I can help you make men of yourselves.”

The preceptress of a western college for

girls was wont to tell each class, “This is not a mill for grinding out scholars. We only give you a chance to help yourselves. We teachers are here to aid you all we can.” _ The best help to share is heaven’s; and the old saying is, ‘‘ Heaven helps those who help themselves.” The surest way to get this best of all help is to cultivate self-reliance. God blesses him and her who does the most possible to improve self.

Some young people have no ambition to excel in anything; and they are to be pitied. They aim at nothing, and hit it. They never — can amount to much unless they see their folly, and change their course. They are nothing now, and will be nothing as long as

NEVER GIVE UP. 2I they live, unless they accept the counsel of parents and teachers, and depend upon their own honest and earnest efforts.

V. Never Give Up

WHEN Banvard, the American artist, wasa boy, he lived near the Mississippi River. He loved the water, and often rowed his boat on the river. Sometimes he would row several miles, delighted to view the scenery along the banks.

It was here that he resolved to become an artist, and paint the largest picture that had ever been seen. He did not stop to think how it could be done; he only said, “I will do it.” No money, no schools, no teachers, no friends to aid him, at that time, his decision seemed wild. But he never gave it up.

Just as soon as he could earn a dollar, he earned it. Anything he could find to do, he did. He did not spend a cent for pleasure or _ luxuries. He laid by every dollar he earned for the day when he could study art, and make his great painting.

Years passed by, and he became a noble man, and an artist. After a little, he had money enough to begin his large painting — the Mississippi River from source to mouth — a painting three miles long, showing three thousand miles of river and landscape. No person but one who had nursed a purpose from boyhood, with a heart full of spirit and grit, would undertake sucha job. His picture was a panorama of the Mississippi Valley; and he did it, of course. A boy like him always does what he undertakes.

First, he bought a skiff, and sailed up and down the Mississippi to make his sketches. He was four hundred days on the river making sketches, living chiefly on the game he ~ shot. At night, he hauled his boat ashore, turned it over and crawled under it, and there he slept, wrapped in a blanket, safe from storm and wild beasts.

When his sketches were ready, he built a large studio in which to paint his wonderful

NEVER GIVE UP. | 23 picture. Then he painted and painted, year after year, never flinching, never sorry that he began the work. At last the picture was done, and the story of it was told all over our land, and over other lands, also. It was famous.

A friend said to Mr. Banvard, “ How was it possible for you to execute such a work?” Mr. B’s answer was, “ The motto of my life has been, ‘ Never give up.’” |

We call this quality PERSEVERANCE, though it would be just as good if called by some other name. It is just as necessary for boys and girls as it is for their fathers and mothers. Without it they give up in despair before a task. A hard lesson scares them, and they say, “I can’t do it,” and fail in the class. And they will keep on failing in almost every thing, and finally die, and never be missed. The pupils who inscribe upon their banner ““NEVER GIVE UP” make the menand women who are missed when they leave this world for a better one.

ETHICS OF SUCCESS.

VI. Persevere

ANONYMOUS.

OngE step, and then another, And the longest walk is ended; One stitch and then another, And the largest rent is mended.

One brick upon another,

And the highest wall is made; One flake upon another,

And the deepest snow is laid.

So the little coral workers, By their slow and constant motion, Have built their pretty islands |

In the distant, dark-blue ocean.

And the noblest undertakings, Man’s wisdom hath conceived, By oft-repeated efforts Have been patiently achieved.

Then do not look disheartened O’er the work you have to do,

.GIVING HEED. 25

And say, such a mighty task You never can get through.

“Rome was not builded in a day,” The ancient proverb teaches,

And nature, by her trees and flowers, The same sweet sermon preaches.

Think not of far-off duties, But of duties that are near, And having once begun to work, Resolve to PERSEVERE.

VIL.

GIVING HEED.

A FAMOUS school teacher in England, by the name of Wren, said in public, “Give me the close attention of a pupil, and I will assure his success.” He meant that scholars who give heed to their lessons in school will advance rapidly. All teachers will agree with him.

Parents will say the same. Sons and daughters who hearken to the counsels of parents, and listen with close attention to what they say, will make their homes bright and happy. It is a heedless spirit that inter- | feres with studies and home duties.

Teachers talk, explain, and advise, but a ta a»

GIVING HEED, many scholars do not remember, on the next day, what they said, because of their heedless spirit. They did not listen with close attention. What was said went in one ear and

GIVING HEED. 247 out the other. Enough to try the patience of any teacher!

Parents counsel, direct, and try to lead children in the way they should go, but only those who give careful attention to their lessons go there. The heedless ones go anywhere that passion and folly lead.

