RiOHERS UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 00022226681 ,c6oc^ ^% \r Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hi http://www.archive.org/details/teachersstoriesOOmill TEACHER'S STORIES. BY MRS. M. E. MILLER. AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 1 50 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by the American Tract Society, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. TEACHER'S STORIES. CHAPTER I. ABOUT CHARLEY FISK. Charley Fisk is a little gen- tleman. His kind words and gentle manners please me every day. He never leaves them at home, for they spring from his gentle heart. 4 teacher's stories. The school children love him dearly, and think no game is complete without him. He loves play as well as any boy ; but he is never rude. Out of school, he spends half his time out-doors, with eyes and ears open to all the won- ders and beauties God has made. I don't see how he could be content to live in a city. In the early spring he comes CHARLEY FISK. 5 out of the woods with his hands full of flowers ; and until snow comes again the wild flowers are his delight. Mosses and ferns, wintergreens, and all the berries, as they come and go, just when they are richest, and where they hide, he knows by heart. No boy so eager as Charley to hunt rabbits and squirrels. Woodchucks and weasels, and other little pests that do mis- 6 TEACHERS STORIES. chief among his chicken-coops, he traps with as good luck as any old hunter. He knows where the cunning chipmunks hide all winter. He can tell the habits of any of his game, in his simple boyish talk, that I like better than a chap- ter of Natural History; and it teaches me as much. He may write one in time. He loves to go fishing too. His bright eyes grow brighter, CHARLEY FISK. 9 if we wander towards the pond at noon ; and his merry laugh seems to set all the birds in the schoolhouse woods to singing. Spry as a squirrel, he springs from tree to tree down the steep bank. When he comes up, he is sure to bring me some pretty thing, if he has not had time to coax the fish — queer pebble- stones, or a spray of bright leaves, a rare flower, or a twig of odd shape or beauty. 10 TEACHERS STORIES. Mr. Fisk's old gardener is Charley's warm friend. He is teaching the boy how to take care of the garden and nursery. Loving Nature so well, Char- ley also loves his heavenly Father, who makes the woods green and 'the flowers lovely. This seems now as easy for him as it is to love his father and mother, that he sees every day filling his pretty home with comfort and love. CHAPTER II. SUSIES MISHAP. Susie and Anne, two dear little sisters that come to my school, are out-door children too. As we walk along the coun- try road, their bright eyes spy every blackberry shining in the bushes, every ground-bird's nest, or scampering squirrel. I 2 teacher's stories. From ant-heaps to sailing clouds, they see everything that can lend a charm to their quiet daily walk. When grapes were ripe, I went to visit them. I found them out in the arbor with their mother. While we were eating the fine fruit, laughing and chatting under the vines, Susie slipped from the rack she was climb- ing. She was not far above SUSIES MISHAP. 13 the ground when she fell ; but her foot turned, and made her give a cry and moan of dis- tress. Her ankle soon began to swell. The - doctor told us it was a bad sprain ; and bad, indeed, Susie has found it. She has not walked since without pain- ful limping. The last time I went to see her, a shoemaker was there, that her papa had brought out H TEACHERS STORIES. from the city, to fit a stiff high shoe to the poor lame foot. We are hoping this may support the ankle, so that when spring comes again, Susie may be as strong and fleet to run as her sister Anne. I asked her why she thought God sent such a trial to her. " I wondered about it a good many days at first, when I couldn't go to school with Anne; most of all, the day of ! tod (hat I i mamma how m !' \nnc • I it. ■ . : • .i- I I I l! ' Mill pt< M.l! Is and i nd oh, how much my mc SUSIES MISHAP. l 7 the school picnic, when all the scholars marched by, and I sat in the big chair at the window with mamma, to wave to you," she said. " Well, what do you conclude about it, Susie?" " Mamma has helped me think, you see," said she, "and I think now there are lots of reasons why it was best that something happened to shut me up." 18 TEACHERS STORIES. "Tell me some of your rea- sons, Susie." " Oh, they are God's reasons ; mamma and I have only found them out. One is, so that I could see how much mamma has to do in a day ; how much she works and sews while Anne is in school, and does n't see or hear or think anything about it. That makes me love mamma more. That's one good rea- son, isn't it?" SUSIE S MISHAP. 