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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
A SCHOOL INCIDENT. 
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In my early years, 1 attended the public 
schools in Roxbury, Mass. ; Dr. Nathaniel 
Prentice was our respected teacher; but his 
patience, at times, would get. nearly ex¬ 
hausted by the infraction of the school-rules 
by the scholars. On one occasion, in rather 
a wrathy way he threatened to punish, with 
six blows of a heavy ferule, the first, boy de¬ 
tected in whispering, and appointed some as 
detectors. Shortly after, one of these de¬ 
tectors shouted— 
“ Master, John Zeigler is a whispering.” 
John was called up, and asked if it was a 
fact. (John by the way, was a favorite, 
both of the teacher and his school-mates ) 
Yes,” answered John, “ I was not aware 
what I was about. I was intent in working 
out a sum, and requested the one who sat 
next, to reach me the arithmetic that con¬ 
tained the rule, which I wished to see.” 
The doctor regretted his hasty threat, but 
told John he could not suffer him to escape 
the punishment and continued— 
“ I wish I could avoid it, but I can not, 
without a forfeiture of my word, and the 
consequent loss of my authority. I will,” 
continued he “ leave it to any three scholars 
you may choose, to say whether or not I 
omit the punishment.” 
John said he was agreed to that, and imme¬ 
diately called out G. S., T. D., and E. P. D. 
The doctor told them to return a verdict, 
which they soon did, after consultation, as 
follows— 
“ The master’s word must be kept invio¬ 
late. John must recieve the threatened pun 
ishment of six blows of the ferule ; but it 
must be inflicted on volunteer proxies ; and 
we, the arbitrators, will share the punish¬ 
ment by receiving the two blows each.” 
John, who had listened to the verdict, 
stepped up to the doctor, and, with out¬ 
stretched hand, exclaimed— 
“ Master, here is my hand; they shan’t be 
struck a blow; I will receive the punish¬ 
ment.” 
The doctor, under pretence of wiping his 
face, shielded his eyes, and telling the boys 
to go to their seats, said he would think of 
it. I believe he did think of it to his dying 
day, but the punishment was never inflicted. 
Credit lost. 
“ Our Beckey Does !”—A young damsel 
who is engaged, and will shortly be united 
to a gallant son of Neptune, lately visited the 
Mariner’s Church. During the sermon, 
the parson discoursed eloquently and with 
much earnestness of the dangers and temp¬ 
tation of the sailor. He concluded by ask¬ 
ing the following : “ Is there any one who 
thinks anything of him who wears a tarpau¬ 
lin hat and blue jacket, or a pair of trousers 
made of duck 1 In short, is there one who 
cares aught for a poor sailor?” A little girl, 
sister of the damsel, jumped up, and looking 
archly at her sister, said, loud enough for 
every one to hear, “Yes, sir; our Beckey 
does!” 
More such Birds Needed. —A Buffalo pa¬ 
per relates an extraordinary anecdote as 
follows : “ A friend of ours has had for a 
long time a very superior canary bird which 
has been celebrated lor its excellence as a 
songster, and for which he has been offered 
large sums of money. About three weeks 
ago our friend being awakened from a “ nap” 
by its voice, rose and hastily exclaimed, 
“D - n that bird.” The bird, then at the 
height of its song, suddenly ceased its note, 
and from that time to the present has never 
warbled or even chirped, but has maintained 
an unbroken silence. What philosophy of 
instinct or of mutual affection between man 
and his pets can account for this ?” 
A BLIND GIRL FEELING FOR A SUNBEAM, 
-- — 
The sun has just burst out through the 
clouds, and a heavy golden beam come in at 
our window. How bright and cheerful! It 
comes in so silently, yet it speaks to the 
heart. Thank a kind God for sunshine! 
Ages on ages it has illuminated and glad¬ 
dened a world, yet we hardly think of the 
great fountain of light and beauty. Writing 
of sunshine brings to mind a touching inci¬ 
dent which came under our observation as 
we were traveling in the cars. Opposite us 
was seated a family of four, consisting of a 
man and his wife, and two children—boy and 
girl—twins, and totally blind. Two lovelier 
children we never saw. The family were 
from the south. A southern sun had given 
each cheek a rich olive complexion, relieved 
by a beautiful bloom upon the children’s 
countenances. The boy was lightly built, 
had finely chiseled features, and hair of a 
dark brown, clustering in rich curls around 
his neck. The girl was yet. more slender, 
and fragile as a leaf, and of the most spiritu¬ 
alized beauty. Her habit was dark. Her 
hair was black as night, its heavy, glossy 
tresses confined by a golden band which 
glittered brightly upon the dark background. 
They both seemed happy, conversing with an 
intelligence beyond their years. The train 
stopped for a moment upon the route. The 
windows were all raised, and the children 
leaning out as if to see. The little girl 
heaved a long sigh, and then leaned back in 
the seat, exclaiming, “ 0, mother, I can not 
see anything.” A tear trembled in her eye, 
and her voice was so sad and low, that it 
went to the heart of every passenger who 
heard the beautiful and unfortunate creature. 
“ Neither can I see, Bell; but I know every¬ 
thing is beautiful,” said her brother, as the 
light winds lifted the thin lock. “You’re 
beautiful, are you not, Bell?” Just then a 
flood of sunshine gushed from the white 
clouds in the west like a flash, and fell full 
and warm upon the cheek of the sad girl ; and 
upon the tears in her eyes. 
