mothers talking to the doctor last night, but I haven’t dared to ask
what they’d ecided,” said Jill, affectionately eying the long-unused
books in her little library.
“I’ve had such a jolly good time, that I hate to be shut up all day
worse than ever, Don’t you, Frank?” asked Jack, with a vengeful
slap 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 is
a great temptation to hire a machine, and astonish the natives.
That’s what comes of idleness. So brace up, my boy, and go to
work, for vacation is over,” answered Frank, gravely regarding the
tall pile of books before him, as if trying to welcome his old
friends, or tyrants, rather, for they ruled him with a rod of iron
when he once gave himself up to them.
“Ah, but vacation is not over, my dears,” said Mrs. Minot, hearing
the 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 a
week at least.
“Two or three years for some of you.”
“What?” cried all three, in utter astonishment, as they stared at
Mamma, who could not help smiling, though she was very much in
earnest.
“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 mean
to shut you up just when you most need all the air and exercise you
can get. Good health, good principles, and a good education are
the three blessings I ask for you, and I am going to make sure of
the first, as a firm foundation for the other two.”
“But, mother, what becomes of college?” asked Frank, rather
disturbed at this change of base.
“Put it off for a year, and see if you are not better fitted for it then
than now.”
“But I am already fitted: I’ve worked like a tiger all this year, and
I’m sure I shall pass.”
“Ready in one way, but not in another. That hard work is no
preparation for four years of still harder study. It has cost you these
round shoulders, many a headache, and consumed hours when you
had far better have been on the river or in the fields. I cannot have
you break down, as so many boys do, or pull through at the cost of
ill-health afterward. Eighteen is young enough to begin the steady
grind, if you have a strong constitution to keep pace with the eager
mind. Sixteen is too young to send even my good boy out into the
world, just when he most needs his mother’s care to help him be
the man she hopes to see him.”
Mrs. Minot laid her hand on his shoulder as she spoke, looking so
fond and proud that it was impossible to rebel, though some of his
most cherished plans were spoilt.
“Other fellows go at my age, and I was rather pleased to be ready
at 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 too
young and ignorant to withstand temptations of all sorts. The best
part of education does not come from books, and the good
principles I value more than either of the other things are to be
carefully watched over till firmly fixed; then you may face the
world, and come to no real harm. Trust me, dear, I do it for your
sake; so bear the disappointment bravely, and in the end I think
you will say I’m right.”
“I’ll do my best; but I don’t see what is to become of us if we don’t
go to school. You will get tired of it first,” said Frank, trying to set
a good example to the others, who were looking much impressed
and interested.