Cattle ShowThe children were not the oniy ones who had learned something atPebbly Beach. Mrs. Minot bad talked a good deal with some verysuperior persons, and received light upon various subjects whichhad much interested or perplexed her. While the ladies worked orwalked together, they naturally spoke oftenest and most earnestlyabout their children, and each contributed her experience. Mrs.
Hammond, who had been a physician for many years, was wise inthe care of healthy little bodies, and the cure of sick ones. Mrs.
Channing, who had read, travelled, and observed much in thecause of education, had many useful hints about the training ofyoung minds and hearts. Several teachers reported their trials, andall the mothers were eager to know how to bring up their boys andgirls to be healthy, happy, useful men and women.
As young people do not care for such discussions, we will notdescribe them, but as the impression they made upon one of themammas affected our hero and heroine, we must mention thechanges which took place in their life when they all got homeagain.
"School begins to-morrow. Oh, dear!" sighed Jack, as he looked uphis books in the Bird Room, a day or two after their return.
"Don't you want to go? I long to, but don't believe I shall. I saw ourmothers talking to the doctor last night, but I haven't dared to askwhat they'd ecided," said Jill, affectionately eying the long-unusedbooks in her little library.
"I've had such a jolly good time, that I hate to be shut up all dayworse than ever, Don't you, Frank?" asked Jack, with a vengefulslap at the arithmetic which was the torment of his life.
"Well, I confess I don't hanker for school as much as I expected.
I'd rather take a spin on the old bicycle. Our roads are so good, it isa great temptation to hire a machine, and astonish the natives.
That's what comes of idleness. So brace up, my boy, and go towork, for vacation is over," answered Frank, gravely regarding thetall pile of books before him, as if trying to welcome his oldfriends, or tyrants, rather, for they ruled him with a rod of ironwhen he once gave himself up to them.
"Ah, but vacation is not over, my dears," said Mrs. Minot, hearingthe last words as she came in prepared to surprise her family.
"Glad of it. How much longer is it to be?" asked Jack, hoping for aweek at least.
"Two or three years for some of you.""What?" cried all three, in utter astonishment, as they stared atMamma, who could not help smiling, though she was very much inearnest.
"For the next two or three years I intend to cultivate my boys'
bodies, and let their minds rest a good deal, from books at least.
There is plenty to learn outside of school-houses, and I don't meanto shut you up just when you most need all the air and exercise youcan get. Good health, good principles, and a good education arethe three blessings I ask for you, and I am going to make sure ofthe first, as a firm foundation for the other two.""But, mother, what becomes of college?" asked Frank, ratherdisturbed at this change of base.
"Put it off for a year, and see if you are not better fitted for it thenthan now.""But I am already fitted: I've worked like a tiger all this year, andI'm sure I shall pass.""Ready in one way, but not in another. That hard work is nopreparation for four years of still harder study. It has cost you theseround shoulders, many a headache, and consumed hours when youhad far better have been on the river or in the fields. I cannot haveyou break down, as so many boys do, or pull through at the cost ofill-health afterward. Eighteen is young enough to begin the steadygrind, if you have a strong constitution to keep pace with the eagermind. Sixteen is too young to send even my good boy out into theworld, just when he most needs his mother's care to help him bethe man she hopes to see him."Mrs. Minot laid her hand on his shoulder as she spoke, looking sofond and proud that it was impossible to rebel, though some of hismost cherished plans were spoilt.
"Other fellows go at my age, and I was rather pleased to be readyat sixteen," he began. But she added, quickly,"They go, but how do they come out? Many lose health of body,and many what is more precious still, moral strength, because tooyoung and ignorant to withstand temptations of all sorts. The bestpart of education does not come from books, and the goodprinciples I value more than either of the other things are to becarefully watched over till firmly fixed; then you may face theworld, and come to no real harm. Trust me, dear, I do it for yoursake; so bear the disappointment bravely, and in the end I thinkyou will say I'm right.""I'll do my best; but I don't see what is to become of us if we don'tgo to school. You will get tired of it first," said Frank, trying to seta good example to the others, who were looking much impressedand interested.
"No danger of that, for I never sent my children to school to get ridof them, and now that they are old enough to be companions, Iwant them at home more than ever. There are to be some lessons,however, for busy minds must be fed, but not crammed; so youboys will go and recite at certain hours such things as seem mostimportant. But there is to be no studying at night, no shutting up allthe best hours of the day, no hurry and fret of getting on fast, orskimming over the surface of many studies without learning anythoroughly.""So I say!" cried Jack, pleased with the new idea, for he never didlove books. "I do hate to be driven so I don't half understand,because there is no time to have things explained. School is goodfun as far as play goes; but I don't see the sense of making a fellowlearn eighty questions in geography one day, and forget them thenext.
"What is to become of me, please?" asked Jill, meekly.
"You and Molly are to have lessons here. I was a teacher when Iwas young, you know, and liked it, so I shall be school-ma'am, andleave my house-keeping in better hands than mine. I alwaysthought that mothers should teach their girls during these years,and vary their studies to suit the growing creatures as only motherscan.
