Robert W. Woodruff
Library
Gift of
Randall K. Burkett
EMORY UNIVERSITY
Special Collections & Archives
Silas X. Fi.oyd, Augusta, Ga.
Corresponding Secretary National Association of Teachers in
Colored Schools.
The New Floyd's Flowers
Short Stories
for
COLORED PEOPLE
Old and Young
Greatly Revised and Enlarged with A B C's Supplement
By MRS. ALICE H. HOWARD
f /
ENTERTAINING UPLIFTING INTERESTING
PROF. SILAS X. FLOYD, A. M., D. D.
Author of "The Gospel of Service and other Sermons," "Life of
Charles T. Walker, D. D.," "National Perils," etc.
ILLUSTRATED
Published by
AUSTIN JENKINS CO.
Book and Bible Publishers
Washington", D. C.
agents wanted
Copyrighted 1905
by
HERTEL JENKINS & CO.
Copyrighted 1920
by
A. N. JENKINS
Copyrighted 1922
by
O. KELLER
CAUTION
The entire contents of this book are
protected by the stringent new copy¬
right law, and all persons are warned
not to attempt to reproduce the text, in
whole or in part, or any of the specially
posed illustrations.
PREFACE.
Truly the boys and girls of to-day ought to be
thankful that they are alive. There never was
such a golden age for childhood and youth as the
present. To say nothing of the rich opportunities
for mental and spiritual development, what a
multitude of things have been provided for the
innocent pleasure, the wholesome recreation of
the young people of to-day; inventions that
remind one of the magic of the "Arabian
Nights"; tools of sport so perfect that one can¬
not imagine how they could be bettered; fascinat¬
ing games, all unknown in the days gone by;
books and papers upon which science, art and
literary skill have lavished modern resources —
all these and many other wonderful things have
fallen to the lot of the favored boys and girls of
to-day.
And now enterprising publishers of our grand
country are going to put the boys and
girls of America — and especially the colored
boys and girls of America — under obligation to
them, because they have* decided to add to the
list of good books for children and youths
already on the market. I use the word "good"
advisedly; for from the day that I was engaged
to write this book I have had in mind constantly
the thought of making it such a book as would
5
6
PREFACE.
tell for good. It is an old saying that '' evil com¬
munications corrupt good manners," but evil
reading does more tlian this: for evil reading
corrupts good morals.
I have endeavored to put into this book of
stories for children only such things as might be
freely admitted into the best homes of the land,
and I have written with the hope that many
young minds may be elevated by means of these
stories and many hearts filled with high and holy
aspirations. Our nation has a right to expect
that our boys and girls shall turn out to be good
men and good women, and this book is meant to
help in this process.
SILAS X. FLOYD.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE.
The publishers of this book have spared neither
pains nor expense in trying to make it as nearly
perfect as a book of this kind can be. The typo¬
graphical appearance and the illustrations will
speak for themselves.
We consider ourselves fortunate in having
been able to secure the services of the Eev. Dr.
Silas X. Floyd as the author of this volume. Mr.
Floyd's life work, aside from his literary training,
has made him the ideal man to speak to the
colored boys and girls of the South. Soon after
graduating from Atlanta University in 1891, Mr.
Floyd became Principal of a Public School at
Augusta, Ga., and remained in that city for five
years consecutively as a teacher. In June, 1896,
he was called from the school-room into the Sun-
day-school work, having been appointed by the
International Sunday School Convention as one
of its Field Workers throughout the South. He
continued in • this work for three years, retiring
from it to become Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist
Church, Augusta, Ga., one of the largest churches
in the South. After a year and a half in the pas¬
torate, he returned to the Sunday-school work,
becoming Sunday-school Missionary for Georgia
and Alabama under appointment of the American
Baptist Publication Society.
CONTENTS
Page
The Cowardly Hero IT
A Spelling Lesson 22
The Truth About Luck 31
An Evening at Home 35
The Making of a Man 38
False Pride 42
Thanksgiving at Piney Grove 46
The Loud Girl 55
The Rowdy Boy 60
Honesty 62
Uncle Ned and the Insurance Solicitor 65
The Strenuous Life 70
A Humbug 73
How to be Handsome 76
Patience 78
Going With the Crowd 81
Mary and Her Dolls 85
Jaky Tolbert's Playmates 88
A Valentine Party 92
No Money Down 95
Tommy's Baby Brother 99
Keeping School 102
9
10
CONTENTS
Page
^he School op the Street 105
The Fox Hunt 109
A Bold Venture 114
The Road to Success 117
Keeping Ones Engagements 120
A Midnight Mishap 122
Frederick Douglass 124
Our Dumb Animals 127
A Plucky Boy 129
A Heart to Heart Talk 132
A Ghost Story 135
Good Cheer 141
Life a Battle 144
Hunting an Easy Place 149
The Big Black Burglar 153
Pin Money Made With the Needle 156
Self-Help 160
Aiming at Something 165
The Black Sheep of the Reynolds Family 167
The Holy Bible 175
Andrew Carnegie's Advice to Young Men 178
Directions for Little Gentlemen 179
The Right to Play 181
A Christmas Present 183
12
CONTENTS
Page
Advice to Little Christians 257
A "Word to Parents 259
The Unseen Charmer 262
Our Country 265
The "DON'T-CARE" Girl 267
Frederick Douglass to Young People 270
A Good Fellow 274
The Future op the Negro 275
The Training of Children 277
The True Story op Phillis Wheatley 282
Mrs. Alice Howard's ABC Book 290
The Best Ride 301
The Way to End a Quarrel 305
A Little Love Story - 306
I Owe a Duty to My Race 307
Dogs of the Great War 310
A Good Boy Gets Warm Mittens— 311
The Faithful Colored Shepherd Boy 317
Copyright 0. Keller
Dolly's Hungry
Copyright TJnderwood <& Underwood
Prize Winners
Their Mother's Pets
Copyright International News Reel Corporation
A Half Holiday Thoroughly Enjoyed
Copyright Underwood & Underwood
Sunshine Sammy
Eight-year-old Sammy of moving picture fame is here seen leaving his motorcycle
for the studio where he will "play for the world." Though only a child he has attracted
world-wide interest and admiration.
"Gbeat Heavens, the Bkute is Mad," Gasped Evans.
THE COWARDLY HERO.
George Washington Jones was his name.
Where he got it nobody knew,—least of all him¬
self. For two years he had sold newspapers one
block from the big St. Charles Hotel in New
Orleans. Very slender, with great big hungry
eyes, this little colored waif presented a pitiful
sight to the crowds that hurried by. He was
scorned by the other newsboys, who yelled and
jerred at him, causing him to shrink up even
smaller and to glance fearfully at his tormentors,
for George was what the other boys called a
coward. He would not fight,—when attacked and
imposed upon by his more sturdy associates he
would throw up his hands and cower down against
the ground like a whipped dog. All boys know
what this means,—for months he was the mark
for all of the coarse jokes and abuse of the rather
rough lot of boys who were also engaged in the
newspaper selling business thereabouts. He had
lived ever since he remembered with an old colored
man in a wretched attic over on the South Side,—
the old man was a rag peddler and permitted him
to share his miserable quarters for the payment of
fifty cents every Saturday night. Poor food and
poorer sleeping quarters had their effect, and
George soon developed a hacking cough that
made people turn their heads to see who it was
17
22
THE COWARDLY HERO.
the attack, Mr. Graham shot twice rapidly from
the porch and the dog fell, writhing terribly in his
death agonies.
White as a sheet, Graham ran quickly down the
path and snatched Louise up in his arms,—but
Mrs. Graham, who had been an agonized eye¬
witness of the near-tragedy, was almost as quick
to reach George—throwing her arms around him,
she sobbed, "God bless you, George; that was the
bravest thing I ever saw."
And in this way, George, the despised and ig¬
nored newsboy, who had always been called a
coward, came into his own. Such is true courage.
Poor boy, he was afraid, fearfully, awfully afraid!
But he did not hesitate to risk everything to save
the golden-haired little daughter of his employer.
George still remains on the Graham plantation,
but you would scarcely know him—he coughs no
longer; he staftds erect and is becoming strong
and sturdy; he has found himself, and no one
will ever again have cause to say to him, "You
coward!"
THE GEEAT SPELLING MATCH.
There was no doubt about it,—of all the little
colored boys and girls who went to the Peabody
school, Margaret was the dullest. Her teacher
said so, her friends said so, her parents were of
the same opinion, and if asked herself, Margaret
An Exciting Moment.
26
THE GREAT SPELLING MATCH.
and Mable's mother pinned a bright red bow in
her hair, and put on her prettiest frock,—Mable
had already considered the prize as won,—in fact,
she had planned just how she would spend it,—
she was a good speller and felt confident that she
could win.
