SUGGESTIVE STORIES, ANECDOTES, FABLES, AND POEMS.
1. Little Jack.
There was one little Jack, not very long back,
And ’tis said to his lasting disgrace
That he never was seen with his hands at all clean,
Nor yet ever clean was his face.
His friends were much hurt to see so much dirt,
And often and well did they scour!
But all was in vain, he was dirty again
Before they had done it an hour.
When to wash he was sent, he reluctantly went
With water to splash himself o’er,
But he left the black streaks all over his cheeks,
And made them look worse than before.
The pigs in the dirt couldn’t be more expert
Than he was at grubbing about;
And the people have thought the gentleman ought
To be made with four legs and a snout.
The idle and bad may, like to this lad,
Be dirty and black, to be sure;
But good boys are seen to be decent and clean,
Altho’ they are ever so poor.
—Jane Taylor.
2. The Boy and the Sparrows.
A boy once found a nest of young sparrows, and put them into his hat. He then set the hat on his head, thinking no one would know what was under it. As he walked through the streets, instead of lifting his hat to bow to people, he held it fast upon his head. This made everybody wonder. At last one man said, “Let me see if his hat has grown to his head.” Away went the sparrows, as he lifted the hat from the boy’s head. Everybody laughed; and now if a boy does not lift his hat when he meets any one, people say, “Perhaps he has sparrows under his hat.”—Selected.
3. The Unhappy Boy.
Once there was a king who had a little boy whom he loved. He gave him beautiful rooms to live in, and pictures and toys and books. He gave him a pony to ride, and a row-boat on a lake, and servants. But for all this the young prince was not happy. He wore a frown wherever he went, and was always wishing for something he did not have. At length a magician came to court. He said to the king, “I can make your son happy.” So he took the boy into a private room and wrote something on a piece of paper. Next he gave the boy a candle and told him to light it and hold it under the paper and see what he could read. The boy did as he had been told, and white letters on the paper turned into a beautiful blue. They formed these words:—
Do a kindness to some one every day.
The prince made use of the secret and became the happiest boy in the kingdom.—Selected.
4. Which was the Gentleman?
Master Frank Amory went to the picnic, and so did Jimmy Bell. Frank’s father was a rich man. Jimmy’s father was a day-laborer. Frank wore handsome new clothes, and Jimmy’s knees and elbows were patched, his hat was torn, and he had no shoes. There was only one barrel of ice-water, with one drinking-cup; and as it was a hot day there was a crowd around the barrel most of the time. A half dozen girls had just come to get a drink when Frank at the head of a file of boys came running up, and snatching the cup rudely began to drink.
“Shame on you, Frank!” said one of the girls. “Don’t you know you always ought to let girls drink first?”
“I don’t know as girls are any better than I am,” said Frank, as he started off again.
Not long after, Jimmy and some other boys had come to the barrel, when shy little Minnie Carey came up. “Wait boys!” said Jimmy, dipping out a cup of water. “Let Minnie drink first.” And he very politely handed her the cup. Minnie drank, and thanked him as she handed it back again.—Selected.
5. The Elder Brother.
The sun was set. The twilight dim had gathered,
And ’gainst the window-pane
The fierce north wind sent sudden spiteful flurries
Of mingled sleet and rain.
My easy-chair was drawn before the fire,
Benny was on my knee,
When low he whispered, “I don’t see, Aunt Dolly,
When folks are small like me,
“How they get on without a nice big brother.
Why, even Tommie Stead—
Who bullies all my mates—don’t dare touch me;
He’s afraid, you see, of Ned.”
Just then he shyly pointed o’er his shoulder
With such a proud, fond look
At his tall brother Edward sitting near us,
Intent upon a book.
“He carries the umbrella when ’tis raining,
And gives the most to me;
And helps me find the very far off places
In the geography,
“And ‘splains’ the sums and makes the fractions easy.”
Here Benny heaved a sigh.
“I don’t like riffemtic; but Ned says, ‘Benny,
Be brave, my lad, and try.’”
“He has long patience, and he’s very clever.
Why, once he made a cart,
And once he made a trap that caught a sparrow,
And ’cause it hurt my heart
“To see the wild thing flutter, he soon freed it,
And smiled when off it fled;
And when I’m scared because it’s dark or lightens,
He takes me in his bed.
