De La Salle Fifth Reader Part 5

I saw him busy at his work, While blithe as skylark's song His merry, mellow whistle rang The pleasant street along.

"Oh, that's the kind of lad I like!"

I thought as I pa.s.sed by; "These busy, cheery, whistling boys Make grand men by and by."

Just then a playmate came along, And leaned across the gate-- A plan that promised lots of fun And frolic to relate.

"The boys are waiting for us now, So hurry up!" he cried; My little whistler shook his head, And "Can't come," he replied.

"Can't come? Why not, I'd like to know?

What hinders?" asked the other.

"Why, don't you see," came the reply, "I'm busy helping mother?

She's lots to do, and so I like To help her all I can; So I've no time for fun just now,"

Said this dear little man.

"I like to hear you talk like that,"

I told the little lad; "Help mother all you can, and make Her kind heart light and glad."

It does me good to think of him, And know that there are others Who, like this manly little boy, Take hold and help their mothers.

LANGUAGE WORK:

Describe the little lad spoken of in the poem. Do you know any boy like him?

Tell what this "little man" said to his playmate.

When night came, was the boy sorry that he had missed so much fun? What kind of man did he very likely grow up to be?

_11_

rid' dle brand'-new mys' ter y un rav' el like' ness es

A CONTENTED WORKMAN.

Once upon a time, Frederick, King of Prussia, surnamed "Old Fritz," took a ride, and saw an old laborer plowing his land by the wayside cheerily singing his song.

"You must be well off, old man," said the king. "Does this land on which you are working so hard belong to you?"

"No, sir," replied the laborer, who knew not that it was the king; "I am not so rich as that; I plow for wages."

"How much do you get a day?" asked the king.

"Two dollars," said the laborer.

"That is not much," replied the king; "can you get along with that?"

"Yes; and have something left."

"How is that?"

The laborer smiled, and said, "Well, if I must tell you, fifty cents are for myself and wife; with fifty I pay my old debts, fifty I lend, and fifty I give away for the Lord's sake."

"That is a mystery which I cannot solve," replied the king.

"Then I will solve it for you," said the laborer. "I have two old parents at home, who kept me when I was weak and needed help; and now, that they are weak and need help, I keep them. This is my debt, towards which I pay fifty cents a day. The third fifty cents, which I lend, I spend for my children, that they may receive Christian instruction. This will come handy to me and my wife when we get old. With the last fifty I maintain two sick sisters. This I give for the Lord's sake."

The king, well pleased with his answer, said, "Bravely spoken, old man.

Now I will also give you something to guess. Have you ever seen me before?"

"Never," said the laborer.

"In less than five minutes you shall see me fifty times, and carry in your pocket fifty of my likenesses."

"That is a riddle which I cannot unravel," said the laborer.

"Then I will do it for you," replied the king. Thrusting his hand into his pocket, and counting fifty brand-new gold pieces into his hand, stamped with his royal likeness, he said to the astonished laborer, who knew not what was coming, "The coin is good, for it also comes from our Lord G.o.d, and I am his paymaster. I bid you good-day."

Memory Gems:

The working men, whatever their task, Who carve the stone, or bear the hod, They wear upon their honest brows The royal stamp and seal of G.o.d; And worthier are their drops of sweat Than diamonds in a coronet.

Give fools their gold, and knaves their power; Let fortune's bubbles rise and fall; Who sows a field, or trains a flower, Or plants a tree, is more than all.

_Whittier_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LABOR _Millet_.]