Here is the reason why John understands his lessons and keeps at the head of his class. First, attention gives him a good start, and then application and perseverance follow. He makes a good scholar and a good man.

Here, too, is the reason why Charles knows little about his lessons and stays at the foot of his class. Inattention starts him on the wrong way, and nothing follows but idleness and ignorance. He makes neither a good scholar nor a good man.

Thousands of people go about and see nothing, read and remember nothing, live on and learn nothing, simply because they have not formed the habit of giving heed. A sort of listless regard for things prevents their rising.

Attention is a habit, and there is no better.

Charles Sumner thought he lacked the habit in his youth, and he set about improving himself by committing to memory what required the closest attention. Young people can do the same now. No one can attain success without the habit of attention.

VII. On The Mark

“ Atways on the mark,” said the late H. B. Claflin, merchant prince of New York City, of one of his clerks; “ he never loses a minute, nor causes any one to do it.” The clerk was punctual — always at his post in time. He formed the habit of being on time in his childhood.

Children differ very much on this point. Some act promptly, and so are on the mark at school, at church, doing errands, and dividing time between play and work. Some are in the habit of saying “ pretty soon,” “ presently,” “by and by,” and so delay, and fall behind time. It is a wretched habit, and stands directly in the way to success.

ON THE MARK. 29

Henry Ward Beecher, the great preacher of Brooklyn, N. Y., was once asked how he could'do so much work, preaching, lecturing, making speeches at all sorts of conventions, editing a weekly paper, and attending councils of ministers in different parts of the country. His reply was, “ By having a time for every thing, and always being on time.”

We save time by being punctual. We lose it by delays. Thinking it will make no difference if we are a little late has completely spoiled one of the noblest virtues — punctu-

ality. The greatest evil that results from being behind hand is not to those who must wait, but to him for whom they wait. It deprives him of an essential element of good character.

Washington had a clerk who was late at his post one day. “How is this?” said Washington. “ You are late.” The clerk replied that his watch had fallen behind time. “Then you must get a new watch,” added Washington. He wanted the young man to have a reliable watch, and then be as reliable as his watch. It is the only way that business men can drive their business. As soon as they begin to fall behind, business will drive them —a result to be avoided.

A tardy scholar injures school as well as himself. If he thinks that a few minutes late is of little or no account, it is because he has not given much thought to the matter, or else he is ignorant. If his parents think that tardi-. ness is not much of an evil, so much the worse for both: Tardiness chums with dulness and lack of spirit. “ He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand.”

Of two boys or girls, one of whom is on the mark and the other lagging behind, an employer in any sort of business would choose the first. ‘The world wants those who are on the mark. The times demand them.

IX. Sowing

ANONYMOUS.

EVERY one is sowing Both by word and deed;

RESPECT YOURSELF. 31

All mankind are growing ‘Either wheat or weed;

Thoughtless ones are throwing Any sort of seed.

Serious ones are seeking Seed already sown;

Many eyes are weeping Now the crop is grown;

Think upon the reaping — Each one reaps his own.

Ye that would be bringing Sheaves of golden grain,

Mind what you are flinging, Both from hand and brain;

Then ’mid glad sonys singing, You shall reap great gain.

X. Respect Yourself

WHa~ATrT is it to respect yourself ? Let us see. George is a happy, sunny-faced boy, always ready to do his part of each day’s task. His mother never has to ask him twice to pump a pail of water or bring in a handful of wood. He has chores to do about his home, and he does them promptly and well.

George is orderly, too. He rises early in the. morning, and presents himself at the breakfast table neat and tidy. He has a place for his hat and shoes, ball and bat, sled and mittins. He never uses profane or slang words, and is never rude and coarse at home or in company. In short, George is a caretaking, dutiful, model boy, whom everybody loves.

Henry is wilful, headstrong, and lazy. He shirks work when he can. He can play hard, and lounge about with all his might; but he won’t work if he can help it. When sent for a handful of wood or pail of water, his mother is tried by his stopping to throw sticks and stones for the dog to run after and bring back. He can beat all the boys in being slow to work and fast to play. Hecan pick fewer stones in one day than George can in one hour.

In short, Henry is a bad boy. There is nothing manly about him. He does not like

RESPECT YOURSELF. 33 to go to school or church. He rather play with bad boys than good ones. He does not care what people think and say about him.

Now, which of these boys, George or Henry, respects himself ? There is but one answer. You will say.at once, George, of course. Good boys only have true self-respect.