19 "Yes, a very good one," I said. "Well, then, I've had time to see what a nice home I Ve got — so neat, you see. Then, when I was n't hungry for bread and butter, I Ve had such good things to eat. And then the books — such nice books, and papers with pictures ! Mamma reads and explains to me every day. So I've learned a heap. And oh, how much my mother 20 TEACHER S STORIES. knows — about Joseph, and Mo- ses, and all the Bible folks. She carries it all in her head; did you know that ?" "Yes, Susie, I knew it very well. I knew you had a Bible mother, by the way you walk to school." " How funny ! What do you mean?" " I knew she had taught you to love the things God scatters along our road to school; the SUSIES MISHAP. 2I bits of his love you love so well to find and point out to Anne and me." "Yes, I know — clouds and birds and things. Yes, mam- ma taught us all we know about birds and flowers. She sings, " My Father made them all." I was sure this was the way these little girls had been taught, though I had not been told so before. When the mother came in Teacher's Stories. O 22 TEACHER S STORIES. presently from the tea-room, I said, " Susie has been telling some of her thoughts." " I dare say she has not told you how patient she is with all her pain. And no one can tell you how much more we seem to love her than we did before this mishap." Her mother kissed Susie's white forehead, then wheeled the big chair to the tea-table. CHAPTER III. MEDDLESOME CARRIE. Mrs. Evans brought to my school last summer her plump, pretty, laughing Carrie. " Do you know your letters ?" I asked. "Yes 'm; I can wead em, but I can't spell 'em." That meant that she knew the letters, but did not know 26 TEACHER S STORIES. how to make words of them. I knew she was a pet, and expected she would soon cry to go home; but she stayed till school hours were over, and skipped beside me to her own gate as I went home. She came to school for a few weeks, and learned to spell quite well, and we were all growing very fond of her. One day she did not come. We missed her chatter and MEDDLESOME CARRIE. V laugh and pattering steps about the schoolroom more than I can tell. On my way home, I stopped to see if she were sick. Her mother said Carrie was in trouble. It was a showery, chilly day. " Come into the sitting-room and rest." Mrs. Evans led the way. "We had our first fire made in the grate this morn- ing, and my lady Carrie must 28 TEACHERS stories. poke it to see the bright coals fall, till her dress was on fire." Tears came into her eyes as she thought in what danger her darling had been. " God was very good," she said. " He saved her for us to love a while longer." Little Carrie stole shyly into the room. I was sorry for her as she stood, still and sad, look- ing at the burnt, spoiled dress pinned up on the wall. CHAPTER IV. DUTCH CARL. There is a bright young Dutch boy among my scholars. His father crossed the sea two years ago. He bought a farm near us, and works hard to make money come out of his fields and orchards and stone-quarry. The boy's mother is careful 32 teacher's stories. and saving. Besides doing her own housework, she washes and irons for other people. She sends her Willie to school to learn for himself and her. She can read and write German ; but in this new coun- try she says she cannot under- stand the talk, nor read the Child's Paper Carl brings from Sunday-school. So as she works she studies English. One Saturday I found her DUTCH CARL. 35 ironing. Carl sat by her table giving out the words, which she spelled after him. Did you ever before hear of a boy's teaching his mother to read and spell ? Ah, he must do much more for her by-and-by, to pay in part for her loving care of him through all his boyish years, while she has had other and harder work to do. Teacher's ilturlca. CHAPTER V, A POOR MANS RICHES. Farmer Briggs lives be- yond the Hollow Swamp. He has a poor farm, an old horse, and very little to give him earthly comfort or joy besides, except his children. But he has a good many of those, and is, I think, the happiest man who sends a child to me. A POOR MANS RICHES. 37 Let me count. There are Maggie and Ellen, John and Charley and Robert, Sarah and John, little Ned, and baby Fan- ny — four girls and five boys. Their clothes are plain, and often patched. But out in the country, folks are not afraid of patches ; they are hardly afraid of anything but debt and ill- doing. Maggie and Ellen can do all the patching now the mother boasts; and with five 33 TEACHERS STORIES. boys to keep pushing elbows and knees through jackets and trousers, there is a deal of patch- ing to be done. The older boys help their father. They can catch and harness a horse, and ride him or drive him to mill or to mar- ket, as he bids them. They mix work and play to- gether, so that they enjoy both. While father seals the letter that Johnny is to take to the A POOR MAN'S RICHES. 