The night arrived, bright and crisp November
weather, with a bright moon overhead,—the little
schoolhouse was packed. It was decided that al{
children in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades
would be allowed to compete. Now, Margaret had
been in a highly excited state ever since hearing of
the contest—strange to say, she was a good
speller. It has often been said, and quite cor¬
rectly, too, that spelling is a gift,—that some peo¬
ple spell correctly quite naturally, while no amount
of study or practice can make a good speller out
of any one who was born with a head that ached
and throbbed at the mere thought of spelling.
She had never had fifty cents of her own in her
whole life—twenty dollars in gold—it did not
seem possible that there could be that much
money in the whole world.
Sides were chosen and Margaret was almost
hidden by fat Reggie Andrews, who stood next to
her. Mable was right across the room from her,
and smiled in a somewhat scornful manner at the
girl she thought was a "dummy."
The teacher began to pronounce the words and
you could have almost heard a pin drop; the first
few times around but few scholars dropped out,
THE TRUTH ABOUT LUCK.
31
"It gives me great pleasure," said Mr. Ed¬
wards, 4'to give this twenty-dollar gold piece to
Margaret Hawkins, and to pronounce her the best
speller in the school."
Poor Mable cried herself to sleep that night, but
it was a good lesson for her—it taught her to be
more considerate of others, and that there were
something at which she could be beaten.
Every one treated Margaret with increased re¬
spect, and her success was also good for her—
she began to improve in her other studies, and as
she gained in confidence, gradually became, if not
one of the best, at least a very good scholar.
Mr. Edwards says his next prize will be given
for the best all-around pupil at the close of the
term—and Mable is once more looking forward
with hope.
THE TEUTH ABOUT LUCK.
How often we hear some one say:
"My, but he's lucky!" or. "It's better to be
born lucky than rich."
Boys and girls are too often in the habit of
thinking that one of their schoolmates are
"lucky" because they always stand well in their
classes and frequently have spending money in
their pockets.
It is not likely that "luck" had anything to do
with' it. They probably stood well and were at
32
THE TRUTH ABOUT LUCK.
the head of the class in school because they studied
and tried harder than the other scholars, and had
money to spend because they spent their time out
of school hours in working to earn it instead of at
play.
Some years ago I happened to find myself near
the terminal of the great East Eiver Bridge in
New York City. Two little boys were standing
near one of the large iron posts crying their
afternoon papers. I tarried near them because
I was waiting for a particular car. One little
fellow said to the other,—
"How many papers have you sold today,
Tommie ? " ■
"Nearly one hundred an' fifty," was Tommie's
quick reply.
"Honor bright?"
" Yes; honor bright.''
"Whoopee! but ain't you in big luck, Tommie?"
"Luck!" exclaimed Tommie, wiping the per¬
spiration from his brow. "There ain't no luck
about it; I've just been everlastingly at it since
four o'clock this morning—that's all!"
And that is the all of real success. Those who
achieve success are "everlastingly at" what they
are trying to do. Tommie was right in declining
to have his hard and honest work cheapened by
calling the result of it luck.
"You are the luckiest chap I ever saw," I once
heard a little boy about sixteen years say to an¬
other boy of about the same age.
THE TKUTH ABOUT LUCK.
35
given privilege for every well and strong and
right-minded boy to give his heart and hands to
performing.
AN EVENING AT HOME.
Boys and girls between the ages of eleven and
seventeen ought to spend their evenings at home,
much as possible. In these busy, bustling twen¬
tieth century days, there are many families—so
much the worse for them—that scarcely know
wliat it is to spend an evening at home together.
Not only the young people but the older people
are "on the go." The evenings are crowded
with calls and invitations, which come from far
and near. It is nothing to go five or even ten
miles to an evening concert or social gathering,
the trolley is so near, so cheap and so univer¬
sal. But I tell you, boys and girls, no matter
what the pleasure or amusement afforded—no
matter what the instruction or culture received—
there are no social or similar opportunities good
enough to displace the home circle. The sooner
young people realize this the happier they will be.
Boys and girls ought to plan for some evenings
'at home. Let other things have a share, but do
not give up all the time to other things. Once a
week the young people ought to arrange for an
evening at home. Decline everything else for
a Lawn Party in Washington
38
AN EVENING AT HOME.
memories of home life, for they will be in future
years the most beautiful pictures of the heart.
However some may sneer at it, the memory of
home and mother is a great power for righteous¬
ness. It has saved many a person to God and
native land and race.
"Be it ever so humble-
There's no place like home."
THE MAKING OF A MAN.*
Mr. Stamps, seated near the table, was glanc¬
ing over the afternoon paper. Mrs. Stamps, in
an easy chair, was doing some fancy work. Little
Bobby, six yeaTs old, more or less, was playing
with his toys on the floor. All at once the pre¬
cocious little boy stopped short in the middle of
his sport and, looking up at his mother, asked,—
"Mama, who made the world?"
"God," replied Mrs. Stamps, sweetly.
"Who made the sea?" continued Bobby.
Mrs. Stamps answered, "God."
"Well," said Bobby, "did God make every¬
thing 1''
"Yes, my son; the Lord made everything."
"And did he make everybody?"
♦Published in the Voice of the Negro.
42
THE MAKING OF A MAN.
hesitated to reply, Bobby turned to tlie man and
said,—
4'Come on: we're going home now. Why did
you leave before I finished you?"
FALSE PRIDE.
Once upon a time the head clerk in a carpet
store requested one of his junior clerks to go to
a patron's home to measure a room, and suggested
that he take along a five-yard sample. The junior
clerk objected to "carting" such a big bundle, as
he said, "all over town," and asked that one of
the boys be sent with it. The proprietor of the
establishment, who happened to overhear the re¬
mark, privately told the head-clerk to inform the
proud young fellow that a boy would be sent on
after him with the roll. Shortly after the young
man reached the house, the proprietor of the estab¬
lishment covered him with confusion by appearing
at the house in person with the roll of carpet under
his arm. Handing the bundle to the bewildered
young man, the proprietor remarked:
"Here is the carpet, young man. I hope I have
not kept you waiting for it. If you have any other
orders, I'll take them now.'-'
*****
A young woman of my acquaintance refused to
carry home a yeast cake, though it was needed at
THANKSGIVING AT TINEY GROVE.
47
as milking cows, feeding hogs and chickens, hoe¬
ing cotton and corn, picking cotton, pulling fodder
and the like. In her fourteenth year, acting upon
the advice of an uneducated colored preacher, her
parents sent Grace away from home to attend one
Grace Before Going to School.
of the great normal and industrial institutes for
the training of the black boys and girls of the
South.
At first her mother and father were filled with
forebodings. It was the first time that they had
ever allowed their daughter to be away from them,
THANKSGIVING AT PINEY GROVE. 51
Grace's Graduation.
Among other things Miss Gracie had learned
at school what was the import of onr national
Thanksgiving Day. At the opening of the second
56
THE LOUD GIRL.
boys' hats. One wore a vivid red jacket with brass
buttons, and another had on a brass belt. A third
one had on a most conspicuous plaid skirt. This
third one had a box of bonbons, and when the three
Blab-Mouthed and Noisy.
were seated she opened the box and offered it to
her companions, saying as she did so, in a voice
loud enough and shrill enough to be heard in every
part of the car:
THE ROWDY BOY.
61
anything right. What is the use of grabbing off
your hat every time you come into your own
house ?"
His mother looked sad, but said nothing. Pres-
He Stuffed Both Hands in His Trousers' Pocket.
ently she discovered that her little boy had
brought some mud into the^ house on his shoes.
In her sweetest tones she said:
"Johnnie, you must go to the door and wipe
HONESTY.
63
"What a fine, large melon! I think I will buy
that one. What do you ask for it, my boy?"
"This is my last melon, sir; and though it looks
"How Much for the Melon?"
fair, there is an unsound spot on the other side,'*
said the boy, turning the melon over.
'' So there is,'' said the man. '' I don't believe I '11
take it. But," he added, looking straight at the
UNCLE NED AND THE INSURANCE
SOLICITOR.*
Life insurance is something thai every married:
man should carry. In fact, it is a fine investment
for a young man to take out a ten- or twenty-year
payment policy in some good company, which can
be made in favor of his father or mother in the
event of his death, or obtained in cash ten or
twenty years later by himself.
The following story tells of an insurance agent
trying to insure the life of an old colored man—•
the story is amusing, but only as a story. We do(
not advise any one to follow Uncle Ned's example.
Charles Turner, an agent of the Workingmen's
Industrial Aid Insurance Company, called upon
Edmund Grant, an elderly colored man, with a
view to getting him to insure his life.
"Good morning, Uncle Ned," said Mr. Turner.
