drawers, because I have a regard for children’s little treasures, and
I think they should be treated respectfully. Now, I am going to
make a bargain with you, Dan, and I hope you will keep it
honorably. Here are twelve good-sized drawers, one for each
month of the year, and they shall be yours as fast as you earn them,
by doing the little duties that belong to you. I believe in rewards of
a certain kind, especially for young folks; they help us along, and
though we may begin by being good for the sake of the reward, if
it is rightly used, we shall soon learn to love goodness for itself.”
“Do you have ’em?” asked Dan, looking as if this was new talk for
him.
“Yes, indeed! I haven’t learnt to get on without them yet. My
rewards are not drawers, or presents, or holidays, but they are
things which I like as much as you do the others. The good
behavior and success of my boys is one of the rewards I love best,
and I work for it as I want you to work for your cabinet. Do what
you dislike, and do it well, and you get two rewards, one, the prize
you see and hold; the other, the satisfaction of a duty cheerfully
performed. Do you understand that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“We all need these little helps; so you shall try to do your lessons
and your work, play kindly with all the boys, and use your holidays
well; and if you bring me a good report, or if I see and know it
without words for I’m quick to spy out the good little efforts of my
boys you shall have a compartment in the drawer for your
treasures. See, some are already divided into four parts, and I will
have the others made in the same way, a place for each week; and
when the drawer is filled with curious and pretty things, I shall be
as proud of it as you are; prouder, I think for in the pebbles,
mosses, and gay butterflies, I shall see good resolutions carried
out, conquered faults, and a promise well kept. Shall we do this,
Dan?”
The boys answered with one of the looks which said much, for it
showed that he felt and understood her wish and words, although
he did not know how to express his interest and gratitude for such
care and kindness. She understood the look, and seeing by the
color that flushed up to his forehead that he was touched, as she
wished him to be, she said no more about that side of the new
plan, but pulled out the upper drawer, dusted it, and set it on two
chairs before the sofa, saying briskly,
“Now, let us begin at once by putting those nice beetles in a safe
place. These compartments will hold a good deal, you see. I’d pin
the butterflies and bugs round the sides; they will be quite safe
there, and leave room for the heavy things below. I’ll give you
some cotton wool, and clean paper and pins, and you can get ready
for the week’s work.”
“But I can’t go out to find any new things,” said Dan, looking
piteously at his foot.
“That’s true; never mind, we’ll let these treasures do for this week,
and I dare say the boys will bring you loads of things if you ask
them.”
“They don’t know the right sort; besides, if I lay, no, lie here all the
time, I can’t work and study, and earn my drawers.”
“There are plenty of lessons you can learn lying there, and several
little jobs of work you can do for me.”
“Can I?” and Dan looked both surprised and pleased.
“You can learn to be patient and cheerful in spite of pain and no
play. You can amuse Teddy for me, wind cotton, read to me when
I sew, and do many things without hurting your foot, which will
make the days pass quickly, and not be wasted ones.”
Here Demi ran in with a great butterfly in one hand, and a very
ugly little toad in the other.