4* postoffice, Johnny drops down on his knees, (on Meg's patches,) to have a bit of a game of mar- bles with Charley. Joe watches the horse and keeps count of the game. They have plenty of play- things, that are all home-made. Mr. Briggs has been a carpen- ter, and has a shop in his wag- on-house. He works there with his boys, enough to teach them how to use his tools. 42 TEACHER S STORIES. Carts, wheelbarrows, and sleds, besides dolls' wagons and cra- dles, come out of this shop; where often you may hear the boys whistle and saw, sing and hammer, learning something useful while they play. Charley is head carpenter. He has just made a sled for little Robert, and has cut the little fellow's name in a bold style, that suits him exactly. They are so happy as to have A POOR MAN'S RICHES. 45 a good grandmother, who knits warm mittens and stockings for each of these nine children. Do you think her knitting- needles are ever idle? It is funny to see how these little people take care of each other. Robert is trusted with little Ned and baby Fanny, hour after hour, out-doors. He is horse or man, just as they please ; so kind and good, that he deserves a new sled. 46 TEACHERS STORIES. Sarah takes care of Robert and Johnny. She is so nearly of their age, they love her dearly. They say she knows almost as much as a boy. She is not big enough to do much work in the house; but they trust her to " see if those boys are in mischief again;" to "run see if Ned has hurt his fingers at the grindstone,' , or "if Fanny is asleep in the wheelbarrow." She is the fleet- A POOR MAN S RICHES. 47 footed, light-hearted handmaid of all. With those happy, hearty, hungry children at his right hand and his left hand, three times each day, Mr. Briggs gives thanks for the blessings before him, for the life and health of his dear ones, and for their daily bread. CHAPTER VI. HARRY STETSON. We have a hero of old times left in our neighborhood — " Grandpa Stetson," ninety-four years old. He was so fortunate once, when a boy, as to dine at the same table with George Wash- ington. He used to be proud to tell HARRY STETSON. 49 what he remembered about the great mans fine face and noble form, and the kind words he spoke to him that day. But grandpa has forgotten all that now. His great-grandson, Harry Stetson, is one of my bright hopes. The first time I went to the Stetson farm, Harry and I had a long chat together, while his mother was busy in the dairy. 50 TEACHERS STORIES. Old Mr. Stetson sat in his arm-chair at the west window, enjoying the clear sunset, that seemed the brighter for the afternoons rain, although he is almost blind. He smiled often, catching Harry's merry laugh, although he is quite deaf. He is 'most always cheerful; but sometimes he seems tired of everything. " S'pose you Ve heard 'bout Washington ?" said Harry. HARRY STETSON. 5 1 " Oh, yes," I answered. "Well, grandpa ate dinner with him one day. And he knew lots of soldiers — great big ones — majors and generals ! but now he would n't know General Washington from a red Indian, if they should walk in this min- ute." Harry was sitting on a chick- en-coop and whittling away on a twig from the willow-tree; in a little while he made a 52 TEACHERS STORIES. whistle, and came and sat in the doorway to try it. Very shrill and loud was the noise he made with the whis- tle, and it vexed grandpa. "What upon earth do you make such a noise for?" he said. Harry blew another blast. " Oh do, pray, be still !" fret- ted grandpa. " He can't let a boy have a bit of fun !" Harry whined. " Fourth of July is almost HARRY STETSON. 55 here," I said ; " shall we have a picnic for the school, Harry?" "Oh, yes, if you'll let us have powder - crackers ! We could play soldier, and march all day, and sing ' Hail Colum- bia' and 'Yankee Doodle.'" "To be sure we could. Let me hear you try one of those good old tunes, Harry." He sang very well, and " Hail Columbia" made a neighbor riding by swing his hat. 56 TEACHERS STORIES. Before the second verse was finished grandpa said fretfully, " Cant you be still ? You make noise enough to craze a body!" "Shouldn't suppose an old soldier would get cross about 'Hail Columbia!'" Grandpa has a great many notions. One day, although it rains, his shade must be down, making the room gloomy. The next day, perhaps, although the HARRY STETSON. 57 hot sunlight streams in at the window, the shade must be up ; grandpa wishes it ; and no mat- ter if it is unpleasant for oth- ers, his good grand-daughter lets him have his way. " He crosses us only in little things," she says, "and it will not be for long. He has lived a long, busy, honest life, and deserves to have his own way." She does not own that this ever troubles her; while Harry 5§ TEACHERS STORIES. does not try to hide that it vexes him very often. When " Hail Columbia" and " Star-Spangled Banner" were sung through, and sung pret- tily, I asked him, "Wouldn't you like to be a hero ?" "Yes, ma'am," said he, "a fighting soldier, and have a drum and a red sash, and a gun and a bugle! Ha! wouldn't I like it!" ' HARRY STETSON. 