"Good morning, Mr. Turner," said the old man,
raising his hat and making a low bow.
"Uncle Ned, do you carry any insurance?" in¬
quired the agent.
"Do I carry what?" asked Uncle Ned.
"Do you carry any insurance? Is your life in-i
sured?" asked the agent.
"Bless the Lord, yes, indeed, sir," replied the
colored man; "long, long ago."
"In what company?" asked the solicitor.
65
UNCLE NED.
67
"I'm a Baptist, sir,—a deepwater Baptist,"
answered Uncle Ned.
The agent realized that the old man had not
understood him, but, anyhow, he asked him:
"How long has it been since you joined?"
"I joined the same year the stars fell," replied
the old man.
The solicitor knew that the old man referred to
the year when the great meteoric display of shoot¬
ing stars took place, and said:
"That's quite a long time ago. Does your com¬
pany pay any dividends 1''
"Mr. Turner," said Uncle Ned, with a smile,
"that question is out of my reach,—just what do
you mean ?''
"Why, Uncle Ned," said Mr. Turner, "a divi¬
dend is interest paid on your money; and if you
have been paying your money into one company
for more than thirty years, surely you oug'ht to
have been receiving your dividends long1 before
now, especially if it's an old-line company."
"Well," said Uncle Ned, "it surely is the oldest
line company that ever was. The Lord set it up
himself way back yonder on Calvary's tree. But I
haven't ever heard of any interest or dividends—
nothing of the kind And you haven't heard me
talk about paying in money for thirty years,—
you know you haven't. Salvation's free, man,—
salvation's free! You know that as well as I do."
"Oh, I see," said Mr. Turner; "I see that I
have misunderstood you. You're talking about
your soul's salvation."
THE STRENUOUS LIFE.
71
people who don't break easily—people who know
how to take hard knocks without going all to
pieces. The game of life is sometimes rough, even
"I Don't Break Easy."
among those who mean to play fair. It is very
trying when we have to deal with people who
break easily, and are always getting hurt and
THE STRENUOUS LIFE. 73
spirit, and let the world know that you don't
break easily.
A HUMBUG.
A boy or girl who is pleasant and agreeable
everywhere except at home is a humbug. I know
one boy who is a good deal of a humbug, although
you would never think so if you were to see him in
any place outside of his home. He is good-looking,
neat and tidy, and carries himself like a little man.
I do not know of a boy who can tip his hat more
gracefully to a lady, or who can say, "I beg your
pardon,'' or "excuse me, please," more pleasantly
than he can. But, for all that, he is a humbug.
I visited his home the other day. I heard his
mother speak to him.
"Alexander," she said.
"Well, what do you want?" he asked in a voice
which plainly indicated his displeasure.
"I want you to do something for me."
"Oh, you are always wanting me to do some¬
thing just when I want to be doing something
else,'' said Alexander, and this time he was whin¬
ing.
In departing on his errand Alexander acciden¬
tally ran against his little sister in the hall. I ex¬
pected to hear him say, "I beg your pardon" in
74
A HUMBUG.
the pleasant way that I knew he could say it, but
he snapped out instead:
"Oh, get out of the way, can't you?"
When he returned from the postoffice, Alex¬
ander's mother was out in the yard trimming the
"Oh, Get Out of the Way. Can't You?"
BEAUTIFUL EYES.
Eyes like the violet—in them I see
All that is fair, that is holy to me!
Eyes that shed fragrance, so constant, so true,
Pure as a clear drop of morning dew.
Eyes like the violet, gently along
Lead me to vespers—to prayer and to song.
Eyes like the violet, let me I pray
Live within range of thy glances all day!
GOING WITH THE CKOWD.
4'But all the girls went, mother. I didn't like
to be the only one left out. Besides, when I "said I
wouldn't go they all laughed at me and said that
I was a coward."
It was "Wednesday morning, before school time,
and Anna was dreading to go back to; school —
dreading to meet her teacher. The day before a
circus had been in town. At recess, while the
children were on the playground, they heard the
noise of the band, and one of the girls said:
1 'Let's go and see the parade."
"All right," said Anna. "I'll go and ask the
teacher if we may."
"No; don't ask her—she might say no. We can
get back before the bell rings, and she-will neter
know that we left the grounds."
81
"Mother, I'm So Happy. Teacher Forgave Me!"
MARY AND HER DOLLS.
85
with? It would appear that dolls, or playthings
somewhat like unto dolls, are as old as babies
themselves—that is to say, boys and girls, that
ever since there have been little children in the
Mary and Her Dolls.
world there have been little things for them to
play with. And I never saw a sane person in my
life who regrets that it is so. It is not only amus¬
ing, it is inspiring to see the little children making
A VALENTINE PARTY.
It was one week from St. Valentine's Day, and
tlie Berry children liad already provided a num¬
ber of the tokens, comic and otherwise, which
they meant to send to their friends. Jack pro¬
duced a grotesque and awfully exaggerated cari¬
cature of a withered, stoop-shouldered old woman,
with some cruel lines of doggerel printed be¬
neath it.
'■'I'm going to send this to old Mrs. Gray," said
Jack, as he exhibited the comic picture.
Nearly all the children laughed, and said that
the picture and the words beneath it would just
suit the old woman. Mrs. Gray was an old and
povetry-stricken widow woman, and many of the
children of the little village took delight in play¬
ing tricks on her on Hallowe'en and Valentine
nights. In this way, the children, especially the
boys, had made her life so miserable that the old
woman often said that she hated even the sight of
a boy. In the midst of the merriment over the pro¬
posed venture of Jack Berry, it was Lillie Berry
who spoke up, saying,
"Jack, I tell you what I think. I think we
ought to give Mrs. Gray a genuine surprise next
week. She has had so many ups and downs in this
life, I really believe that we can give her a little
pleasure if we give her a true—true surprise. Of
Old Mrs. Gray.
TOMMY'S BABY BROTHER.
For several months Deacon Tadpole's little son,
Tommy, had made constant and repeated reference
to the f9,ct that he had no little baby brother or
sister to play with. One day, when he was feeling
unusually sad over his misfortune, he said to his
father,
''Papa, I ain't got no little baby brother to play
with—you might at least buy me a little pony."
'1 Papa can't buy a pony, son;" said the deacon.
"A pony costs too much. I thought you wanted
a little brother or sister."
"I do," said Tommy, "but if I can't get what I
want I'm willing to take what I can get."
"But, you would rather have a little brother
than a pony, wouldn't you?" asked Mr. Tadpole.
Tommy thought awhile and then said he
thought he would rather have a little baby brother
than to have a pony.
"You see," he said, "it costs so much to keep
a. pony, and we would have to build a stable for
him, wouldn't we, papa?"
"Yes," answered his father, "and we haven't
got any room in the backyard for a stable."
"And we'd have to buy hay, too," said the
child.
"Yes," sai4 his father.
"Well, I'd rather have the little brother."
99
100 TOMMY'S BABY BROTHER.
So the matter was left in abeyance until a month
ago, when little Tommy was told one morning that
a little brother had come to him.
"Papa, Won't You Buy Me a Little Pony?"
KEEPING SCHOOL.
103
school book, she would take her Christmas story
books. At first she would only look at the pic¬
tures and try to think what the story about them
must be. Then she would ask mamma or grandma,
or whoever happened to be nearest, what the
words of the picture-story were. She would then
say the words of the story over to herself and look
Tootsie!
at the picture. Next day she would read over the
words of the same story as far as she could remem¬
ber them, and when she came to a word that she
did not know, up she would jump and go and ask
some one what it was. "When she had learned a
story herself, she would then talk to her sixty
A HEART-TO-HEART TALK.
133
the teacher's notion, and Henry Holt had gathered
"up his books to go home. It was then that his
teacher, Miss Ada Johnson, addressed him.
"Won't you sit down here a minute, David?"
she continued. "I wish to speak to you a min¬
ute or two."
David quietly took a seat. He was one of the
largest boys in school, and had been giving an
unusual amount of trouble during the day. In
fact he had been a source of annoyance ever since
the new teacher had taken charge.
"David," the teacher went on, "I wonder if you
realize how hard you have made it for me in
school today? Is there any reason why we cannot
A Heart-to-heart Talk.
THOMAS GEEENE BETHUNE
("blind tom")
I suppose there is not a little colored girl or
boy in America who has not heard of the wonder¬
ful "Blind Tom," one of the greatest musicians
of the world. I wish that every boy and girl
might have seen him and heard him give one of his
remarkable performances with the piano. I had
that high favor and privilege myself. During his
life on the stage, or for more than forty years,
"Blind Tom" was seen probably by more people
in the world than any one living being. His stage
career was closed somewhere in 1900. Every¬
where, in this country and Europe, those who
observed him most closely, and attempted to
understand him, pronounced him a living miracle,
unparalleled, incomprehensible, such as had not
been seen before in the world, and probably never
would be seen again.
