EXERCISES 1. Just what interesting point is explained in the story? 2. Where is the scene of this story laid? 3. What had this beautiful girl done to merit death? 4. What prayer did she utter? What does this tell of her? 5. How was she treated? 6. What strange thing happened? Explain "There was not even smoke." 7. What happened to the dry thorn bushes? 8. Explain the origin of red roses? Of white roses? 9. What did the blooming of the roses prove to the people? ADDITIONAL READINGS HOLMES: Chambered Nautilus. ROCHE: The Water Lily. BUTTS: Water Lilies. WORDSWORTH: Daffodils. To the Daisy. LONGFELLOW: Flowers. FRENEAU: The Wild Honeysuckle. The Fading Rose. HERRICK: To Daffodils. CHENEY: Weeds and Flowers. SYDNEY DOBELL: The Procession of the Flowers. BURNS: To a Mountain Daisy. SAVAGE: Beauty in Common Things. HIGGINSON: Four-Leaf Clover. HANS ANDERSEN: The Rose Elf. A Rose from Homer's Grave. HELEN HUNT JACKSON: The Heart of a Rose. I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true; I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.— Abraham Lincoln. A LITTLE SERMON OUISA M. ALCOTT'S child stories are the most popular stories to-day. Her "Little Men" and "Little Women" have put new songs into every young reader's heart. These are the stories of real boys and girls. In the following selection, Miss Alcott shows us something of her true warmth and tenderness of heart. She tells here of an incident in a railway station which she speaks of as "A little sermon preached in the way I like" and "in such a natural, simple way that no one could forget it.' She says that for a week afterward only the emptiness of her purse prevented her from comforting the heart of every old woman she met. A LITTLE SERMON It was a bleak, snowy day. The train was late, the ladies' room dark and smoky; and the dozen women, old and young, who sat waiting impatiently, all looked cross, low-spirited, or stupid. I felt all three, and thought, as I looked around, that my fellow-beings were a very unamiable, uninteresting set. Just then a forlorn old woman, shaking with palsy, came in with a basket of wares for sale, and went about mutely offering them to the sitters. Nobody bought anything, and the poor old soul stood blinking at the door as if reluctant to go into the bitter storm again. She turned presently and poked about the room as if trying to find something; and then a pale lady in black, who lay as if asleep on a sofa, opened her eyes, saw the old woman, and instantly asked in a kind tone, "Have you lost anything, ma'am?" "No, dear, I'm looking for the heatin' place to have a warm 'fore I go out again. My eyes are poor, and I don't seem to find the furnace." "Here it is”; and the lady led her to the steam radiator, placed a chair, and showed her how to warm her feet. you, "Well, now, isn't that nice!” said the old woman, spreading her ragged mittens to dry. "Thank dear; this is comfortable, isn't it? I'm most froze to-day; bein' lame and not selling much makes me kind of downhearted." The lady smiled, went to the counter, bought a cup of tea and some sort of food, carried it herself to the old woman, and said as respectfully and kindly as if the poor woman had been dressed in silk and fur, "Won't you have a cup of hot tea? It's very comforting such a day as this." "Sakes alive! Do they give tea in this depot?" cried the old lady, in a tone of innocent surprise that made a smile go round the room, touching the gloomiest face like a stream of sunshine. "Well, now, this is just lovely," added the old lady, sipping away with a relish. "This does warm my heart.” While she refreshed herself, telling her story meanwhile, the lady looked over the poor little wares in the basket, bought soap and pins, shoestrings and tape, and cheered the old soul by paying well for them. As I watched her doing this, I thought what a sweet face she had, though I'd considered her rather plain before. I felt dreadfully ashamed of myself that I had grimly shaken my head when the basket was offered to me; and as I saw the look of interest, sympathy, and kindness come into the dismal faces all around me, I did wish that I had been the magician to call it out. It was only a kind word and a friendly act, but somehow it brightened that dingy room wonderfully. It changed the faces of a dozen women, and I think it touched a dozen hearts, for I saw many eyes follow the plain, pale lady with sudden respect; and when the old woman got up to go, several persons beckoned to her and bought something, as if they wanted to repair their first negligence. — Louisa M. Alcott. NOTES 1. Louisa M. Alcott was a much loved novelist and juvenile writer. She was born at Germantown, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1832. She was for some time a teacher in the little school at the Alcott home in Concord, Massachusetts. She began her literary career by writing short stories for literary journals. During the Civil War she volunteered as an army nurse. From this experience she wrote "Hospital Sketches." "Little Women, "An OldFashioned Girl," "Little Men," and "Jo's Boys," are among her books most widely read. She died, after a useful career, March 6, 1888. In her last days she suffered severely, but to the last she remained hopeful, full of faith in human nature, and firmly believing in democracy and freedom. 2. Palsy. A disease in which control of certain muscles is lost and these muscles shake involuntarily at intervals. 3. Magician. One who does things apparently in defiance of natural law. The changing of the gloomy faces to kind, sympathetic ones is spoken of as a trick in magic. 4. Be prepared to give the meanings of the following words and expressions: impatiently, unamiable, uninteresting, forlorn, reluctant, downhearted, respectfully, refreshed, dismal, beckoned, negligence. EXERCISES 1. Under what circumstances did this incident occur? 2. Why does Miss Alcott speak of this as "a sermon preached the way I like"? 3. Describe the old woman. 4. Explain "Nobody bought anything.” 5. What is shown at first of the pale lady in black? 6. What made the old woman so downhearted? 7. What further kindness did the pale lady in black show? 8. Explain the cause of the smile that went round the room at the old woman's question. 9. Why did the pale lady now purchase some trinkets? Why had she shown all this kindness? 10. How had the writer at first treated the old woman? 11. What wish came to her now and why? 12. Explain the changes that took place in the room and in the faces. 13. Why did several others now want to purchase something of the old woman? 14. What feeling filled the heart of the writer for a week after? 15. Why is such a sermon so long remembered? ADDITIONAL READINGS HAWTHORNE: The Great Stone Face. BEDE: A Sermon for Any Day. STAHL: How the Crickets Brought Good Fortune. WHITTIER: The Prayer Seeker. MASON: The Voyage. ALCOTT: Little Men. Little Women. |