8 LTistory of Gutta-Percha Wille.

 

who was neither lazy nor idle.. And it must not
be supposed that he was left without any educa-
tion at all. For one thing, his father and mother
used to talk very freely before him—much more
so than most parents do in the presence of their
children ; and nothing serves better for teaching
than the conversation of good and thoughtful
people. While they talked, Willie would sit lis-
tening intently; trying to understand what he
heard ; and although it not unfrequently took very
strange shapes in his little mind, because at times
he understood ‘neither the words nor the things
the words represented, yet there was much that he
did understand and make a good use of, For in-
stance, he soon came to know that his father and
mother had very little money to spare, and that
his father had to work hard to get what money
they had. He learned also that everything that
came into the house, or was done for them, cost
money ; therefore, for one thing, he must not ill-use
his clothes. He learned, too, that there was a great
deal of suffering in the world, and that his father’s
business was to try to make it less, and help people
who were ill to grow well again, and be able to do
their work; and this made him see what a useful
man his father was, and wish to be also of some
good in the world. Then he looked about him
and saw that there were a great many ways of
getting money, that is, a great many things for