Thomas Greene Bethune, better known to the
public as "Blind Tom," was born within a few
miles of the city of Columbus, Georgia, on the
twenty-fifth day of May, 1849. He was of pure
negro blood, and was born blind. He was little
less than four years old when a piano was brought
197
KEEPING FRIENDSHIP IN REPAIR.
I sometimes think that boys and girls, and even
old people, are often careless in the matter of their
friendships—not careless in the matter of select¬
ing friends, though I am sure there is room
for improvement along that line—but careless
in trying to keep the good friendships we have
already formed. We ought to keep our friend¬
ships in repair. Perhaps you think that our
friendships are not things which need to be
kept in repair. How foolish it is to think so!
Does a garden need to be weeded? Does an
old fence need to be kept in repair? Do we
paint our houses only once in a century? What
about the musician—does he not need to keep in
practice? Supposing that you never kept your
muscles in repair by constant use or exercise—
how long would you be strong or healthy? And
do you think that your friendships, because they
are in a way intangible—you cannot see them,
handle them or taste them—do you think that
they grow and thrive of their own accord, and,
therefore, do not need to be kept in repair?
Slights, snubs, angry words, unpleasant conduct,
long continued lack of association, long continued
lack of familiar intercourse, and coldness, even
where the meetings are periodic—these things,
205
106 THE SCHOOL OF THE STREET.
ever in the street—
cursing and swearing
and fighting and, it
may be, stealing, and
having no higher am¬
bition than to be a
jockey."
son?" asked the boy, ty*
becoming interested. '' / /
"No, but I am in- (
"Are you a par-
terested in little boys. yy. ?
I am the secretary of *
the Young Men's Little Joe.
Christian Association
and we have a boys' department. I want you to
join it. I have found out about your habits and
your surroundings; I was told of the death of
your mother and father; and I made up my mind
to come and ask you to come over to the Young
Men's Christian Association and live with us.
You may continue to sell your papers and black
boots, but, you see, living with us, you can go to
school at night, and some day you will have a good
education—and you might be a bank cashier."
Little Joe took this good man's advice and went
to live in the Y. M. C. A. building. He did not
turn out to be a bank cashier or president, but
what was better, Joe turned out to be a General
Secretary of one of the largest Y. M. C. A. 's among
the colored people of this country, and in that way
THE FOX HUNT.
Uncle Hambriglit used to pride himself upon his
ability to invent amusing games for the children.
Sometimes he found it hard to think of anything
new, but the demands of the children were so
insistent and his desire to please them always was
so intense that it often happened that Uncle Ham-
bright could almost make a way out of no way.
Dinner-time was fast approaching. All the
morning, the half-dozen little children, who were
spending the day with Uncle Hambriglit at the
Sunday-school picnic, had been playing every con¬
ceivable sort of game and had been enjoying every
imaginable kind of story told in Uncle Ham's
inimitable way,—but still the children were not
satisfied. "Just one more story," or "Just one
more game," ot " Give us your best game now for
the last before dinner,"—the children clamored
one after another.
"Very well," said Uncle Ham. "You all wait
until I come back, and then we'll play fox-hunt¬
ing."
Uncle Ham went and told his sister and her
husband, the parents of the little children, to take
the dinner-baskets far into the woods to the place
which they had already agreed upon as the spot
where the dinner-table should be spread. Coming
back to the children, Uncle Ham said,
112 THE FOX HUNT.
So, over the fence tliey jumped and continued
the chase.
The course proved to be zig-zag now for a few
"Wait Here Until I Return."
minutes, and the children found the foxes more
and more difficult to locate. They felt safe again,
when the foxes were found on stones or rocks lead-
A BOLD VENTURE
115
tinued: ;' Don't you know when a person borrows
money he is supposed to pay it back?"
"Oh, yes," said the boy; "I know that. You
lend me the money, and I'll pay it back all right.
1 only want it for three months. I'll pay it back."
There was something about the boy's face and
"Lend Me Five Dollars!"
general deportment that won Mr. Slocum's favor.
He ran his hand into his pocket, pulled out a five-
dollar bill and handed it to the boy.
4'Thank you, sir," said the boy, as he turned to
g0j—"thank you, sir; I'll pay it back."
128
OUR DUMB ANIMALS.
just for the fun of hearing him yelp or seeing him
run, is equally barbarous. No high-minded man,
no high-minded boy or girl, would do such a thing.
We should never forget how helpless, in a large
sense, dumb animals are—and how absolutely de¬
pendent upon the humanity and kindness of their
owners. They are really the slaves of man, having
no language by which to express their feelings or
needs.
The poet Cowper said:
1' I would not enter on my list of friends,
Though graced with polished manners and fine
sense,
Yet wanting sensibility, the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.''
Every boy and girl should be willing to pledge
himself to be kind to all harmless living creatures,
and every boy and girl should strive to protect
Oub Dumb Animals.
Our Faithful Friends
Cuts loaned by Polk Miller Drug Co., Richmond, Va.
A PLUCKY BOY.
131
"Palmer, is cash boy No. 5 still sick?" *
"Dead, sir; died last night," was the reply.
"I'm sorry; but here's a boy you might use.
Put him down in No. 5's place. "We'll try him for
The Boy Marched Straight Up to the Counter!
awhile, anyhow. What's is your name, my little
man?" he asked, turning again to the boy.
"Davie Thomas."
"Well, Davie, we'll give you three dollars a
week to start with; you come tomorrow morning
and I'll tell you what to do. Here's a dollar of
your wages in advance. I'll take it out of your
first week's pay. Do you understand?"
136
A GHOST STORY.
"Des name de night," said Uncle Mose. "I'll
stay dar; no ha'nts won't bodder wid me. No, sah;
no ha'nts won't bodder wid me, an' yo' watermil-
lions is des ez good ez gone already!"
The details were arranged; judges were appoint¬
ed; and Uncle Mose was to stay in the haunted
"Huh! Huh! There don't Seem to be but Two of Us
Here To-night."
house that very night. He got him some pine-
knots to keep a good blaze in the old-fashioned
fireplace, carried along an extra plug of tobacco,
secured a large drygoods box to be used for a
chair, and then he set out for the house.
He made a blaze and seated himself on the pine
box. For a time he sung a number of old planta-
A Group of Happy School Children in the Sunny South.
On One of New York's Many Playgrounds.
HUNTING AN EASY PLACE,
151
taken if you think that they have stepped into
them from the high school. In fact, and you'll
find it out soon enough for yourself, there are
really no soft or easy places in this world, and the
"I Have Just Finished My Course in the High School."
man who goes about seeking such places stamps
himself at once as a failure. Nobody will ever em¬
ploy such a boy, and such a boy would be no good
if he were employed. Let me, as a friend, advise
you, young man, that the next place you go to to
AT THE ZOO.
Father and son, making the rounds of the
Zoological gardens, paused before a cage contain¬
ing a beautiful zebra.
"Oh, papa," exclaimed the little boy, "see that
donkey with a baseball sweater on!"
THE BIG BLACK BURGLAK.
One cold winter night, about midnight, my good
wife called to me, saying:
L1 Dan! Dan! Get up! Get up!"
"What's the matter?" I asked, with much
alarm.
"Somebody's in the dining-room; I heard them
rattling the dishes just a minute ago."
"I don't hear anything, wife," I said slowly.
"There's somebody in these sure; I heard them
myself. Do get up, Dan, before they take every¬
thing we've got."
"I haven't got a gun or any kind of weapon,"
I said, still fighting for time.
"Well, get up and make a noise—walk around
heavy—that's frighten 'em and make 'em leave."
153
THE BIG BLACK BURGLAR. 155
surprised me, and I fell back trembling. Over
went the lamp. It broke. Out came the oil. It
took fire, and pretty soon the Lambrequin close by
took fire. Down I snatched it. I reached for the
first thing handy, and tried to smother the fire on
the floor. In doing so, I stepped on a piece of
glass and cut my
foot. I burnt my
hands terribly. My
night shirt caught
on fire. I ran to
the bed and sat
down in order to
quench the blaze.
This shows I still
had some presence
of mind left, al¬
though, as a matter
of fact, this new ex¬
tinguishing process
scorched my legs
awfully.
When all was
quiet again, and I
lit another lamp in
order to take an in¬
ventory, my bedroom was a sight to behold! I
found that in the struggle, my old army sword
had been plunged amidship into the hand¬
some mirror of our dresser, and had also
made havoc of a reproduction of Millets' Angelus.
Hunting the Burglar.
