“Mother, you have read quite enough for one day. It will likely take us a week to learn all that by heart, and that will be a week of this visit lost!” cried George disconsolately.
“But suppose I entreat father to have you learn some verses from ‘Mother Goose’ to recite to us instead of these maxims—do you think you could memorize them quickly?” suggested Mrs. Parke.
“Oh, yes, mother! Do ask him that. We can learn ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ or anything like that in no time,” hastily replied Martha.
“Ah! then it shows that the only trouble with memorizing these truly great sayings is that you won’t bother to study what is good and helpful! ‘Mother Goose’ is funny and amusing, and you promise to learn any such verses quickly; that is why father wishes you to learn these ‘Contemplations’ and afterward wear the uniform of an American soldier; because one cannot be frivolous and inclined to constant fun if he is to be the custodian of his country’s safety,” declared Mrs. Parke.
“But can’t you see that ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy?’” argued George impatiently.
“Have you any proposal to make better than the one father planned for the earning of the prize packages?” asked his mother.
“Well, we might arrange it this way: For every set of contemplations or maxims we learn each day we are to receive something from those packages as a reward. If we learn a long paragraph like some you read to us just now we ought to have some big item in the package. For a short verse or paragraph you are to give us a glove or a shoe or a cap—if there are any in the boxes,” said George.
“Yes, yes! That is a fine idea!” shouted the other children in chorus, so that the ladies smiled.
“Well, as the main thing is to have you learn these valuable sayings by heart, it may be better to serve them out to you one a day, and pay the reward as you suggest. But remember, the prize is not what we are aiming at—it is the memory of the great words, that will have its effect on your after lives,” responded Mrs. Parke.
“Yes, yes, we know! We’ll let it affect our after life if you will but let us have the soldiers’ outfits right now!” retorted George, so that every one laughed at his reply.