“Suppose you say lie instead of lay, it is better grammar,” said Mrs. Jo, very gently; and then added, “Yes, Page is a thorough farmer, and would not understand that a naturalist’s work was just as interesting, and perhaps just as important as his own. Now, Dan, if you really love these things, as I think you do, and I am glad to see it, you shall have time to study them and books to help you; but I want you to do something besides, and to do it faithfully, else you will be sorry by and by, and find that you have got to begin again.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Dan, meekly, and looked a little scared by the serious tone of the last remarks, for he hated books, yet had evidently made up his mind to study anything she proposed.
“Do you see that cabinet with twelve drawers in it?” was the next very unexpected question.
Dan did see two tall old-fashioned ones standing on either side of the piano; he knew them well, and had often seen nice bits of string, nails, brown paper, and such useful matters come out of the various drawers. He nodded and smiled. Mrs. Jo went on,—
“Well, don’t you think those drawers would be good places to put your eggs, and stones, and shells, and lichens?”
“Oh, splendid, but you wouldn’t like my things ‘clutterin’ round,’ as Mr. Page used to say, would you?” cried Dan, sitting up to survey the old piece of furniture with sparkling eyes.
“I like litter of that sort; and if I didn’t, I should give you the drawers, because I have a regard for children’s little treasures, and think they should be treated respectfully. Now, I am going to make a bargain with you, Dan, and I hope you will keep it honorably. Here are twelve good-sized drawers, one for each month of the year, and they shall be yours as fast as you earn them, by doing the little duties that belong to you. I believe in rewards of a certain kind, especially for young folks; they help us along and though we may begin by being good for the sake of the reward, if it is rightly used, we shall soon learn to love goodness for itself.”
“Do you have ’em?” asked Dan, looking as if this was new talk for him.
“Yes, indeed! I haven’t learnt to get on without them yet. My rewards are not drawers, or presents, or holidays, but they are things which I like as much as you do the others. The good behavior and success of my boys is one of the rewards I love best, and I work for it as I want you to work for your cabinet. Do what you dislike, and do it well, and you get two rewards,—one, the prize you see and hold; the other, the satisfaction of a duty cheerfully performed. Do you understand that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”