PIN MONEY MADE WITH NEEDLE. 159
more prettily. I found no trouble in selling them
for $1.50. Straightway I invested the sum in
lawn, lace, ribbon, etc., and as I had done so well
with the caps I thought I would try my hand on
Pin Money Made With the Needle.
little bonnets. I made two. A friend offered me
$5 for them before they were finished. I accepted
A Game of Marbles in the Shadow of the Washington Monument.
SELF-HELP.
163
who that has been treated until the age of fifteen
or twenty like a helpless infant, and had every
Washing Dollies' Clothes.
want supplied without being put to the necessity
of either mental or bodily exertion, was ever good
for anything afterwards?
166
AIMING AT SOMETHING.
tiling higher and better than office and position,
Character is the grandest, the highest and best
thing in this world. "We include in this one little
Honor, up-
word "character" a world of things
Tightness, speak¬
ing the truth, deal¬
ing fairly with people, be¬
ing willing to help the
lowly and unfortunate,
paying your debts prompt¬
ly, these things, and many
other things like them, are
included in the one word
'' character.'' And these
are the things that are
worth while in this world.
These are the things that
every boy and girl should aim at. It may not
be possible for every boy and girl to become
a millionaire; it may not be possible for every
boy and girl to fill high offices in this world, or
Aiming at Something.
"THE BLACK SHEEP."
169
placed these tokens of respect on the graves of his
mother and sister. This done, he stood in silence
for a moment, and then wept like a little child.
While riveted to the spot, he made a solemn vow
He Carried With Him Some Nice Flowers.
that he would quit the old life and make a man of
himself. "It's in me," he said to himself, "and
I'm going to prove it."
"THE BLACK SHEEP."
173
olds, members of the firm of John B. Reynolds &
Bro., had been arrested and placed in the Tombs,
charged with misappropriating $175,000 of trust
"Well, John, I Suppose Sistek Is Dead?"
funds. Again the family history was rehearsed
in the newspapers. The papers did not fail to
recall the suicide of Col. Reynolds, nor did they
THE HOLY BIBLE.
177
the years come and go, and then we '' shall go out
with joy, and be lead forth with peace: and the
mountains and the hills shall break forth before
us into singing, and all the trees of the field shall
clap their hands.''
Carnegie Library, Washington, D. C.
Colored People are Welcome Here.
Andrew Carnegie, Greatest Philanthropist of the Age, who
has climbed from the position of messenger boy and telegraph
operator to become America's richest steel manufacturer, a
Multi-Millionaire, has given practically every large city that
would accept it, a Library for the general public, averaging in
value $500,000.00. His gifts have had enormous money value,
but the value to humanity cannot be estimated.
DIRECTIONS FOR LITTLE GENTLEMEN.
1. The essential part of good breeding is the
practical desire to afford pleasure and to avoid
giving pain. Any boy possessing this desire re¬
quires only opportunity and observation to become
a little gentleman.
2. Never be guilty of what are called practical
jokes; that is to say, never place a pin in a chair so
that somebody may come along and sit on the
pin's point; never pull back a chair when a per¬
son is about to sit down, and in that way cause
such a person to fall on the floor. No little gentle¬
man will play such tricks.
3. Whenever a lady enters a room, it is proper
for boys to rise, if they are seated, but you must
never offer a lady a chair from which you have
just risen, if there is another chair in the room.
4. Never engage in conversation while a person
is singing. It is an insult not only to the singer
but to the company.
5. Always take off your hat when assisting a
lady to or from a carriage.
6. If in a public place, you pass and re-pass
persons of your acquaintance, it is only necessary
to salute them on the first occasion.
7. Do not wear anything that is so conspicuous
179
180 DIRECTIONS FOR LITTLE MEN.
as to attract attention; and, particularly, avoid
the ruffian style.
8. Do not lose your temper. Particularly if
Directions for Little Gentlemen.
DIRECTIONS FOR LITTLE MEN. 181
you are playing innocent games for amusement
and happen to lose; avoid the exhibition of
anxiety or vexation at lack of success.
9. In all your associations, keep constantly in
view the old adage, "too much familiarity breeds
contempt."
THE EIGHT TO PLAY.
The right to play is one of the divine rights of
men and women, of boys and girls, and is just as
essential to the peace, happiness and prosperity
of the world as is the right to pray. Never be
afraid or ashamed, my young friends, of honest,
vigorous, healthy play. Dominoes, lawn tennis,
baseball, football, ping-pong, golf, foot-racing,
leaping and jumping, boxing and wrestling, pole-
vaulting, punching the bag, swinging dumb-bells
or Indian clubs, and a hundred other things are
perfectly sane and wholesome amusements for old
or young. To refrain from all forms of amuse¬
ments is just as destructive of happiness and in¬
jurious to character as is the other extreme of
indulging too freely in pleasures and pastimes.
Puritan austerity and unrestrained excess are
alike to be condemned. But a certain amount of
play—play of the right kind and within proper
limits—is a divine right of young people. Young
people must have fun and relaxation, and, if they
do not find it in their own homes, it will be sought
in other and perhaps dangerous places.
182
THE RIGHT TO PLAY.
For myself, I believe tliat anybody is an enemy
to young people who desires to repress and crush
out the naturally buoyant spirits of childhood and
youth, and he is a benefactor of humanity who
makes it a part of his business to see that proper
places of amusement are provided, for the young
people. Aside from the physical advantages of
play, there are moral advantages also. A man
who helps to keep his body in good condition by
regular exercise is, in that way, beyond a doubt,
adding to the number of his days; that is to say,
he will live longer than the man who doesn't play.
But beyond and above that, he is a happier man
while he lives; he gets more joy and satisfaction
out of life than the other fellow. Sane and healthy
play tends to blot out the remembrance of cares
and hardship; it gives our minds something else
to think about. But young people must be care¬
ful not to become absorbed in these things. I be¬
lieve in play; I believe in pleasure, in fun. But
when I see young people, or old people for that
matter, devoting all their time to wheeling, foot¬
balling, card parties, the giddy whirl of the dance,
the bacchanalian hilarity of the dram shop, and so
on, I am forced to say that things which may be
right when taken in moderation, and as a relief
from the overtaxing burdens of life, are wrong
when they become the chief object for which one
lives.
184
A CHRISTMAS PRESENT.
"Not even one present, mamma—not the teen¬
iest little one!"
"No, Susie," her mother had answered, "I'm
sorry I couldn't get anything for my little girl this
year, but—you know there wasn't any money,
dear." And there was a tremble in her mother's
voice, too.
Susie wiped away
the tears, and turned
to look out of the win¬
dow. Perhaps she
said to herself, "per¬
haps Santa Clause
has something for me
after all!"
Now, the sad, real¬
ly dreadful part about
it was that Santa
Clause didn't have
one single thing for
Susie in his pack.
Perhaps it was be-
Mamma This is the Present tit
Santa brought." cause she had moved
into that house since
last Christmas, or perhaps for once old Santa had
made a mistake. Anyway, he was just saying to
himself: "Why, bless me, what shall I do about
it?" when he caught sight of that shivering little
kitten.
''The very thing!" he thought. "I'll give them
to each other!" and he chuckled till his reindeer
looked around to see what was the matter.
And what happened next? Well, that kitten
186 THE NICKEL THAT BURNED.
"A whole day for fun, fireworks and noise to¬
morrow!" exclaimed Frank, as he buttoned his
white apron about him the day before the Fourth
of July. A great trout was thrown down on the
counter by Ned Tant, one of Frank's playmates.
"You Have Forgiveness, Frank."
11 Here's a royal trout, Frank. I caught it my¬
self. You may have it for ten cents. Just hand
over the money, for I'm ina hurry to buy my fire¬
crackers," said Ned hurriedly.
THE BAD BOY-WHO HE IS. 191
But there are some bad boys, I am sorry to say
—really bad boys, bad in heart and in deed. I
have seen some on the chain gangs; I have seen
some hanging around the street corners—especial¬
ly on Sundays, with no clean clothes on; I have
seen them smoking cigarettes—and a cigarette is
something which no manly boy will use; I have
seen them ill saloons, drinking, playing pool and
THE BAD BOY—HOW TO HELP HIM. 193
Bible tells us that our bodies are
the temples—the dwelling places—
of the Holy Ghost, and every boy,
and every teacher of every boy, in
the home or day school or Sunday
school, should. give more time and
The Bad Boy"
attention to the body in
order to make it a fit place
for such a holy being. It
is as true now as of old
that plenty of soap and
water will exert a whole¬
some influence in making
bad boys good. Some one
has said that cleanliness
is next to godliness, and
somebody has added that
soap is a means of grace.
A boy who is taught to
bathe regularly and who is
taught to keep his clothing-
neat and clean at all
times will in that way
NOT FIT TO KNOW.
