‘which is in you all, which may grow into so

  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

A LONG AGO STORY.

-your face with his great oxen-like eyes, that did
ca little excuse Maurice’s way of laughing at him,
and telling him he was “half-witted.” But no
one that really looked at those honest, sensible,
tender eyes could for an instant have thought
there was any “want” in their owner. It was
all there, —the root of all goodness, cleverness,
and manliness, —just as in the acorn there is
the oak; but of course it had a great deal of
growing before it, and, more than mere grow-
ing, it would need all the care and watchful
tenderness and wise directing that could be
given it, just as the acorn needs all the rain
and sunshine and good nourishing soil it can
‘get to become a fine oak, straight and strong
and beautiful. For what do I mean by “it,”
children? I mean the “own self” of Carrots,
the wonderful “something” in the little child-
ish frame which the wisest of all the wise men
of either long ago or nowadays have never yet
‘been able to describe, —the “soul,” children,

beautiful, so lovely, and perfect a thing; which