1. "Will you give my kite a lift?" said my little nephew to his sister,
after trying in vain to make it fly by dragging it along the ground. Lucy
very kindly took it up and threw it into the air, but, her brother
neglecting to run off at the same moment, the kite fell down again.
2. "Ah! now, how awkward you are!" said the little fellow. "It was your
fault entirely," answered his sister. "Try again, children," said I.
3. Lucy once more took up the kite. But now John was in too great a hurry;
he ran off so suddenly that he twitched the kite out of her hand, and it
fell flat as before. "Well, who is to blame now?" asked Lucy. "Try again,"
said I.
4. They did, and with more care; but a side wind coming suddenly, as Lucy
let go the kite, it was blown against some shrubs, and the tail became
entangled in a moment, leaving the poor kite hanging with its head
downward.
5. "There, there!" exclaimed John, "that comes of your throwing it all to
one side." "As if I could make the wind blow straight," said Lucy. In the
meantime, I went to the kite's assistance; and having disengaged the long
tail, I rolled it up, saying, "Come, children, there are too many trees
here; let us find a more open space, and then try again."
6. We presently found a nice grassplot, at one side of which I took my
stand; and all things being prepared, I tossed the kite up just as little
John ran off. It rose with all the dignity of a balloon, and promised a
lofty flight; but John, delighted to find it pulling so hard at the
string, stopped short to look upward and admire. The string slackened, the
kite wavered, and, the wind not being very favorable, down came the kite
to the grass. "O John, you should not have stopped," said I. "However, try
again."
7. "I won't try any more," replied he, rather sullenly. "It is of no use,
you see. The kite won't fly, and I don't want to be plagued with it any
longer." "Oh, fie, my little man! would you give up the sport, after all
the pains we have taken both to make and to fly the kite? A few
disappointments ought not to discourage us. Come, I have wound up your
string, and now try again."
8. And he did try, and succeeded, for the kite was carried upward on the
breeze as lightly as a feather; and when the string was all out, John
stood in great delight, holding fast the stick and gazing on the kite,
which now seemed like a little white speck in the blue sky. "Look, look,
aunt, how high it flies! and it pulls like a team of horses, so that I can
hardly hold it. I wish I had a mile of string: I am sure it would go to
the end of it."
9. After enjoying the sight as long as he pleased, little John proceeded
to roll up the string slowly; and when the kite fell, he took it up with
great glee, saying that it was not at all hurt, and that it had behaved
very well. "Shall we come out to-morrow, aunt, after lessons, and try
again?"
10. "I have no objection, my dear, if the weather is fine. And now, as we
walk home, tell me what you have learned from your morning's sport." "I
have learned to fly my kite properly." "You may thank aunt for it,
brother," said Lucy, "for you would have given it up long ago, if she had
not persuaded you to try again."
11. "Yes, dear children, I wish to teach you the value of perseverance,
even when nothing more depends upon it than the flying of a kite. Whenever
you fail in your attempts to do any good thing, let your motto be,--try
again."
DEFINITIONS.--In defining words, that meaning is given which is
appropriate to them in the connection in which they are used.
4. En-tan'gled, twisted in, disordered. 5. As-sist'-ance, help, aid.
Dis-en-gaged, cleared, set free. 6. Grass'plot, a space covered with
grass. Dig'ni-ty, majestic manner. 7. Dis-ap-point/ments, failures or
defeats of expectation. Dis-cour'age, take away courage. 9. Glee, joy 11.
Per-se-ver'ance, continuance in anything once begun. Mot'to, a short
sentence or a word full of meaning.
EXERCISES--What is the subject of this lesson? Why was John discouraged in
his attempts to fly his kite? What did his, aunt say to him? What may we
learn from this? What should be our motto if we expect to be successful?