Susan and Mamie and Lillian and Marj one were
always close friends. They usually went together
and played together and it was very unusual to
see one of them without the others. At school they
always made it a rule to lunch together and play
together. One day at recess they were standing
in a little group all by them¬
selves when Frances joined
them.
"What are you talking
about, girls'?" asked Frances
in cheerful tones.
"I'm telling them a secret,"
said Susie, "and we will let
you know, too, Frances, if
you'll promise not to tell any
one.''
"I'll promise you not to tell
^anybody but my mother," said
( YFrances, "for I have made it a
^ rule to tell my mother every¬
thing. ''
"No; you can't even tell
your mother," answered Susie;
"you must not tell any one in
"Frances." the world."
200
NOT FIT TO KNOW.
201
"Well, then, I refuse to hear it," said Frances,
as she walked away, "for what I can't tell my
mother is not fit for me to know."
Don't you think Frances was right, girls? I
think so. As soon as little boys and girls begin
to listen to words and stories which they would
be ashamed to repeat to their mothers they are
on the road to temptation, and nobody can tell how
soon they will reach the end, which is always dis¬
grace and death.
I wish all the boys and girls who will read this
book would make the reply of Frances their mot¬
to: "What I cannot tell my mother is not fit to
know." Stick to this rule through thick and
thin, and you will avoid many of the snares and
pitfalls by which many of your companions and
playmates sink into shame and sin. Don't read
a note that you would be afraid to have your
mother read. Don't look at a picture that you
would be ashamed to have your mother see. Don't
speak any word, and don't allow any to be spoken
to you, that you would not like to have your moth¬
er hear. A girl's best friend is her mother. A
boy's best friend is his mother. And, boys and
girls, be very sure that if a thing isn't fit for your
mothers to know it isn't fit for you to know.
THE RIGHT WAY.
Henry Oliphant always considered himself
lucky whenever he was able to get a ride on the
street cars without paying for it, or get a glass of
soda water or be admitted to some public place,
where an admission fee was charged, without pay¬
ing the price. He was bragging one day to some
of his boy friends that he had not paid anything
to witness the school exhibition the night before.
Frank Sewall was brave enough to chide him for
having done so. Frank was a plain-spoken boy,
and Henry didn't like what Frank had said. He
thought what he had done was all right, while
Frank had said that it was all wrong. Anyhow,
Henry decided to get his father's opinion on the
matter.
"Father," he said, when night had come, "I got
in the hall last night for nothing."
"How was that?"
"I just walked by the doorkeeper and he didn't
ask me for any money.''
"Did the doorkeeper see you?"
"Well, father, that was his business; he was put
there for that purpose; he ought to have seen
me."
"But I asked you, Henry, whether the door¬
keeper saw you. I want you to answer that ques¬
tion. ''
202
THE RIGHT WAY.
20°.
"I don't know, sir."
4'Do you think lie saw yon?"
"I don't know, sir."
4'Well, Henry, if he had seen yon, don't you
think he would have asked you for your money
or a ticket I''
"Father," He Said, When Night Had Come, "I Got in the
Hall Last Night for Nothing."
"I guess so, father; but he didn't ask me for
anything.''
4 4 Well, now, Henry, you know that a charge of
ten cents was made at the door, and that no one
204
THE RIGHT WAY.
had a right to enter who had not paid the ten
cents. Yon did go in without paying. Now,
whether the doorkeeper saw yon or not, do you
think that that was quite honest on your part?
Was that the right way for you to act?"
"Well, I would have paid him if he asked me. I
wasn't the doorkeeper.''
"I guess the man who stole our wood last week
would have paid me if I had seen him and asked
him; but we called that stealing."
"But, father, I did not take anything from the
doorkeeper.''
"Who gave you the money with which to pay
your admission?"
"Mother."
11 Where is that money now ?''
"I have it; but I didn't take it from the door¬
keeper. ''
"But you kept it from him, Henry. It belongs
to the doorkeeper. He gave you its value. My
son, the right way is, whenever you buy anything,
whether it be a ride or a glass of soda water or
permission to see a concert, whenever you buy
anything you ought to pay for it. If you don't
you are no better than a common robber. You must
go today and give Mr. Hall that ten cents."
KEEPING FRIENDSHIP IN REPAIR. 207
boys and girls, will kill the warmest friendship
and choke the tenderest love. So we ought to be
careful to keep our friendships in repair. If we
had no friends in this world, no playmates and
companions, no kindred spirits into whose keenest
sorrows and highest joys we entered with deep
and full sympathy, and who
did not enter into our sorrows
and joys in the same way—if
we had no friends in this
world, with all of its wealth
The Two Paths.
and splendor, we should not desire to live very
much longer. But to have friends and to be
friendly goes a long way towards making the
world a beautiful and blessed place to live in.
How, then, may we keep our friends? Easy
enough—by cultivating them; and we cannot keep
208 KEEPING FRIENDSHIP IN REPAIR.
them in any other way. We should take time to be
friendly. Little notes, little presents, little visits,
little social entertainments, little kindnesses—
these things, and things like them, go a great way
in cementing our friendships, in tying people to
us, as it were, with hooks of steel. We should not
neglect these means of keeping our friendships in
repair. Always give your friends a cordial wel¬
come in your homes, and at your little children's
parties; let them feel, make them feel, that their
coming adds to your pleasure without increasing
your burdens. Don't be selfish and narrow; be
broad-minded and liberal. Keep your friendships
in repair, and then see if you do not find your
horizon broadened, your life sweetened, and the
weary weight of this sad old world lightened.
LITTLE ANNIE'S CHRISTMAS.
Christmas morning came.
Daylight was just peeping into the room.
Poor little Annie, the cripple, awoke and turned
her eyes towards the corner where she had hung
her stocking the night before.
Surely, she thought, as she watched it, there
could not be very much in it, because' it didn't
seem to be any larger than it was when she had
LITTLE ANNIE'S CHRISTMAS. 209
hung it up. After awhile she crept slowly to where
it was.
She did not take her crutches, for fear she would
disturb her mother, who slept in the same bed
with her. It was hard for her to move around
without her crutches, but she persevered and
finally she reached her stocking.
She put out her thin little hand and felt it. Yes,
there was something in it! Then she put her hand
212 THE VELOCIPEDE RACE.
ing John. Before they reached the end of the road
they saw Clara Hempton, standing by the fence
with her little velocipede. Clara watched the boys
as they flitted past. She thought that she could
keep up with John, but she was not sure that she
could ride as fast as Archibald.
The Velocipede Race.
While she was meditating Archibald cried out:
"Clara, you wait until we finish this race, and
then we three will go back together.''
Archibald reached the end first, but John was
not very far behind.
When Clara reached them Archibald said:
Is Everybody Happy? Sure We Are.
214
FAULTFINDING.
easier to find tlian something that he or she
doesn't have to look for. Well, faults are things
that we can find without looking for them; so
faults are the easiest things to find in all the
world. Yet, boys and girls, the habit of fault¬
finding, or the habit of finding fault, is one of the
worst habits that anybody could form. It stamps
the person who is so easy to find fault with every¬
thing and everybody as be¬
ing a mean, low, envious,
evil-liearted person. It is
better to look for some¬
thing to praise, than it is
to look for something to
blame. Yet there are
some people who are so
constituted that they do
not see any good in any¬
thing. When it is cold, it
is too cold. When it is
hot, it is too hot. They
don't like "vici kid"
shoes; thev want patent
leathers. The singing at
church . or Sundav school
last Sunday was just hor¬
rid. Old Mary Jones ought to be taken out of
the choir. The preacher preaches too long,
or the deacon prays too loud. The school
teacher isn't any good. So they go on from
Fault Finding.
DIRECTIONS FOR LITTLE LADIES.
231
She will be fond of going out in company with her
mother often. She will not think that anybody
else's mother is or can be better than her own
mother.
Directions for Little Girls.
7. Every true little lady will be a Christian.
She will early give herself to Jesus. She will de-
"A LAMP UNTO MY FEET." 239
pose yon were going down some lonely lane on a
dark night with an unlighted lantern in your
hand, and a box of matches in yonr pocket, what
would you do?"
"Why, I'd light the lantern."
r—h "Why would you light
t it?"
"A Lamp Unto My Feet."
walking behind me some day, and saw me drop a
quarter; what would you do?"
"Pick it up and give it to you, sir."
"Wouldn't you want to keep it yourself?"
Crawford hesitated; but he saw a smile on the
242
THREE BRIGADES.
themselves to be present on time at the opening
hour.
Yon can see at once how helpful these little
brigades are in every Sunday school (where they
exist) to the officers and teachers. Some children
will not go to Sunday school when it is raining or
when it threatens to rain; some will not go for¬
ward and occupy front seats when they do go; and
there are others who are always tardy. "What a
blessing it would be if all the little children would
organize these brigades at once in their schools,
and try to get every scholar to join each one of
them.
