A third day in Mary Carrow's school

Mary remembered that her good mother had taught her to try to think of her heavenly Father as soon as she awoke in the morning. She had told her that He watched over her while she slept, and that before she left her chamber, she should ask him to watch over her in the day as well as in the night, and help her to love him, that she might be a good and a happy little girl.

Mary thought of all these things as she stood by the window, and her heart was touched and warmed with love and gratitude to her heavenly Father, who had blessed her, and watched over her all her life long. He had given her a good mother; and after He had taken her mother away to live in heaven with Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour, and all the holy angels and happy saints for ever and ever, He had still cared for her, and provided her with kind friends. Her father died when she was a baby, and her mother died when she was only nine years old; and now Mary had no parents; but she remembered that it is written in the Bible, God is a father of the fatherless.

Mary felt very happy. Her heart was full of love to God, her Saviour, and of thankfulness for his protecting care; and she sang the following little hymn, because it expressed her thoughts and desires on this beautiful summer morning. She was quite alone in her chamber, where no one could hear her, but she knew that God could hear her.

THE TEACHER’S MORNING HYMN.

Father! on this lovely morning, Up to Thee my thoughts take wing: With the little hills rejoicing, With the birds I sing.

All the air is filled with praises— All thy wondrous works proclaim, In one sweet harmonious chorus, “Hallowed be thy name!”

Father! wilt thou warm and water My heart with Thy sun and showers, Even as Thy hand sustaineth, Birds, fruits and flowers.

While in love toward Thee it turneth, Thy rich blessing, oh renew! As the lily’s cup thou fillest With the grateful dew.

Up to me, sweet childhood looketh, Heart, and mind, and soul, awake, Teach me of Thy ways, O Father! For sweet childhood’s sake.

In their young hearts, soft and tender, Guide my hand good seed to sow, That its blossoming may praise Thee Wheresoe’er they go.

Give to me a cheerful spirit, That my little flock may see It is good and pleasant service, To be taught of Thee.

Father, order all my footsteps; So direct my daily way, That in following me, the children May not go astray.

Let thy holy counsel lead me— Let thy light before me shine— That they may not stumble over Word, or deed of mine.

Draw us, hand in hand, to Jesus, For his word’s sake, unforgot, Let “the little ones come to me, And forbid them not.”

Mary had been taught neat habits when she was a child, and she still observed them. She never left her chamber in the morning, until her bed was made, and every thing was put into its place. When she rose, she took off her night-dress, and put on a dressing gown which hung in the wardrobe or clothes-press; then she took the bed-clothes from the bed, and turned them, with her night-dress, to the window, to air; then she shook up the bolster and pillows, and placed them on the window-sill; and after she had combed her hair, and washed her person, and had thoroughly cleaned her teeth and nails, which occupied some time, she made her bed, and dusted the furniture before she finished dressing.

Such was the beginning of Mary’s day. She always looked fresh and pure, and came down stairs in the morning with a pleasant face.

After breakfast, Mary set out for school early, and alone; and she told Charles and Harry Linn and their sister Lucy, to come at school-time.

Mary walked slowly along, stopping by the way to gather a nosegay of wild flowers. She found violets and the delicate white anemone, and buttercups and daisies.

The grass was quite wet, but Mary did not mind that, for she had thick shoes on, and she made a beautiful bright nosegay for the school-room. She liked to make it look pleasant to her scholars, and she opened all the windows to let in the pure morning air, and placed her flower-pot where they could all see it. After she had arranged the room to her liking, she sat down in the doorway to select a portion of Scripture for the evening reading; and then she read a chapter to herself, which was her daily practice. Mary was still sitting in the doorway thinking about what she had been reading, when her scholars began to arrive.

~Third Day.~ Mary waiting for her scholars to come. p. 15. ]

Carry Deacon was the first to come, and she ran up to Mary to kiss her, and tell her that she had not stopped on her way to school to see Mike Terry’s kittens; she had only just peeped through the garden-railing as she passed by, to look at his rabbits—little white rabbits with pink eyes.

A group of very happy little boys and girls were Mary’s scholars. They had now all collected for school on the green before the door, and they were pressing round Charles Linn to see a new kite, which he had made at home, all himself. Mary had told Charles he might bring it to school with him if he would put it out of sight until recess-time. Charles said to his little schoolmates:

We must put it away, Till we go out to play; And then we can try, How high it will fly.

Mary gave leave for all of them to go with Charles, down to the tool-house, in the wood, where they kept their playthings, to help him put it away. Some of them took hold of the kite, and one carried the little piece of wood on which the string was wound: and the little ones carried the tail of the kite. After it was put away they all returned to school, in love and good humour one with another.

This was Geography morning. The lessons were first said, and afterwards Mary had those who studied the map, to find upon it all the places which they had described in their lesson. Then she took a long stick, or rod, for a pointer, and told them to stand off at a little distance from the map, so that they could not read the names of the places, and as she pointed out the rivers and towns, and bays and creeks upon the map, they could tell her what each one was named.

The geography lesson of the little ones, was a set of questions which Mary had prepared; and my little readers who live in the country may perhaps like to try to answer them.

In what country do you live?

In what State?

In what county?

Near what large town?

What do the farmers cultivate in the part of the country where you live?

In what month do they plant corn?

When do they plant potatoes?

When do they sow wheat?