140 THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

 

great easy chair; she tried to look grave

The Old Slate. and dignified, like an old lady, though
HAVE a great mind to break this | she was now but eighteen. Charlie

i stupid old slate,” said little Cha:les | came rather unwillingly, laid the slate
mAR Fidget, one morning, as be sat over | on her lap, and began to play with the
his first sum in subtraction. trimmings on her apron. “ Why, what

“Why, what has the poor slate | is this ?” said she—* soldiers, and cats,
done?” asked the pleasant voice of his | and dogs, and houses with windows of
sister Helen, behind him. all shapes and sizes !”

‘Nothing; just what I complain of. Charlie looked foolish. ‘Oh, the
It won't do this plaguy sum for me; | sum is on the other side,” said he,
and here it is almost school-time !” turning it over.

“ What a wicked slate, Charles!” ‘Ah, silly boy! said Helen; “here

“So it is. I mean tu fling it out of | you have been sitting half an hour
the window, and break it to pieces on | drawing pictures, instead of trying to do
the stones.” | your sum, And now, which do you

“ Will that do your sum, Charlie?” | think ought to be broken, you or your

“No; but if there were no slates in | slate?” and she held it up high, as if
the world, I should have no good-for- | she meant to knock his head with it.
nothing sums to do.” Charlie looked up, with his hands at

“Oh, ho! that does not follow, by | his ears, making believe he was frighten-
any means. Did slates make the science | ed, but laughing all the while, for he
of Arithmetic? Would people never knew she was only playing with him.
have to count and calculate, if there were Presently, however, she put on a serious
no slates? You forget pens, Jead pen- face, and said, “ Now, my little man, you

cils, and paper; you forget all about _must go to work in good earnest, to

 

 

oral arithmetic, Charlie!” make up for lost time.”
“Well, I don’t love to cipher; that’s “Oh, Helen, it wants only twenty
all I know.” minutes of nine; I can’t possibly do this

‘And so, you hasty boy, you get sum, and get to school by nine. I shall
angry with the poor harmless slate, that | be late. What shall I do? Miss
is sO convenient when you make mis- | Fletcher will certainly punish me, if ‘it
takes, and want to rub them out again. js not done. Can’t you, just this once,
Now, this.is the way with a great many | Helen?”

 

thoughtless, and quick-tempered people. “No,” said Helen.

They try .to find fault with somebody |, “Qh, do! there’s a dear, good sister ;
or something else, and get into a pas- | just this once.” |
sion, and perhaps (lo mischief; when, if | “No, Charlie; there would be no

they wou'd but reflect, it is their own- kindness in that. You would never learn

selves who ought to bear the blame. | arithmetic in that way.”

Now, Charlie, let me see what I can do | “Just once,” still pleaded Charlie.

for you.” | **No,” answered Helen, in a kind but
So Helen sat down in her mother’s resolute tone; “if I doit once, you will