Chapter XXIII. Cattle Show

ThechildrenwerenottheonlyoneswhohadlearnedsomethingatPebblyBeach.Mrs.Minothadtalkedagooddealwithsomeverysuperiorpersons,andreceivedlightuponvarioussubjectswhichhadmuchinterestedorperplexedher.Whiletheladiesworkedorwalkedtogether,theynaturallyspokeoftenestandmostearnestlyabouttheirchildren,andeachcontributedherexperience.Mrs.Hammond,whohadbeenaphysicianformanyyears,waswiseinthecareofhealthylittlebodies,andthecureofsickones.Mrs.Channing,whohadread,travelled,andobservedmuchinthecauseofeducation,hadmanyusefulhintsaboutthetrainingofyoungmindsandhearts.Severalteachersreportedtheirtrials,andallthemotherswereeagertoknowhowtobringuptheirboysandgirlstobehealthy,happy,usefulmenandwomen. Asyoungpeopledonotcareforsuchdiscussions,wewillnotdescribethem,butastheimpressiontheymadeupononeofthemammasaffectedourheroandheroine,wemustmentionthechangeswhichtookplaceintheirlifewhentheyallgothomeagain. “Schoolbeginsto-morrow.Oh,dear!”sighedJack,ashelookeduphisbooksintheBirdRoom,adayortwoaftertheirreturn. “Don'tyouwanttogo?Ilongto,butdon'tbelieveIshall.Isawourmotherstalkingtothedoctorlastnight,butIhaven'tdaredtoaskwhattheydecided,”saidJill,affectionatelyeyingthelong-unusedbooksinherlittlelibrary. “I'vehadsuchajollygoodtime,thatIhatetobeshutupalldayworsethanever.Don'tyou,Frank?”askedJack,withavengefulslapatthearithmeticwhichwasthetormentofhislife. “Well,IconfessIdon'thankerforschoolasmuchasIexpected.I'drathertakeaspinontheoldbicycle.Ourroadsaresogood,itisagreattemptationtohireamachine,andastonishthenatives.That'swhatcomesofidleness.Sobraceup,myboy,andgotowork,forvacationisover,”answeredFrank,gravelyregardingthetallpileofbooksbeforehim,asiftryingtowelcomehisoldfriends,ortyrants,rather,fortheyruledhimwitharodofironwhenheoncegavehimselfuptothem. “Ah,butvacationisnotover,mydears,”saidMrs.Minot,hearingthelastwordsasshecameinpreparedtosurpriseherfamily. “Gladofit.Howmuchlongerisittobe?”askedJack,hopingforaweekatleast. “Twoorthreeyearsforsomeofyou.” “What?”criedallthree,inutterastonishment,astheystaredatMamma,whocouldnothelpsmiling,thoughshewasverymuchinearnest. “ForthenexttwoorthreeyearsIintendtocultivatemyboys'bodies,andlettheirmindsrestagooddeal,frombooksatleast.Thereisplentytolearnoutsideofschool-houses,andIdon'tmeantoshutyouupjustwhenyoumostneedalltheairandexerciseyoucanget.Goodhealth,goodprinciples,andagoodeducationarethethreeblessingsIaskforyou,andIamgoingtomakesureofthefirst,asafirmfoundationfortheothertwo.” “But,mother,whatbecomesofcollege?”askedFrank,ratherdisturbedatthischangeofbase. “Putitoffforayear,andseeifyouarenotbetterfittedforitthenthannow.” “ButIamalreadyfitted:I'veworkedlikeatigerallthisyear,andI'msureIshallpass.” “Readyinoneway,butnotinanother.Thathardworkisnopreparationforfouryearsofstillharderstudy.Ithascostyoutheseroundshoulders,manyaheadache,andconsumedhourswhenyouhadfarbetterhavebeenontheriverorinthefields.Icannothaveyoubreakdown,assomanyboysdo,orpullthroughatthecostofill-healthafterward.Eighteenisyoungenoughtobeginthesteadygrind,ifyouhaveastrongconstitutiontokeeppacewiththeeagermind.Sixteenistooyoungtosendevenmygoodboyoutintotheworld,justwhenhemostneedshismother'scaretohelphimbethemanshehopestoseehim.” Mrs.Minotlaidherhandonhisshoulderasshespoke,lookingsofondandproudthatitwasimpossibletorebel,thoughsomeofhismostcherishedplanswerespoilt. “Otherfellowsgoatmyage,andIwasratherpleasedtobereadyatsixteen,”hebegan.Butsheadded,quickly,— “Theygo,buthowdotheycomeout?Manylosehealthofbody,andmanywhatismorepreciousstill,moralstrength,becausetooyoungandignoranttowithstandtemptationsofallsorts.Thebestpartofeducationdoesnotcomefrombooks,andthegoodprinciplesIvaluemorethaneitheroftheotherthingsaretobecarefullywatchedovertillfirmlyfixedthenyoumayfacetheworld,andcometonorealharm.Trustme,dear,Idoitforyoursakesobearthedisappointmentbravely,andintheendIthinkyouwillsayI'mright.” “I'lldomybestbutIdon'tseewhatistobecomeofusifwedon'tgotoschool.Youwillgettiredofitfirst,”saidFrank,tryingtosetagoodexampletotheothers,whowerelookingmuchimpressedandinterested. “Nodangerofthat,forI