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Page 10
"_If you would know where the coal is found,
You must go to the miner, who works in the ground_."
Then the man sprang to his feet, and, thanking the old woman, he ran to
the miner. Now the miner had been working many a long day down in the
mine, under the ground, where it was so dark that he had to wear a lamp
on the front of his cap to light him at his work! He had plenty of black
coal ready and gave great lumps of it to the man, who took them in haste
to the blacksmith.
The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four fine
new shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap!
and a tap! Then away rode the man on his little gray pony,--clippety,
clippety, clap!
_HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT_
MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER
_The priceless blessing of a happy home can be
won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice_.
FROEBEL.
_Blow's Commentaries_.
Once there was a very dear family,--Father, Mother, big Brother Tom,
little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, Gustavus
Adolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anything
else in the world.
They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted a
home of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father and
Baby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy room
for Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best of
all, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to see
them.
A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother's mantel, and they
called it the "Home Bank," because every penny that could be spared was
dropped in there for the building of the home.
This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece of
ground where the home could be built when the box was full again.
The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearly
three years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face and
called the family to him.
Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Polly
had brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly: "Now, what do
we all want more than anything else in the world?"
"A home!" said Mother and Brother Tom.
"A home!" said little Sister Polly.
"Home!" said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had said
it.
"Well," said the father, "I think we shall have our home if each one of
us will help. I must go away to the great forest, where the trees grow
so tall and fine. All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in the
Spring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building of
the home. While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her own
too, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantry
full, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care of
the children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again."
The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home;
and Brother Tom asked eagerly: "What can I do?--what can I do?" for he
wanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment.
"I have found you a place in the carpenter's shop where I work,"
answered the father. "And you will work for him, and all the while be
learning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in the
Spring to help build the home."
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