better wisdom which makes good men. Latin, Greek, and
mathematics were all very well, but in Professor Bhaer’s opinion,
self knowledge, self-help, and self-control were more important,
and he tried to teach them carefully. People shook their heads
sometimes at his ideas, even while they owned that the boys
improved wonderfully in manners and morals. But then, as Mrs. Jo
said to Nat, “it was an odd school.”
CHAPTER III SUNDAY
The moment the bell rang next morning Nat flew out of bed, and
dressed himself with great satisfaction in the suit of clothes he
found on the chair. They were not new, being half-worn garments
of one of the well-to-do boys; but Mrs. Bhaer kept all such cast-off
feathers for the picked robins who strayed into her nest. They were
hardly on when Tommy appeared in a high state of clean collar,
and escorted Nat down to breakfast.
The sun was shining into the dining-room on the well-spread table,
and the flock of hungry, hearty lads who gathered round it. Nat
observed that they were much more orderly than they had been the
night before, and every one stood silently behind his chair while
little Rob, standing beside his father at the head of the table,
folded his hands, reverently bent his curly head, and softly
repeated a short grace in the devout German fashion, which Mr.
Bhaer loved and taught his little son to honor. Then they all sat
down to enjoy the Sunday-morning breakfast of coffee, steak, and
baked potatoes, instead of the bread and milk fare with which they
usually satisfied their young appetites. There was much pleasant
talk while the knives and forks rattled briskly, for certain Sunday
lessons were to be learned, the Sunday walk settled, and plans for
the week discussed. As he listened, Nat thought it seemed as if this
day must be a very pleasant one, for he loved quiet, and there was
a cheerful sort of hush over every thing that pleased him very
much; because, in spite of his rough life, the boy possessed the
sensitive nerves which belong to a music-loving nature.
“Now, my lads, get your morning jobs done, and let me find you
ready for church when the ‘bus comes round,” said Father Bhaer,
and set the example by going into the school-room to get books
ready for the morrow.
Every one scattered to his or her task, for each had some little
daily duty, and was expected to perform it faithfully. Some
brought wood and water, brushed the steps, or ran errands for Mrs.
Bhaer. Others fed the pet animals, and did chores about the barn
with Franz. Daisy washed the cups, and Demi wiped them, for the
twins liked to work together, and Demi had been taught to make
himself useful in the little house at home. Even Baby Teddy had
his small job to do, and trotted to and fro, putting napkins away,
and pushing chairs into their places. For half and hour the lads
buzzed about like a hive of bees, then the ‘bus drove round, Father
Bhaer and Franz with the eight older boys piled in, and away they
went for a three-mile drive to church in town.
Because of the troublesome cough Nat prefered to stay at home
with the four small boys, and spent a happy morning in Mrs.
Bhaer’s room, listening to the stories she read them, learning the
hymns she taught them, and then quietly employing himself
pasting pictures into an old ledger.
“This is my Sunday closet,” she said, showing him shelves filled
with picture-books, paint-boxes, architectural blocks, little diaries,
and materials for letter-writing. “I want my boys to love Sunday, to
find it a peaceful, pleasant day, when they can rest from common
study and play, yet enjoy quiet pleasures, and learn, in simple
ways, lessons more important than any taught in school. Do you
understand me?” she asked, watching Nat’s attentive face.
“You mean to be good?” he said, after hesitating a minute.
“Yes; to be good, and to love to be good. It is hard work
sometimes, I know very well; but we all help one another, and so
we get on. This is one of the ways in which I try to help my boys,”