“Our pastor said, last Sunday, that Lord Jesus
Up in the heavenly host,
Our elder brother is. It made me love him
Like my dear Ned—a’most.”
The blue eyes closed. Perhaps the gentle sandman
Had touched the golden head;
For low it drooped. But smiles still curved the sweet lips;
He dreamed, perhaps, of “Ned.”
—Elisabeth Cumings.
6. The Gnat and the Bull.
A gnat who had flown about until he was tired sat down to rest on the horn of a bull. After sitting there a long time he thought he would go home. So he made a loud buzzing noise and said to the bull:
“Would you like to have me stay longer or shall I go now?”
“Just as you please,” said the bull. “I did not know when you came, and I am sure I shall not miss you when you go away.”
Little people often think themselves of greatest consequence.
—Æsop.
7. A Real Lady.
A porter, an aged man, was passing along one of our streets with a heavy package on his shoulder, when he dropped his bale-hook and it rolled off the sidewalk into the gutter. Two or three young men standing near laughed at his misfortune, and offered no help. An elegantly dressed lady passing, quietly stepped into the street, and with her delicately gloved hand picked the bale-hook from the gutter and handed it to the old man. In trying to thank her, his hat fell off and rolled into the gutter. Again she stepped into the street, picked up his hat, and handed that to him. “God bless you,” said he, and so the old man was made happier, the lady was made happier, and the young men received a lesson which may make their lives happier, if they have sense enough to act upon it.—Selected.
8. Cautions.
If you your lips would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care:—
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how, and when, and where.
If you your ears would keep from jeers,
These things keep meekly hid,—
Myself and I, and mine and my,
And how I do or did.
9. Letters of Recommendation.
A gentleman advertised for a boy, and nearly fifty applicants presented themselves. Out of that number he selected one and dismissed the rest. “I should like to know,” said a friend, “on what ground you selected that boy, who had not a single recommendation.” “You are mistaken,” said the gentleman. “He has a great many. He wiped his feet when he came in, and closed the door after him, showing that he was careful. He gave his seat instantly to that lame old man, showing that he was thoughtful. He took off his cap when he came in, and answered my questions promptly, showing that he was gentlemanly. He picked up a book which I had purposely placed on the floor, and replaced it on the table; and he waited quietly for his turn instead of pushing and crowding, showing he was orderly and honorable. When I talked to him, I noticed that his clothes were brushed, his hair in order. When he wrote his name, I noticed that his finger-nails were clean. Don’t you call these things letters of recommendation?”—Selected.
10. A Gentlemanly Lad.
My idea of a gentlemanly boy is a lad who treats every young woman as he would like his sister to be treated, and every older woman as he would wish his mother to be treated.—Selected.
11. A Series of Don’ts.
Don’t slight a boy because his home is plain and unpretending. Abraham Lincoln’s home was a log-cabin.
Don’t slight a boy because of the ignorance of his parents. Shakespeare, the world’s poet, was the son of a man who was unable to write his own name.
Don’t slight a boy because he chooses a humble trade. The author of Pilgrim’s Progress was a tinker.
Don’t slight a boy because of physical disability. Milton was blind.
Don’t slight a boy because of dullness in his lessons. Hogarth, the celebrated painter and engraver, was a stupid boy at his books.
Don’t slight any one. Not alone because some day they may far outstrip you in the race of life, but because it is neither right, nor kind, nor polite.—Selected.
12. Family Intercourse.
Family intimacy should never make brothers and sisters forget to be polite and sympathizing to each other. Those who contract thoughtless and rude habits towards members of their own families will be rude and thoughtless towards all the world. But let the family intercourse be true, tender, and affectionate, and the manners of all uniformly gentle and considerate, and the members of a family thus trained will carry into the world and society the habits of their childhood. They will require in their associates similar habits.—Silvio Pellico.
13. The Drum and the Vase of Sweet Herbs.
A drum was once boasting to a vase of sweet herbs in this way: “Listen to me! My voice is loud and can be heard far off. I stir the hearts of men so that when they hear my bold rearing they march out bravely to battle.”
The vase spoke no words, but gave out a fine, sweet perfume that filled the air, and seemed to say: I cannot speak, and it is not well to be proud, but I am full of good things that are hidden within me, and that gladly come forth to give cheer and comfort. But you, you have nothing in you but noise, and you must be struck to make you give that out. I would not boast if I were you.—Æsop.
