Two children, brother and sister, were on their way to school. Both
were very small. The boy was only four years old, and the girl was
not yet six. "Come, Edward, we must hurry," said the sister. "We must
not be late." With one hand the little boy clung to his sister's arm,
and with the other he held his primer.
This primer was his only book, and he loved it. It had a bright blue
cover, which he was careful not to soil. And in it were some odd little
pictures, which he never grew tired of looking at.
Edward could spell nearly all the words in his primer, and he could
read quite well.
The school was more than a mile from their home, and the children
trotted along as fast as their short legs could carry them.
At a place where two roads crossed, they saw a tall gentleman coming
to meet them. He was dressed in black, and had a very pleasant face.
"Oh, Edward, there is Mr. Harris!" whispered the little girl. "Don't
forget your manners."
They were glad to see Mr. Harris, for he was the minister. They stopped
by the side of the road and made their manners. Edward bowed very
gracefully, and his sister curtsied.
"Good morning, children!" said the minister; and he kindly shook hands
with both.
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"I have something here for little Edward," he said. Then he took from
his pocket a sheet of paper on which some verses were written.
"See! It is a little speech that I have written for him. The teacher
will soon ask him to speak a piece at school, and I am sure that he
can learn this easily and speak it well"
Edward took the paper and thanked the kind minister.
"Mother will help him learn it," said his sister.
"Yes, I will try to learn it," said Edward.
"Do so, my child," said the Minister; "and I hope that when you grow
up you will become a wise man and a great orator."
Then the two children hurried on to school.
The speech was not hard to learn, and Edward soon knew every word of
it. When the time came for him to speak, his mother and the minister
were both there to hear him.
He spoke so well that everybody was pleased. He pronounced every word
plainly, as though he were talking to his schoolmates.