Quick as thought she put up her hand, and 
attempted to grasp the golden pencils that 
were playing through her thick braids upon 
her neck and cheek. Eagerly she shut her 
hand upon vacancy, and a shadow fell upon 
her countenance as she failed to touch the 
sunshine. “ Mother, I can not feel it; has it 
fled outofthe window?” “What, Bell?” “The 
sunshine, mother. It touched my cheek, 
but I can not touch that.” The mother’s 
eyes swam in tears, as did those of nearly 
all in the car. A blind girl feeling for a sun¬ 
beam upon her cheek! That beam was radi¬ 
ant with beauty, yet she could not behold it. 
It gleamed upon a world, but all was night to 
her. Its silver bursting in the east, or its 
golden fading in the west, followed as day 
followed day; but it burst not upon her vision 
nor faded at decline of day. It glowed in the 
sky, upon forest and field, and lake and river; 
but not in the blue orbs of the sightless girl. 
By a singular coincidence, the boy tried to 
feel of the breeze that came cool upon the 
cheek as the cars sped swiftly on. The 
breeze swept over the yellow fields and 
meadows, and still waters, and coquetted 
with the locks of the blind boy ; but its foot¬ 
steps were unseen by him. We involunta¬ 
rily thanked God that we could look upon the 
beautiful world He has made, and dropped a 
tear for the hapless children, who must grope 
their way to the grave through a long night 
But the light of bliss will burst upon them. 
Long shall we remember the two blind chil¬ 
dren. [Baltimore Despatch. 
Any one may do a casual act of good na¬ 
ture ; but a continuation of them shows it a 
part of the temperament. . [Sterne. 
CHILDREN. 
It is quite a mistake to suppose that clnl 
dren love the parents less who maintain a 
proper authority over them. On the contra¬ 
ry, they respect them more. It is a cruel and 
unnatural selfishness that indulges children 
in a foolish and hurtful way. Parents are 
guides and counsellors to their children. As 
a guide in a foreign land, they undertake to 
pilot them safely through the shoals and 
quicksands of inexperience. If the guide al¬ 
lows his followers all the liberty they please ; 
if, because they dislike the constraint of the 
narrow path of safety, he allows them to 
stray into holes and precipices that destroy 
them, to slake their thirst in brooks that poi¬ 
son them, to loiter in woods full of wild 
beasts or deadly herbs, can he be called a sure 
guide 1 And is it not the same with our chil¬ 
dren? They are as yet only in the preface, 
or, as it were, in the first chapter ofthe book 
of life. We have nearly finished it, or are 
far advanced. We must open the pages for 
these younger minds. If children see that 
their parents act from principle—that they 
do not find fault without reason—that they 
do not punish because personal offense is 
taken, but because the thing in itself is wrong 
—if they see that while they are resolutely 
but affectionately refused what is not good 
for them, there is a willingness to oblige 
them in all innocent matters—they will soon 
appreciate such conduct. If no attention is 
paid to rational wishes—if no allowance is 
made for youthful spirits—if they are dealt 
with in a hard and unsympathizing manner— 
the proud spirit will rebel, and the meek 
spirit be broken. Our stooping to amuse 
them, our condescending to make ourselves 
one in their plays and pleasures at suitable 
times, will lead them to know that it is not 
because we will not, but because we can 
not attend to them, that at other times we 
refuse to do so. A pert or improper way of 
speaking ought never to be allowed. Clever 
children are very apt to be pert, and, if too 
much admired for it, and laughed at, become 
eccentric and disagreeable. It is often very 
difficult to check our own amusements, but 
their future welfare should be regarded more 
than our present entertainment. It should 
never be forgotten that they are tender plants 
committed to our fostering care—that every 
thoughtless word or careless neglect may 
destroy a germ of immortality—“ that fool¬ 
ishness is bound up in the heart of a child ”— 
and that we must ever, like watchful hus¬ 
bandmen, be on our guard against it. It is 
indeed little that we can do in our own 
strength, but if we are conscientious per¬ 
formers of our part—if we earnestly com¬ 
mend them in faith and prayer to the foster¬ 
ing care of their Father in Heaven—to the 
tender love of Him, the Angel of whose 
presence goes before them, and who carries 
these lambs in his bosom—we may then go 
on our way rejoicing—for “ He will never 
leave nor forsake those who trust in Him.” 
Plausible Remedy. —A gentleman in Ala¬ 
bama, in exerting himself one day, felt a sud¬ 
den pain, and fearing his internal machinery 
had been thrown out of gear, sent for a negro 
on his plantation, who made some preten¬ 
sions to medical skill, to prescribe for him. 
The negro, having investigated the case, pre¬ 
pared and administered a dose to his patient 
with the utmost confidence of a speedy cure. 
No relief being experienced, however, the 
gentleman sent for a physician, who, on ar¬ 
riving, inquired of the negro what medicine 
he had given his master. Bob promptly re¬ 
sponded—“rosin and alum, sir!” “What 
did you give them for?” continued the doc¬ 
tor. “ Why,” replied Bob, “ de alum to draw 
the parts togedder, and de rosin to sodder 
urn.” The patient eventually recovered. 
