WHERE IS THAT BOY?



SOME fifty years since, a little boy asked his father to furnish him some schoolbooks. 

The father replied, "I should be glad to get you books, my son, but I am too poor." 

Was the lad discouraged? No. Away he bounded to the village, perhaps two miles or more, and went from store to store, to purchase some second-hand books. Soon he found what he wanted. But how could he pay for them?

A happy thought struck him; he proposed to pay for them in butternuts, and so he did; drawing them on his hand-sled upon the snow crust to the merchant.

Now he improves his evenings by reading and studying his new treasures, 

"Not" said he, "by the light of your modern kerosene lamps, nor candles, but by the light of pitch-pine knots." This boy toiled on, studied on, climbing up the mountain of hindrances in pursuit of an education.





He taught his first school for nine dollars per month, built the fires, swept the school- house, and took one-half of his pay in spruce shingles. But never mind this, he was climbing up the ladder. And where is that boy now? Well, for a term of years he has been a professor in one of the colleges in Vermont.

My young readers, what do you think of this boy? I think you will say that he had commendable perseverance. That is it. 

Now let me say to each one of you, Set your mark high, and aim to hit it. Start right, and persevere in the right.

But education, wealth, and fame are not to be compared with heavenly wisdom. 

"How much better is it, to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! " Proverbs 16:16.

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7.





A. S. HUTCHINS.