Story Lessons on Character-Building (Morals) and Manners Part 20

(Blackboard)

Keep to the Right.

FOOTNOTE:

[19] No. 13, in _Games Without Music_ ill.u.s.trates above.

LII. CLUMSY PEOPLE.

102.

I wonder if you know any boys and girls who are clumsy. I am always a little sorry for clumsy people; they seem to be so often in trouble. If the clumsy boy is allowed to collect the slates, he is sure to send some of them sliding on to the floor with a noise like thunder; or if he gathers the books in a pile it is sure to topple over, and the books are scattered in every direction. The clumsy people tread on our toes, step on a lady's dress and tear it maybe, or b.u.mp against baby's cot in pa.s.sing and wake the little sleeper.

Do you think we could find out the secret of being clumsy? Is not it for want of taking =care=? You remember Elinor, in Story Lesson 79, how she upset her tea, broke the vase, and spoilt the tablecloth, all for want of =care=? It is the same with clumsy people--they forget to take care?

The books and slates are not piled =carefully=, that is why they tumble; they bulge out here and go in there, instead of being smooth and straight on every side. If you do not want to be clumsy

(Blackboard)

Take Pains, and be Careful in all you do.

LIII. TURNING ROUND WHEN WALKING.

103. The Girl and her Eggs.

Have you ever seen a girl walking along the street with her head turned backwards, trying to look behind her as she goes? Of course she does not walk straight, for she is not looking where she is going. It would be better if she =did= either look where she is going or turn quite round, and go where she is looking.

A girl was coming along the street one day with a paper bag full of eggs, looking behind her all the time.

A lady, who was walking in the opposite direction, tried to get out of her way, but as we said before, the girl could not walk straight when her eyes were turned backward, and as the lady stepped to one side to avoid her, the girl in her zigzag walk came to the same side and b.u.mped up against the lady.

Crash! went the eggs, and a yellow stream ran down the pretty blue dress worn by the lady. What would the girl's mother say when her eggs were all wasted? This is a true story, and you will agree that the girl was very silly to walk along with her head turned round. You see we have no eyes behind our head, nor even at the side; they are at the front, so

(Blackboard)

Look where you are Going.

LIV. ON STARING.

104. Ruth and the Window.

There was once a girl named Ruth, who was in many respects very well-behaved indeed. For instance, you would never hear her reply to her mother without saying "Yes, mother," or "No, mother," and she never banged the door or came into a room noisily, but she had =one= fault that was really very bad.

As Ruth went on her way to school each day, she pa.s.sed a house that had its dining-room window facing the street. The window was rather low, and every time that Ruth went by she would walk slowly, and stare into the room all the time. If the people were at dinner it made no difference--she still gazed in. You will think this exceedingly rude, as indeed it was, but it is quite true nevertheless.

One day a lady came to the school that Ruth attended; she was driven there in her carriage, and remained talking to the teacher after the children had been dismissed. Presently she said, "Good afternoon," and left, and the teacher, happening to glance out of the window, was vexed to see that a number of the scholars had gathered round the carriage, and were staring in, and staring at the lady as she took her seat. Next day the children were told how rude this was, and we hope that Ruth learnt at the same time how rude it is to stare into people's houses.

Another day some j.a.panese ladies came to the school to see the children drill; they were dressed so differently from English people, and looked so funny with their little slanting eyes, and their shiny, black hair dressed high, with no bonnet to cover it, that the children were tempted to stare again, but the teacher had told them that it would be rude to stare at the ladies. "You may glance at them," said she, "but do not keep your eyes fixed on them." It is natural to wish to look at curious things, but we can be careful to take our eyes away when we have glanced, so that we do not stare, and make the person uncomfortable, for you remember we said that anything was rude which caused people to be uncomfortable (p. 110).

There was a little boy in church who had just the same rude habit as Ruth. He would sit or stand at the end of the pew, and turn his head round to see what was pa.s.sing behind. He did not take just a little glance, and then turn his eyes back again--even that would have been rude--but he kept his gaze fixed behind for ever so long.

Do you know =why= we do not look about in church? It is because we go there to worship the Great G.o.d, to hear of Him, and think about Him, and we cannot do this if we are looking about, and thinking of other things.

Why do we close our eyes when we pray? It is so that we may think of what we are saying; if we kept them open, we should be thinking of what we were =seeing= instead, should we not?

(Blackboard.)

It is Rude to Stare.

LV. WALKING SOFTLY.

105. Florence Nightingale.

A long time ago there was a war, and the English soldiers went out to fight. Many of the poor fellows were wounded, and a kind lady, who is now quite old, went from England to nurse the brave soldiers. Her name was Florence Nightingale, and it is a name that everybody loves.

The soldiers had never been nursed by a lady before, and she was so kind and gentle, they loved her more than I can tell you--so much, indeed, that they would kiss her shadow on the pillow as she walked softly through the rooms where they lay.

If you have ever been in a hospital you will know how quietly the nurses move about. Why is it? Because a noise would disturb the poor sufferers.

But it is not nice for people who are well either to hear children stamping about as if they would send their feet through the floor. Have you noticed how softly p.u.s.s.y moves? It is because she walks on her toes.

We have to wear shoes on our feet, and cannot help making a little noise, but we must remember to step on our toes, and move as quietly as possible.

(Blackboard.)

Try always to Walk Softly.

LVI. ANSWERING WHEN SPOKEN TO.[20]

106. The Civil Boy.