<£ Tiff TIC 1> SERIES^o. 5, THE f ©hjm AiOTiiffiiEranAn 9 cm, THE REWARD OF PERSEVERANCE, NEW YORK: K1GGINS & KELLOGG 123 & 125 William St. THE rOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. Laura Sinclair was an intelligent girl, studiously devoted to all her les- sons except arithmetic. That to her was a hard, dry study. One pleasant morn- ing, she had seated herself near the sum- mer-house in the garden, to be away from the children's noise, and attempted to fix her mind upon the to her uninteresting study ; but a hard sum, upon which she was engaged, overcame her patience, and she threw down her slate and book in a pet. Her mother at that moment came to the door which looked into the garden. " Oh, mother," she exclaimed, "this is arithmetic day ; how I hate it V 4 THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN- " My daughter, do not make use of such expressions," replied her mother. 11 Nothing is wanting but close attention and perseverance, to make that study as agreeable as any other. If you pass over a rule carelessly, and say you un- derstand it from want of energy to learn it, you will always find it difficult I speak with feeling on this subject, for when I went to school, a fine arithmeti- cian shared the same desk with myself, and whenever I was perplexed by a dif- ficult sum, instead of applying to the teacher for an explanation, I asked Ame- lia to do it for me. She was too obli- ging, and complied. The consequence is, that even now I am often compelled to refer to your father in trifling calcu- lations. I expect much assistance from your perseverance, Laura/' continued she, affectionately taking her hand. Laura's eyes looked a good resolu- tion, and she commenced the next day THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. 5 putting it in practice. Instead of being angry because she cocdd not understand her figures, she tried to clear her brow to understand them better; and her tu- tor was surprised to find her mind rap- idly opening to comprehend the more difficult rules. She now felt the pleas- ure of self-conquest, besides the enjoy- ment of her mother's approbation, and steadily gave herself up to the several branches of mathematics. Laura was the eldest of four children, one an infant, who had been born to the luxuries of wealth. Mr. Sinclair was a merchant of respectable connexions, and had been successful in business, with ev- ery prospect of a competency to retire upon in his declining years. But, alas ! how uncertain all human calculations ! He, late one afternoon, received word by telegraph that an extensive mercan- tile house in another city — one to which he was creditor to a very heavy amount 6 THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN — was on the very verge of bankruptcy His immediate presence was required ; not an hour was to be lost. The utmost speed of steam would only allow him to arrive in season to be of any avail. He immediately threw a few necessary arti- cles into a carpet-bag, seized his um- brella, took a hasty leave of his family, and speeded his way to the boat. But here he was destined to disappointment. He arrived at the pier only in season to find the boat in the middle of the stream, pursuing its way without him. With a THE YOUNG ARITHMATICIAN S THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. heavy heart, he turned his steps home ward, feeling that by this single misfor tune his business was almost irretrieva bly involved, and that he was nearly a ruined man. A nervous temperament and a delicate system were soon sadly wrought upon by this misfortune. Mr. Sinclair's mind, perplexed and harassed, seemed sinking under the weight of anxiety. Laura was at this period sixteen years of age. Her mind was clear and vigorous, and seemed resting, like a young fawn, for its first bound. A portion of her time was de- voted to the instruction of her little sis- ter and brother. A picture of her thus occupied may be seen on the previous page. One cold autumnal evening, when the children had got through their les- sons, and with their wild gambols were playing round the room, Mr. Sinclair sat leaning his head upon his hand, over a table covered with papers, with his ledger THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. 9 10 THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. open before him. Mrs. Sinclair was bu- sily employed in sewing, and Laura, with her fingers between the pages of a book, sat gazing at her father. " Those children distract me," said Mr. Sinclair. " Hush, Robert. Come here, Marga- ret," said Mrs. Sinclair gently ; and she took one on her lap, and the other by her knee, and whispering to them a little story, calmed them to sleepiness, and then put them to bed. When Mrs. Sin- clair had left the room, Laura laid down her book, and stood by her father. " Don't disturb me, Laura," said he roughly ; " my head aches." Then rec- ollecting himself, he took her hand and continued, " Do not feel hurt, dear ; my mind is perplexed with these complica- ted accounts." " Father," said Laura with a smile, " I think I could help you, if you would let me try." THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. 