14. Love.
The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.
The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.
—F. W. Bourdillon.
15. Treatment of the Aged.
A play was to be performed at the principal theatre of Athens, and the seats were soon taken. When the theatre was full, an old man came in and looked around for a seat. He saw a party of young Athenians beckoning to him. In order to get to them he had to climb over seats and push his way through the crowd, and when at last he reached them, they sat down, and, instead of giving him the seat he had expected, took up all the room, leaving the old man standing. In this theatre were some seats fitted up for strangers. These were filled by young Spartans, who were much displeased at the conduct of the Athenians, and beckoned to the old man to come to them. When he was near them, they all arose and received him with great respect. As the whole assembly saw this they burst into a shout of applause. The old man then said, “The Athenians know what is right, but the Spartans practise it.”—Selected.
16. Civility to Strangers.
It was through his civility to two strangers that Mr. Winans of Philadelphia is said to have obtained, some years ago, his invitation to go to St. Petersburg and manufacture locomotives for the Russian Czar. The Russian agent had been shown with indifference through the larger establishments of Philadelphia, but on their coming to Mr. Winans, who owned a third or fourth rate factory, he took so much pains to show all its parts and workings, and was so patient in his explanations and answers to their inquiries, that within a year he was surprised when asked to transfer his works to Russia. He went, and accumulated a large fortune.
17. A Good Rule.
When you rise in the morning, form the resolution to make the day a happy one to a fellow-creature. It is easily done: a left-off garment to the man who needs it; a kind word to the sorrowful; an encouraging word to the striving; trifles, in themselves as light as air, will do at least for the twenty-four hours. And if you are old, rest assured it will send you gently and happily down the stream of time to eternity. By the most simple arithmetical sum look at the result. If you send only one person happily through the day, that is three hundred and sixty-five in the course of a year. And suppose you live forty years after you begin that course, you have made fourteen thousand six hundred persons happy, at all events, for a time.
18. Character.
Nothing can compensate for the lack of manliness in a man, and womanliness in a woman. The man may be a capable business man, an eloquent speaker, and accomplished scholar; but if he lacks manliness, he remains only half a man. The woman may be intelligent, accomplished, refined; but if she lacks womanliness, she lacks everything. In some of the Old-World universities there are courses in “Humanity.” It is a pity that the teaching of humanity in the wider sense of that which makes man man, and woman woman, does not occupy a larger place in the catalogues of our schools and colleges.—Dr. Trumbull.
19. Honor.
Mr. Smiles in one of his admirable books says that Wellington was once offered half a million for a State secret, not of any special value to the government, but the keeping of which was a matter of honor. “It appears you are capable of keeping a secret,” he said to the official. “Certainly,” he replied. “And so am I,” said the general, and bowed him out.
20. Consideration for Others.
Sir Ralph Abercrombie, when mortally wounded, found under his head the blanket of a private soldier, placed there to ease his dying pains. “Whose blanket is this?” “Duncan Roy’s.” “See that Duncan Roy gets his blanket this very night,” said Sir Ralph, and died without its comfort.
21. Truthfulness.
Calvert says, “A gentleman may brush his own shoes or clothes, or mend or make them, or roughen his hands with the helve, or foul them with dye-work or iron-work; but he must not foul his mouth with a lie.”
22. Delicacy.
The gentleman never sees deformity. He will not talk to a beggar of his rags, nor boast of his health before the sick, nor speak of his wealth amongst the poor; he will not seem to be fortunate amongst the hapless, nor make any show of his virtues before the vicious.—T. T. Munger.
[Memory Gems.]
1. Hearts like doors can open with ease
To very, very little keys;
And ne’er forget that they are these:
“I thank you, sir,” and “If you please.”
2. Good boys and girls should never say,
“I will,” and “Give me these.”
Oh, no, that never is the way,
But “Mother, if you please.”
3. To do to others as I would
That they should do to me
Will make me honest, kind, and good,
As children ought to be.
4. I know a little girl, and who she is
I’ll tell you by-and-by;
When mother says, “Do this” or “that,”
She says, “What for?” and “Why?”
She’d be a better girl by far,
If she would say, “I’ll try.”
5. Be kind, little children,
To those who are poor,
And ne’er against sorrow
And want shut the door.
6. See, mamma, ’tis half-past eight;
I must haste, or I’ll be late.
