XXXIX. EARS AND NO EARS.
86. Heedless Albert.
"Listen, boys," said the teacher, "I am going to tell you about a land across the sea, not much more than twenty miles from England—the sunny land of France." So he went on to tell them of the vines loaded with grapes, from which wine is made; of the apples growing by the roadside, and of the French people, how gay and merry they are, and how neatly the poor people dress.
Many more interesting things he told them, and then he said: "Now, take your papers, and write down all that you can remember about France". The boys set to work, and soon all were very busy, except one—a boy named Albert, who could not think of anything to write, and who, when the papers were collected had not managed to pen a single line. How was this, do you think? It was simply because he had not attended to the teacher when he was speaking, and so he could not remember anything that had been told him.
One day, when Albert was about ten years old, his mother sent him to a farm for some eggs. He had not been to the farm before, but his mother told him exactly which way to go, and if he had listened he could have found it easily.
In about an hour Albert came back, swinging the empty basket. He had not been able to find the farm. Why? Because he did not attend when his mother was telling him the way.
You will readily see that a child who does not attend cannot learn much, and will never be bright and clever, nor of much use in helping others.
(Blackboard.)
Do not be Heedless; Listen and Attend.
Olive and Gertie were walking along a country road, and high up in the sky a lark poured forth his sweet song.
"How beautifully that skylark sings," said Olive; "it is worth while to come out into the country just to hear it."
"I did not hear it," said Gertie, swinging her parasol.
"It is there, right overhead," exclaimed Olive; "do look, Gertie; it will drop like a stone when it gets nearer the ground."
"Oh! I cannot trouble to look up," replied Gertie, "it makes my neck ache."
By-and-by they passed a field of oats, nearly ripe, and as the wind swayed them to and fro, they made a pleasant rustling sound.
"How nice it is to hear the corn as it rustles in the wind," said Olive, "and listen, Gertie, is not this a pretty tinkling sound?"
Olive had plucked one of the ears of oats, and was shaking its little bells close to her friend's ear.
"It is nothing," said Gertie.
"To me it is lovely," replied Olive, "and the tinkle of the harebells is just as sweet."
Then a bee went buzzing by, and Olive liked to hear its drowsy hum, but Gertie did not notice it.
Presently they were on the edge of the cliffs, and could hear the splash of the waves as they rolled in and broke on the beach.
"Surely you like to hear 'the song of the sea,'" said Olive, but Gertie made no reply—she was thinking of something else.
Do not be like Gertie, who seemed as if she had "No Ears," but, like Olive, keep your ears open to all the sweet and pleasant sounds.
The fire makes a pleasant sound as it burns and crackles in the grate, and who does not like to hear the "singing" of the kettle on the hob? How musical is the flow of the stream, and do you not love to hear the splash of the oars as they dip in the river? or the sound made by the bow of the boat as it cuts through the water? Some people like to hear the "thud" of a great steamer as it ploughs its way through the sea, and everybody loves the sound of the wind as it whispers in the trees.
The sounds that we hear in the fields and woods are called "voices of nature," let us listen to them, for they speak to us of God's love.
(Blackboard.)
Listen to the Voices of Nature;
They Speak of God's Love.
(Let the children enumerate some of the pleasant "sounds" mentioned, and the teacher might then write them on the Blackboard.)