11 " You, my love V* exclaimed her fa- ther ; " why, these papers would puzzle a wiser head than yours." " I do not wish to boast, dear father," said Laura modestly, " but Mr. Randon, my tutor, said to-day — " Laura hesi tated. " Well, what did he say V 9 said Mr. Sinclair, encouragingly. " He said," answered Laura, blushing deeply, " that I was a better accountant than most men. And I do believe, fa- ther," continued she earnestly, " that if you were to state your case to me, \ could help you." Mr. Sinclair smiled sadly, but, to en- courage her wish of usefulness, com- menced with some remarks, and opened his accounts. Insensibly he found him- self engaging his daughter in the laby- rinths of numbers. Laura, with a fixed look and clear eye, her pencil in her hand, and her cheek kindling with inter- 12 THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. est, listened to him. Mrs. Sinclair en- tered on tiptoe, and seated herself softly by the cradle which contained her in- rant, to sew. The accounts became more and more complicated ; but Mr. Sinclair, with his practised mind, and Laura, with her quick intellect, followed them up with close fidelity. The unexpected sympa- thy of his daughter seemed to inspire him with new life. Three hours did Lau- ra sit, arid give the whole power of her mind to these calculations. Mr. Sin- clair's spirits gradually rose with every chime of the clock. "Wife," said he suddenly, "if this girl only gives me one more hour like this, I shall be in a new world." " My beloved child," said Mrs. Sinclair, pressing Laura's fresh cheek to hers. Laura, with untiring patience, went through these mercantile details; noi did she quit her father's side until the warning hour of twelve. THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. 13 14 THE YOUNG ARITHMETICIAN. Laura commended herself to God, and slept profoundly. The next morning, af- ter seeking his blessing, she repaired to Mr. Sinclair. " You say you can not afford a clerk," said she. " Now you have tried me, father, and you know I am worth something. I will keep your books, and you may give me a little sal ary to buy shells for my cabinet/' Mr. Sinclair accepted the proposal Laura's cabinet increased in beauty, and the fine female hand in his books and papers was a subject of curiosity and in- terest to his mercantile friends. MARY AND HER DOVE. 15 MARY AND HER DOVE. It was a pleasant summer's evening, as I was sitting in the parlor, that the children came running up to me and asked me to tell them a story. One de- sired me to tell them about Blue Beard, and another the story of the disorderly little girl. T told them I had a new story to relate ; the name of it was Mary and her Dove. They were delighted with the title, seated themselves at the table, and, looking earnestly up in my face, in- quired if it was a true story. I told If) MARY AND HER DOVE. them it was a kind of fable, and I then commenced : Mary had a white dove, of which she was very fond. Whenever Mary was good, the dove was very hap- py, and would discover in various ways his approbation ; but when she was not good, the bird would droop its head and seem very melancholy. The only way in which Mary could comfort it, was to make sincere resolutions to be better in future. She always carried it about with her, and indeed the dove was never wil- ling to be absent from her even for a moment. If she did the least wromr, it silently reproved her. She would often act contrary to the wishes of the bird, and then she always felt unhappy ; but when she had the dove's approbation, she was full of gladness. The dove is an emblem of conscience. which is a friend that we all have within our own hearts, and if we obey its dic- tates, we shall always be happy. i 4^' KIGGINS & KELLOGG, Publishers, Booksellers, and Stationers, 123 & 123 William St., Also MANUFACTUEEES of every description of ACCOUNT BOOKS, Memorandums & Pass Books, a large Stock of which is constantly kept on hand. Their Assortment of SCHOOL, AND MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS, and of Foreign and Domestic is very complete, to the inspection of which they would invite Country Merchants off or 6 purchasing elsewhere. ■ill ALSO PUBLISH, KEDFIELD'S TOY BOOKS, Fonr Series of TvrelYC Books each, Beautifully Illustrated, PRICE, ONE, TWO, FOUR, AND SIX CENTS.