Teacher says, “Make this your rule,
Never to be late at school.”
7. A little child may have a loving heart,
Most dear and sweet,
And willing feet.
A little child may have a happy hand,
Full of kind deeds
For many needs.
A little child may have a gentle voice
And pleasant tongue
For every one.
8. Be kind and be gentle
To those who are old,
For dearer is kindness,
And better, than gold.
9. True politeness consists in making every one happy about us.
10. Deal with another as you’d have
Another deal with you;
What you’re unwilling to receive
Be sure you never do.
11. Good manners cannot be put on at pleasure, like an outside coat, but must belong to us.
12. Children, do you love each other?
Are you always kind and true?
Do you always do to others
As you’d have them do to you?
Are you gentle to each other?
Are you careful day by day
Not to give offence by action,
Or by anything you say?
13. In the school-room while we stay,
There is work enough to do;
Study, study through the day,
Keep our lessons all in view.
14. By-and-By, is a very bad boy,
Shun him at once and forever;
For they who travel with By-and-By
Soon come to the house of Never.
15. Five minutes late, and the school is begun.
What are rules for if you break every one?
Just as the scholars are seated and quiet,
You hurry in with disturbance and riot.
Why did you loiter so long by the way?
All of the classes are formed for the day.
Hurry and pick up your reader and slate;
Room at the foot for the scholar that’s late.
—Mrs. M. L. Rayne.
16. Give a boy address and accomplishments, and you give him the mastery of palaces and fortunes, wherever he goes.—Emerson.
17. Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.—Emerson.
18. True courtesy is real kindness kindly expressed.—Dr. Witherspoon.
19. Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.—St. Paul.
20. The gentleman never sees deformity.—Munger.
21. Sidney, at the battle of Zutphen, handed a cup of water for which he longed with dying thirst to the wounded soldier beside him, and said: “He needs it more than I.”
22. If one is centrally true, kind, honorable, delicate, and considerate, he will almost, without fail, have manners that will take him into any circle where culture and taste prevail over folly.—Munger.
23. A beautiful behavior is the finest of the fine arts.—Emerson.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. For example, table-manners, table manners; playground, play-ground; monitorship; contrariwise.
Table of Contents:
[Pg 7], Missing entry ‘Practical training in manners ... 18’ inserted.
[Pg 8], ‘treatment of schoolmates’ replaced by ‘treatment of school-mates’.
[Pg 8], Numbering 1–4 inserted for the four entries listed for page 43.
[Pg 9], ‘Subjects suggested ... 47’ replaced by ‘“Keys” suggested ... 47’.
[Pg 9], Missing entry ‘Subjects for additional lessons’ inserted, and the three subject items also inserted below it, all for page 49.
[Pg 9], page number ‘55’ added to line ending ‘... who make inquiries,’.
[Pg 10], Missing entry ‘Subjects for Additional Lessons for Both Grades.’ inserted and the two subject items also inserted below it, both for page 63.
[Pg 11], ‘Practical training in manners, 90’ replaced by ‘Miscellaneous items, 90’.
Main text:
[Pg 4], ‘courtesy employes’ replaced by ‘courtesy employs’.
[Pg 5], ‘good breading’ replaced by ‘good breeding’.
[Pg 24], ‘happpened to see’ replaced by ‘happened to see’.
[Pg 24], ‘Note.’ has been italicized for consistency.
[Pg 28], ‘he was empoyled’ replaced by ‘he was employed’.
[Pg 28], ‘gave you chair’ replaced by ‘gave your chair’.
[Pg 40], ‘sigh of good’ replaced by ‘sign of good’.
[Pg 49], ‘320.’ at the end of a paragraph has been retained. The meaning is not clear.
[Pg 49], ‘Additional Lesssons’ replaced by ‘Additional Lessons’.
[Pg 50], ‘108.’ at the end of a paragraph has been retained. The meaning is not clear.
[Pg 56], ‘show the necesssity’ replaced by ‘show the necessity’.
[Pg 63], ‘Bur first you’ replaced by ‘But first you’.
[Pg 68], ‘propor attentions’ replaced by ‘proper attentions’.
[Pg 87], ‘it is considred’ replaced by ‘it is considered’.
[Pg 89], ‘names if unkown’ replaced by ‘names if unknown’.
[Pg 100], ‘rest assurred’ replaced by ‘rest assured’.