244
"HOME, SWEET HOME."
was 11 Home, Sweet Home." Clear and sweet the
voice of some singer, using his native tongue, rose
and fell on the air; and the poor wild man stopped
and listened to the soft cadences of that beloved
melody.
Home, Sweet Home.
Motionless he stood until the last note floated
away, and lie could hear nothing hut the ceaseless
murmur of the great city. Then he turned away
slowly, with no feeling that his manhood was
Little Soldier Boys.
EACH ONE OF US OF IMPORTANCE
Never tliink yourself, whoever you are, of small
importance. Never think that it is of little account
whether you are good or bad, or what your exam¬
ple is to others. Each mere particle of dust, every
tiny grain of sand, the minutest atom, is an active
agent in the whole universe. So each one of us is
of importance in our sphere, however isolated and
insignificant that sphere may appear to be.
A few particles of dust in a watch will stop its
motion; small barnacles on a ship's bottom will
hinder its journey; and a little shifting sand in tlio
great river will change its current. So, little boys
and girls exercise their influence for weal or woe
upon the world. Don't you believe for once that
the world is moved only by the great forces, the
great men and the great enterprises. Little folks
and little things likewise help to move the world
along. Great generals are necessary; but what
would they be without the'soldiers behind them?
Every boy has his part to do in the great work
247
248
EACH OF US OP IMPORTANCE.
of the world, and every girl has her part to do.
Every boy and girl is of importance; how impor¬
tant nobody knows, and perhaps never shall know
until eternity reveals it. There ought to be in
this truth great encouragement and great comfort
to all who think that they are insignificant and
have no work to do in this busy world. Perhaps
in the distant future many a man who estimated
himself great shall be found to have been insignifi¬
cant, because of unfaithfulness to his trust; and
many another man who perhaps thought himself
of little worth will find himself glorified because
he did what he could.
brightness and joyousness, the harmonies of the
passions and the inspiration of love—these are
the poetry of life.
THE LITTLE SAILOR CAT.
257
climb down the 1 Jacob's ladder' into the Birm¬
ingham's boats, that little fellow climbed out of
his nest in the rigging and wanted to go too. We
were glad to take him."
1. Be punctual and regular at all the services
of your church.
2. Give close attention to the pastor in the pub¬
lic service. Good hearers make good preachers.
3. Whenever you are aided by a sermon tell
the pastor about it. In this way you will help him
more than you think possible.
258 ADVICE TO LITTLE CHRISTIANS.
4. Do not neglect morning and evening prayer
at home. Pray daily for God's blessing upon the
preaching and other labors of the pastor.
5. In the world let your light so shine before
others that they may be led to glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Let your light shine.
6. Invite your friends to attend divine serv¬
ices. A drawing congregation is as good as a
drawing preacher. Call for your friends often.
7. Remember day by day that you are not your
own, but have been "bought with a price/' and
that you are Christ's servant. Watch and pray.
8. If any service is required of you in the
church or in the Sunday school, do not shirk it;
always say: "I will try for Jesus' sake."
9. In the prayer meeting speak briefly and to
the point. If you pray, ask only for what you
want. Be short and direct. " Ask and ye shall
receive.''
10. Never subscribe more than you are able to
pay, and be sure to pay whatever you promise.
Whether much or little, give it cheerfully. '1 God
loveth a cheerful giver."
11. Having found eternal life, use all appropri¬
ate means to develop Christian character. Prayer,
reading the Bible, attending church and Sunday
school, reading good books and Christian news¬
papers, keeping the best company—all these will
help you.
A WORD TO PARENTS.
Children are a gift from God. Children are a
heritage from the Lord. It depends largely on
parents whether they become a heritage of honor
and delight or of sorrow
and shame. It is not
simply incumbent upon
parents that their chil¬
dren be well cared for,
fed and clothed, proper¬
ly educated and so
forth; but more than
this, they are to be
brought up "in the nur¬
ture and admonition of
the Lord." This being
true, then, the highest
aim of rearing children
is not simply that they
may win success and
command respect in the
world. Respect and suc¬
cess are greatly to be desired and sought, but be¬
yond them and beyond everything else is the high¬
est and cliiefest aim of parental love and care;
that their children may honor and command the
righteousness of God in the life that now is and
magnify the glory of God in the life that is to be.
This is the mark and prize of their high calling.
259
"The Drummek Boy and His
Dog."
THE UNSEEN CHARMER.
263
"Well," said Brickermann, laughing the while,
"I used to know her quite well, and I should like
to meet you face to face, if you don't mind. I am
so charmed with the music of your voice I am siire
- - ■ "Is Er-Er-Mr. Hopegood In?'
I should be perfectly entranced with the magic of
your face."
A merry peal of laughter from the other end t
greeted this sally. The young man continued:
"I used to come down some days about four
268
TI-IE "DON'T-CARE" GIRL.
she does so because she knows that she has
already lost all right to that good opinion.
It is wrong, boys and girls, to undertake to run
roughshod over the so-called prejudices of the pub-
; 'V, Vy. .
The "Don't-Caee" Girl.
lie. It is a foolish thing to take delight in trying
to shock people by your boisterous and unladylike
and unbecoming conduct. Every really wise and
nice girl does care a good deal for the good opin-
A PRAYER.
As the potter moulds the clay,
Slowly, gently, day by day,
Till at length he brings to pass
Beauty from a shapeless mass;
So, dear Lord, with patient art,
Take Thou, now, my forward heart,
And, 0 Lord, in love divine,
Mould and make me wholly thine.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS TO YOUNG
PEOPLE.
Shortly before he died Frederick Douglass made
a tour through the South. Among other places he
visited Atlanta University. At that place he made
an address to the young people. It is so full of
hope and help that I wanted to place it where
every ambitious black boy and girl in America
can see it. It has never been published before,
except in the Bulletin of Atlanta University. Mr.
Douglass said:
"My young friends: I see before me an assem¬
blage of young people, full of the blood of youth,
just entering upon the voyage of life. It is an in¬
teresting spectacle to me, as to us all, to meet such
an assembly as I see before me this morning in
an institution of learning, of knowledge, and of
ethics and of Christian graces. I experience great
270
the same faithfulness that he had shown when a
shepherd he became an accomplished manager.
It pays to be faithful always.
Frederick Douglass Monument at Rochester, N. Y.
THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN.
My last words shall be to parents. Many par¬
ents neglect the training of their children until
the boys and girls have grown to be almost men
and women, and then they expect all at once to
develop them into well-rounded characters, as if
by magic. Others fix upon a definite time in life-
say, ten or twelve years old—before which time
they say it is unnecessary to seek to make lasting
impressions upon the minds of children, all uncon¬
scious of the fact that the character may have
been long before that period biased for good or
evil.
I say it deliberately—it is a deep and abiding
conviction with me, that the time to begin to
shape the character of children is as soon as they
begin to know their own mothers from other
mothers, or as soon as they become awake to the
events which are taking place around them. The
farmer who has the notion that his child can wait,
does not dare to let his corn and cotton wait. He
has observed that there are noxious weeds which
spring up side by side with the seed he has
planted, and, marvelous to say, the weeds out¬
grow the plants. They must, therefore, be cut
down and kept down, or else they will ruin the
THE STORY OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY
A True Story
Somewhere in Africa nearly 175 years ago a band
of children were playing- on the sea-coast. They
were youngsters of seven and eight who were so en¬
grossed in their childish games that they did not
notice the appearance of a boat with a number of
white men in it. When they did become aware of
this it was far too late, for the men had stolen up to
them and seizing several had rushed off to the boat
in which they were carried to a ship anchored not
far away.
Only a few of the children escaped but the rest
were borne off to America where they were to be
sold as slaves. For these white men were slavers
and the waiting ship was a slave-vessel.
Among the children who were captured and led
off to such a cruel fate was a little girl of six or
seven years. She was a slender,, delicate little thing
who had never gone far from her mother's side.
Picture then her fear and anguish when she found
herself torn away from everything and everybody
whom she had ever known, on her way to a strange
land full of queer looking people who were going to
subject her to she knew not what experiences and
hardships.
After a long and stormy voyage, during which the
little girl was very seasick, she arrived, thin and
wretched, with only a piece of carpet about her
fragile body, in Boston, where she was offered in
the streets for sale. This was in 1761.
282
Mrs. Alice Howard
Author of A. B. C. Book for Negro Boys and Girls and
Other Short Stories Following This Page.