"That will be splendid! Will Molly's father let her come?" criedJill, feeling quite reconciled to staying at home, if her friend wasto be with her.
"He likes the plan very much, for Molly is growing fast, and needsa sort of care that Miss Dawes cannot give her. I am not a hardmistress, and I hope you will find my school a pleasant one.""I know I shall; and I'm not disappointed, because I was pretty sureI couldn't go to the old school again, when I heard the doctor say Imust be very careful for a long time. I thought he meant months;but if it must he years, I can bear it, for I've been happy this lastone though I was sick," said Jill, glad to show that it had not beenwasted time by being cheerful and patient now.
"That's my good girl!" and Mrs. Minot stroked the curly black headas if it was her own little daughter's. "You have done so well, Iwant you to go on improving, for care now will save you pain anddisappointment by and by. You all have got a capital start duringthese six weeks, so it is a good time to begin my experiment. If itdoes not work well, we will go back to school and college nextspring.""Hurrah for Mamma and the long vacation!" cried Jack, catchingup two big books and whirling them round like clubs, as if to gethis muscles in order at once.
"Now I shall have time to go to the Gymnasium and straighten outmy back," said Frank, who was growing so tall he needed morebreadth to make his height symmetrical.
"And to ride horscback. I am going to hire old Jane and get out thelittle phaeton, so we can all enjoy the fine weather while it lasts.
Molly and I can drive Jill, and you can take turns in the saddlewhen you are tired of ball and boating. Exercise of all sorts is oneof the lessons we are to learn," said Mrs. Minot, suggesting all thepleasant things she could to sweeten the pill for her pupils, two ofwhom did love their books, not being old enough to know thateven an excellent thing may be overdone.
"Won't that be gay? I'll get down the saddle to-day, so we canbegin right off. Lem rides, and we can go together. Hope old Janewill like it as well as I shall," said Jack, who had found a newfriend in a pleasant lad lately come to town.
"You must see that she does, for you boys are to take care of her.
We will put the barn in order, and you can decide which shall behostler and which gardener, for I don't intend to hire labor on theplace any more. Our estate is not a large one, and it will beexcellent work for you, my men.""All right! I'll see to Jane. I love horses," said Jack, well pleasedwith the prospect.
"My horse won't need much care. I prefer a bicycle to a beast, soI'll get in the squashes, pick the apples, and cover the strawberrybed when it is time," added Frank, who had enjoyed the free life atPebbly Beach so much that he was willing to prolong it.
"You may put me in a hen-coop, and keep me there a year, if youlike. I won't fret, for I'm sure you know what is best for me," saidJill, gayly, as she looked up at the good friend who had done somuch for her.
"I'm not sure that I won't put you in a pretty cage and send you toCattle Show, as a sample of what we can do in the way of taming awild bird till it is nearly as meek as a dove," answered Mrs. Minot,much gratified at the amiability of her flock.
"I don't see why there should not be an exhibition of children, andprizes for the good and pretty ones, as well as for fat pigs, finehorses, or handsome fruit and flowers--I don't mean a baby show,but boys and girls, so people can see what the prospect is of a goodcrop for the next generation," said Frank, glancing toward thetower of the building where the yearly Agricultural Fair was soonto be held.
"Years ago, there was a pretty custom here of collecting all theschools together in the spring, and having a festival at the TownHall. Each school showed its best pupils, and the parents lookedon at the blooming flower show. It was a pity it was ever given up,for the schools have never been so good as then, nor the interest inthem so great"; and Mrs. Minot wondered, as many people do, whyfarmers seem to care more for their cattle and crops than for theirchildren, willingly spending large sums on big barns and costlyexperiments, while the school-houses are shabby and inconvenient,and the cheapest teachers preferred.
"Ralph is going to send my bust. He asked if he might, and mothersaid Yes. Mr. German thinks it very good, and I hope other peoplewill," said Jill, nodding toward the little plaster head that smileddown from its bracket with her own merry look.
"I could send my model; it is nearly done. Ralph told me it was aclever piece of work, and he knows," added Frank, quite takenwith the idea of exhibiting his skill in mechanics.
"And I could send my star bedquilt! They always have things ofthat kind at Cattle Show"; and Jill began to rummage in the closetfor the pride of her heart, burning to display it to an admiringworld.
"I haven't got anything. Can't sew rags together; or make babyengines, and I have no live-stock--yes, I have too! There's old Bun.
I'll send him, for the fun of it; he really is a curiosity, for he is thebiggest one I ever saw, and hopping into the lime has made his fursuch a queer color, he looks like a new sort of rabbit. I'll catch andshut him up before he gets wild again"; and off rushed Jack to lureunsus Fectins old Bun, who had grown tame during their absence,into the cage which he detested.
They all laughed at his ardor, but the fancy pleased them; and asMamma saw no reason why their little works of art should not besent, Frank fell to work on his model, and Jill resolved to finishher quilt at once, while Mrs. Minot went off to see Mr. Actonabout the hours and studies for the boys.
In a week or two, the young people were almost resigned to t............