Some years ago, when Charles Dudley Warner, who has written so many good books, was a little boy, he met two girls and a boy in a wagon on the highway. On passing Charles, they stopped the horse, and one of the girls said: —

‘Little boy, how is your ma ?”

Supposing that she might know his mother, he answered politely: —

“She is pretty well, I thank you.”

“‘Does your mother know you are out ?” she inquired further. |

Then all three burst into loud laughter and drove on; and Charles saw that he had been imposed upon.

Which of the two parties had self- “respect P You will say promptly, “ Charles.”

XI. Be Somebody

WHEN one of Boston’s noble merchants was a lad of twelve or thirteen years, he said to his father, “I mean to be somebody.” It was the remark of an aspiring soul. The boy meant, I will make my mark; and he did.

Children who do not have this spirit will grow up to be ciphers in the world; and ciphers stand for nothing. A long row of them do not amount toa unit. To aim high, and that alone, will give a person a noble position.

Some boys and girls are faint-hearted. They do not care very much about being thought well of twenty years from now. At least, they are not ready to work hard and deny themselves of much ease and sport in order to become such men and women. ‘They will never become wise and true unless they turn over a new leaf. That is what the Bible means when it says, ‘‘ Woe unto him that is faint hearted.” A woe, and not a blessing, awaits them — failure and not success.

BE SOMEBODY. 35

A French officer told a near friend, “ I mean to become an able general, and be marshal of France.” His friend thought it was rather a vain spirit that he had. But it was not; it

“1 MEAN TO BE SOMEBODY.”

was the lofty purpose of a man who meant to be somebody. To him there was no real joy and worth in life unless he could be of great service to hiscountry. He became a famous general, and was marshal of France when he died.

One of the most honored of American missionaries said, when he was a small boy, that he meant to become a missionary. There was so little prospect of his becoming one at that time, being poor, with scarcely any school privileges, that his remark was passed unnoticed. Though often repeated, friends saw no purpose in it until he became a missionary. From boyhood he nursed the purpose, and made a way to the object of his hope where none existed before. His desire to be somebody was the secret of his success.

It is a good motto for children to take to themselves — BE SOMEBODY., Believe in it. Strive for it. Make it real.

XII. Climbing

ANONYMOUS.

Nort at a bound, But round on round, Up the ladder we’re climbing!

LOVE WORK. 37

Striving to aim at something higher,

Striving to win the heart’s desire,

With noble zeal the soul to inspire; Up the ladder we’re climbing.

Each step we count The while we mount,

Up the ladder we’re climbing! Ladder of learning, ladder of fame, Ladder of wealth, it is all the same;

Up the ladder we’re climbing!

Pause though we may, Yet every day Up the ladder we’re climbing! Not content with a low degree, Anxious still at the top to be, Hand over hand, continually Up the ladder we’re climbing!

XIII. Love Work

‘‘ CHILDREN do not love to work,” it is said. Perhaps not, but it is because they do not stop to think what work is for. It is just as necessary as food or clothes. God says that if a man will not work, “neither shall he eat.” :

He must work or starve. But for work we should have but few, if any, great men and women.

Alexander H. Stephens was a noted public man in his day. He was once governor of his native State, Georgia, and became a famous member of Congress. But he grew up on a farm in the South, where he was obliged to work. Before he had scarcely ceased to be a toddler, he dropped corn in planting-time, and ran onerrands. At eleven years of age he began to hold the plow, and at twelve he became one of the plowers on the farm.

Young Stephens loved work. He had no idle moments, for every spare hour was given to reading and study. He had few school days, so that he had to improve leisure time in order to know anything.

He was fourteen years old when his father died, and was known among friends and neighbors as a boy who loved work, and as

LOVE WORK. 39 bright as he was industrious. But he was too poor to get an education, which his friends thought he ought to have. Soasum of money was raised to prepare him for college, and he was sent away to school.

He prepared for college in nine months, when most boys took two years for it. He worked as hard in school as he did on the farm, so that nine months did him as much good as two years does many pupils. It was because he loved work in the schoolroom as _ well as he did work on the farm.

He went to college, became a lawyer, and finally was known as one of the ablest statesmen of our land. Love of work did it.

“Mary Somerville was one of the most famous women of the present or past age,” says a writer.

When living at home and pursuing her studies, she wrote to a friend, “I have to take part in the household affairs, and to make and mend my own clothes. I rise very early, play on the piano and paint during the time I can spare in the daylight hours; but I sit up very late reading ‘ Euclid.’” The servant, however, told her mother, “ it was no wonder the stock of candles was soon exhausted, for Mary sat up reading until a very late hour.” Her candles were taken away.