INTRODUCTION
By Mrs. Alice H. Howard
I feel safe in saying that every child in the United
States between the ages of three and ten receives
among its toys and especially at the Holiday season,
an A, B, C Book, many of which are a reflection
on the child of color. In almost every instance N
stands for Nig, a black dog or cat; Ned, a Negro
boy, a waiter, and so on. First hand observation of
these facts shows the urgent need and place in the
home for a book of this class which our boys and
girls need not be ashamed of. Race pride is legiti¬
mate and praiseworthy. It is developed through
knowledge and understanding of the history, tradi¬
tions,. achievements, and characteristics of the race.
Things that have been looked upon as a detriment
and drawback can through the right teaching to our
children be turned into an asset and thus lay the
foundation for the love of, and the loyalty to our
RACE.
Washington, December 8, 1921.
291
A, B, C Book
For Negro Boys and Girls
Stands for Afro-American,
The Race that proved its worth;
One more true, more noble
Cannot be found on earth.
Bis for brave black heroes
Who crossed the ocean blue,
To make the whole world safer
For mankind; that means you.
C Stands for conquer,
They did with much toil,
And planted Old Glory first
"On enemy soil."
Is for Duty,
Our watchword so dear.
We have always been ready
To answer: "I'm here."
Els for Envy,
A foe we must fight,
To gain for our children
Plain Justice and Right.
293
ALICE HOWARD'S A, B, C BOOK 299
R Stands for Race-pride.
We've learned to love our Race.
We do not want to change our hair
Nor the color of our face.
S Stands for Something Steadfast
On which our Race must build.
We can then look back with- pride,
When the "Cup of life" is filled.
TIs for Truth, our weapon
With which we always win,
Tho we. must drink a bitter draught
Up to the battle's end.
U Stands for United,
Divided we fall.
"In union there is strength,'1
Best motto for us all.
V Stands for Victories
America has won.
We did much to make her
A bright place in the sun.
W Stands for Washington,
Not George but Booker T.,
Who was Father and Founder
Of grand old Tuskegee.
Copyright International News Reel Corporation.
Telling Her the Story of Lincoln
Jewels of the Home
MY DUTY
I owe a duty to my Race,
A debt I must repay.
So I'm resolved to start right here
And keep it up each day.
First I will always truthful be
No matter what the case.
For falsehood always crumbles
And leaves one in disgrace.
Next I will be industrious,
With eager hands and mind.
No man who put these powers in play
Was ever left behind.
And then, alas, I also wish
A soldier brave to be,
But not upon the battlefield
With sword and gun you see.
I'll only battle for the Right,
When crushed beneath the Wrong.
I'll always fight to raise the Weak
When trampled by the Strong.
Then last and best of a-11 I'll be
A martyr to my Race,
If that will give and hold for them
Their rightful, honored placfe.
307
Promising Citizens op the Future
306
A LITTLE LOVE STORY
The ground was covered with frost and snow,
And the two little kittens had nowhere to go;
So they laid them down on the mat at the door
While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.
Then they crept in, as quiet as mice,
All wet with the snow, and as cold as ice,
For they found it was better, that stormy night,
To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.
A LITTLE LOVE STORY
Sometimes I'm bad and she is
good,,
Sometimes we're bad to¬
gether,
Sometimes she's naughty
when I'm nice,
We change just like the
weather!
And then, some days, we both
are good,
And then we love each
other.
But whether we are good or
bad
We always love our mother.
Ready for the Party
All Aboard for Washington, D. C.
302
THE BEST RIDE
Ships ride on the ocean,.
So I've- often heard:
Some things ride on pretty wings,
Like our canary bird.
Some like the choo-choo train
Because it's big and strong—
It shrieks and whistles loud
And hurries right along.
Each one rides the way he likes—
And that I like to see;
Ford and airplane may be grand,
My goose will do for me.
THE WAY TO END A QUARREL
Two little kittens, one stormy night,
Began to quarrel and then to fight;
One had a mouse and the other had none,
And that's the way the* quarrel begun.
"I'll have that mouse," said the biggest cat.
"You'll have that mouse? we'll see about that!"
"I will have that mouse," said the eldest son.
"You sha'n't have the mouse," said the little one.
I told you before 'twas a stormy night
When these two little kittens began to fight;
The old woman seized her sweeping-broom,
And swept the two kittens right out of the room.
305
Copyright International News Reel Corporation
Oh, Boy! Some Eatin'
A GOOD BOY GETS WARM MITTENS 311
instinct for location, seldom getting lost or failing
to return to their posts of duty.
In the hours of the uncertain night the Army Dog
was wakeful and alert to sounds in No Man's Land
that weary soldiers could not hear. It required the
vigilant dog with his keenness for scenting to detect
first the approach of strangers and give tha silent
alarm of trench raiding parties.
This little citation of the facts of the servic9 of
dogs in the war is merely to remind some of us that
now, even more than ever, is the proverbial dog en¬
titled to claim the everlasting friendship and com¬
panionship of mankind, and above all, due careful
and thoughtful attention in health and in sickness.
A GOOD BOY GETS WARM MITTENS
There was once a little boy who wanted a new
pair of warm, red mittens to keep his hands warm
in the wintertime, so he asked his grandmother if
she would knit him a pair. But the grandmother
had no skeins of red yarn.
"You will have to go to the shopkeeper," she said.
So the little boy went to the shopkeeper for the
yarn.
"Will you give me some skeins of red yarn so my
grandmother can knit me a pair of red mittens to
keep my hands warm?" the little boy asked the
shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper looked on his shelves, where there
were tins of tea, and jars of peppermint sticks, but
no yarn. Then he shook his head.
"You will have to go to the dyer," the shop¬
keeper said.
312 A GOOD BOY GETS WARM MITTENS
So the little boy went to the dyer.
"Will you dye some yarn red so that the shop¬
keeper may sell it to me, and my grandmother can
knit me a pair of red mittens to keep my hands
warm," the little boy asked the dyeV.
The dyer look¬
ed in his dye
pot, where yarn
was being dyed
green, and blue,
and violet, and
brown, and yel¬
low ; but there
was no yarn in
the pot of red
dye.
"You will
have to go to
the spinner for
white yarn," the
The Dyer Looked in His Pot dyer said.
So the little
boy went to the mill, where great wheels turned
round and round, guided by the spinner.
"Will you give me some white yarn," he asked,
"so the dyer may dye it red, and the shopkeeper
may sell it to me and my grandmother can knit me
a pair of red mittens to keep my hands warm?"
But the spinning-wheels were quiet. There was
no wool to spin into yarn.
"You will have to go to the sheepfold," the spin¬
ner said.
So the little boy went to the sheepfold, where
A GOOD BOY GETS WARM MITTENS 313
there were mother sheep, and baby lambs, and a
shepherd to care for them.
"Will you cut me a fleece of wool?" the little boy
asked the shepherd,, "so the spinner may spin it into
yarn, and the dyer may dye the yarn red? Then
the shopkeeper may sell it to me, and my grand¬
mother can knit me a pair of red mittens to keep
my hands warm."
"I will," said the shepherd, and he cut a thick
white fleece from the back of a mother sheep.
Then the little boy took the fleece of wool to the
spinner, who started his wheels and spun the wool
into white yarn. The dyer dyed the white yarn red,
and the shopkeeper sold some skeins of the red yarn
to the little boy. Then the grandmother got out
her shining
knitting - needles
and knitted the
little boy a pair
of red mittens.
They kept the
little boy's
hands warm in
the winter, but
they did more
than that, oh,
very much
more! They
helped him to
bring home the
basket of gro- Carrying Grandma's Groceries
ceries for his grandmother, and shovel a path from
the street to the shopkeeper's door. The red mittens
Copyright International News Reel Corporation
She—When We'r Grown Let's Get Married.
He—M-a Maby So!
Copyright O. Keller
The Young School Master
THE NEW FLOYD'S FLOWERS
or
SHORT STORIES, by PROF. SILUS X. FLOYD
Prepared and Appropriately Illustrated for Colored People
Mrs. Alice H. Howard has composed an A B C Book for Negro Boys and Girls and
has assisted the publishers in revising a~d adding some more excellent new features to
this wonderful book of entertainment and education.
Stories told in a manner that will compel you to anything you start before laying
the book aside.
Stories of Adventure Stories of Great Men Funny Stories
Stories of Bravery Stories of Great Women Stories that make the time
Stories of School Days Stories of Father fairly melt away; they are
Stories of Pluck Stories of Mother so interesting
Stories of Success Stories of Children
The Illustrations—A hundred wonderful life-like photographs by the finest colored
photographers in America; pictures that can't be excelled by any photographer in the
world. The pictures are alone worth many times the price of the book.
It contains 320 pages of interesting pictures and reading for old and young. No one
is too young or too old to be interested in Floyd's Flowers. There is no other similar book
published.
Fine Silk Cloth Binding with handsome designed cover, price only $2.00
We the undersigned agree to taka one of these books.
I I
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