59 " Why, no one soldier carries all those treasures," said I. "And they all have to do what the officers think best. They can not choose the battlefield, nor do much as they like after war begins." Harry tooted on his whistle because he did not know what to say. "The best and greatest hero I know — " Here Harry inter- rupted, 60 teacher's stories. " Grandpa, of course ; he s the oldest hero anybody ever saw, I guess." " No, sir ; that is not what I was going to say. Grandpa is the oldest, but your own moth- er is the greatest hero." "My mother! Ha! ha!" laughed Harry. "Why, she wont set a mouse-trap, she is so 'fraid of hurting anything !" " But most afraid of hurting anybody s feelings, I see." HARRY STETSON. 6l Harry looked not a little ashamed. " When I watched your moth- er waiting upon grandpa so gently, and thought of her do- ing so day and night, all the year round, I thought she was a hero, although she had never carried sword or musket. The Captain she follows has given her hard battles to fight in- doors, I suspect, or she could not be such a faithful soldier. 62 TEACHERS STORIES. Good soldiers are not made in a hurry, you know, Harry." "Yes, I know that. Cousin James is at West Point, and it will take two or three years be- fore he '11 be a soldier." "Yes, years of strict duties and hard studies ; and he may be sent hundreds of miles from home, to be killed at the first shot ; or he may live through many battles, and be as old a hero as grandpa ; and, after all, HARRY STETSON. °3 he may not please the great ' Captain of our Salvation ' as well as your dear mother does." Harry dropped his whistle, and did not know it. I knew by his sober face he knew now what kind of a hero I meant he might be. "Your mother, dear, is a Bible hero. I will show you where the Bible says : ' He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city.' Think, 64 TEACHERS STORIES. Harry, you may be a hero of that kind now. You may nev- er have troops to order here and there, but you may com- mand your own temper.'' "I don't know about that," said Harry sadly; "but I s'pose I can try." wP HILDREN'S BOOKS WITH ELEGANT ILLUSTRATIONS. American Tract Society, 150 NASSAU ST., NEW YORK. HOLLY BOOKS, BY MRS. M. E. MILLER. # Large clear type, on tinted paper, with PLENTY OF CUTS, and an elegant illuminated cover. FRED MORRIS AND HIS DOGS. JULIA CAR Y AND HER KITTEN WILLIE AND JESSIE. TEACHERS STORIES. LITTLE PAUL. HOME FOR THE HOMELESS. 48mo, 64 pp. cloth. 25 cents each; the set, in nice box, $1 50. VERY LITTLE TALES. A SERIES OF BOOKS INTENDED For Very Little Folks, Printed on nice tinted paper, with large type, and plenty of pictures. POPPET. OUT WEST. FOUR COUSINS. VERY LITTLE TALES. 641110, 80 pp.; 20 cents each. Y PETS PICTURE-BOOK. With a full-page picture on every other page, and written in a charming manner for Young Children. i8mo, 48 pp., 30 cents. Holiday Pictures. BY MRS. J. S. DAMMAST. With short easy stories, a picture on every other page, on elegant paper. Just the book for a HOLIDAY GIFT. l8mo, 96 pp., 50 cents. SUNSHINE FOR RAINY DAYS Printed in same type as this page,, with large elegant picture on every other page. Small 4to, 96 pp. cloth, $1. LITTLE MARGERY. BY MRS. M. E. MILLER, AUTHOR OF THE "HOLLY BOOKS," is one of the most natural child stories published. MARGERY'S SAYINGS will become as popular among the chil- dren, as "DOTTY DIMPLE and her friends " ever was. Small 4to, 102 pp., cloth, 90 cents. PEEP OF DAY LIBRARY. Made up of Peep of Day, Line tipo7i Line, Precept tip on Precept, Here a Little, etc. now put up in a nice box. Nothing more popular for imparting Bible truths to young minds has been written than this series. A charming volume of poetical selections, with elegant cuts, and fine paper, is a gem for every HOUSE JVITH A BABY in it. l6mo, 200 pp., $1 25 ,- cloth gilt, $1 50. THE TRACT PRIMER, Of which we have issued over One Million Copies in different languages, still de- lights and instructs THE LITTLE ONES of to-day, as it did their FATHERS AND MOTHERS. i8mo, 1 08 pp., 35 cents. OME SONGS. With many fine illus- f^ x trations, ought to have a I \ place in every family. It is Bright and Sparkling, just suited for the little folks. i6mo, 286 pp., 90 cents; gilt, $1 10. PICTURE BOOKS, WITH A PICTURE ON EVERY PAGE, My Picture Book, 64//., 30 cts. Fireside Pictures, 6\pp., 30 cts. Child's Picture Book, 64 pp., 30 cts. Home Pictures, 72 pages, 35 cts. SONGS FOR THE LITTLE ONES AT HOME. This universal favorite, of which over 300,000 COPIES have been printed, is still in the market, and is always Good as New. i8mo, 288 pp., 70 cts.; gilt, 80 cts. S. S. Libraries. We publish a very large num- ber of books SUITED TO ALL AGES, and can furnish any kind of a library, from an INFANT CLASS to an Adults' or Teachers' Li- brary. Fair prices, and best of books given.