1. Frank's father was speaking to a friend, one day, on the subject of
competition at school. He said that he could answer for it that envy is
not always connected with it.
2. He had been excelled by many, but did not recollect ever having felt
envious of his successful rivals; "nor did my winning many a prize from my
friend Birch," said he, "ever lessen his friendship for me."
3. In support of the truth of this, a friend who was present related an
anecdote which had fallen under his own notice in a school in his
neighborhood.
4. At this school the sons of several wealthy farmers, and others, who
were poorer, received instruction. Frank listened with great attention
while the gentleman gave the following account of the two rivals:
5. It happened that the son of a rich farmer and the son of a poor widow
came in competition for the head of their class. They were so nearly equal
that the teacher could scarcely decide between them; some days one, and
some days the other, gained the head of the class. It was determined by
seeing who should be at the head of the class for the greater number of
days in the week.
6. The widow's son, by the last day's trial, gained the victory, and kept
his place the following week, till the school was dismissed for the
holidays.
7. When they met again the widow's son did not appear, and the farmer's
son, being next to him, might now have been at the head of his class.
Instead of seizing the vacant place, however, he went to the widow's house
to inquire what could be the cause of her son's absence.
8. Poverty was the cause; the poor woman found that she was not able, with
her utmost efforts, to continue to pay for the tuition and books of her
son, and so he, poor fellow! had been compelled to give up his schooling,
and to return to labor for her support.
9. The farmer's son, out of the allowance of pocket money which his father
gave him, bought all the necessary books and paid for the tuition of his
rival. He also permitted him to be brought back again to the head of his
class, where he continued for some time, at the expense of his generous
rival.
DEFINITIONS.--Em-u-la'tion, rivalry, contest. 1. Com-pe-ti'tion, rivalry.
2. Ex-celled', surpassed, exceeded in good qualities. Ri'vals, those who
pursue the same thing. 3. An'ec-dote, a short story. 8. Tu-i'tion, payment
for teaching.
EXERCISES.--What is the subject of this lesson? What do you mean by
emulation? What is envy? What story is told about the two rivals? Is it
right to envy any person?
XLIX. THE SANDPIPER. (134)
By CELIA THAXTER.
1. Across the lonely beach we flit,
One little sandpiper and I,
And fast I gather, bit by bit,
The scattered driftwood, bleached and dry.
The wild waves reach their hands for it,
The wild wind raves, the tide runs high,
As up and down the beach we flit,
One little sandpiper and I.
2. Above our heads the sullen clouds
Scud, black and swift, across the sky;
Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds
Stand out the white lighthouses high.
Almost as far as eye can reach
I see the close-reefed vessels fly,
As fast we flit across the beach,
One little sandpiper and I.
3. I watch him as he skims along,
Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;
He starts not at my fitful song,
Nor flash of fluttering drapery.
He has no thought of any wrong,
He scans me with a fearless eye;
Stanch friends are we, well-tried and strong,
The little sandpiper and I.
4. Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night,
When the loosed storm breaks furiously?
My driftwood fire will burn so bright!
To what warm shelter canst thou fly?
I do not fear for thee, though wroth
The tempest rushes through the sky;
For are we not God's children both,
Thou, little sandpiper, and I?
DEFINITIONS.--l. Sand'pi-per, a bird of the snipe family, found along the
seacoast. Drift'wood. wood tossed on shore by the waves. Bleached,
whitened. Tide, the regular rise and fall of the ocean which occurs twice
in a little over twenty-four hours. 2. Scud, fly hastily. Shrouds, Winding
sheets, dresses of the dead. Close'reefed, with sails contracted as much
as possible. 3. Fit'ful, irregularly variable. Draper-y, garments. Scans,
looks at care-fully. Stanch, firm. 4. Wroth, angry.