Story Lessons on Character-Building (Morals) and Manners Part 18

(Blackboard.)

When you have gone Wrong, Turn Back at Once.

XLIV. ONE BAD "STONE" MAY SPOIL THE "TEMPLE".

93. Intemperance.

From all these Story Lessons you will see that there are a great many "stones" for the building of "character".

But there is another thought, which is this: a =bad= "stone," =one= bad "stone" may spoil =all= the rest. You remember we said (Story Lesson 77) that Selfishness could spoil a character. And there is another fault--I think we ought to call it a sin--that spoils the character of many an up-grown person. I mean the sin of Intemperance. You know what that is, do you not? When we say that people are intemperate, we generally mean that they take too much beer or wine, and I have known most beautiful characters spoilt by that bad "stone".

When a man has lovely "stones" like Kindness, Unselfishness and Truth in his Temple, is it not a pity that these should be all eaten away by the dreadful sin of Intemperance? Even truth, the foundation, decays, and often the lovely temple of character tumbles all to ruins.

What should you think is the best thing for children to do? Is it not this? Never =take= any of these things that =cause= Intemperance, and then you will never be fond of them, and they will never get the mastery of you and spoil your character.

(Blackboard.)

It is Better not to Take Things that Cause Intemperance.

2.--MANNERS.

XLV. PRELIMINARY.

(To be read first.)

94. The Watch and its Springs.

You have heard the ticking of your father's watch, and have seen the hands on its face, but did you ever get a peep inside at the wonderful tiny wheels and springs? These are called the =works=, and if =they= are not right and true the hands and the face are of no use at all, because it is only when the =wheels= and =springs= work properly that the hands can tell the time correctly.

It is just the same with us. If the =character= is true and good, it will not be difficult to be polite and nice in manner, for manners are the =outside= part of us (just as the hands and face are the outside parts of the watch). The kind, good thoughts =within=--in our hearts--will teach us how to behave.

There is nothing that makes people so rude as thinking of self and forgetting the comfort of others; some call it "Thoughtlessness," but we fear the true name is "Selfishness". If we are =un=selfish and thoughtful for others, we shall not be likely to do anything that =hurts= people, and so we shall not be likely to be rude.

In the Story Lessons on "Manners" which follow, just see if you can find out what it is that causes each rude action. You will probably say that it is "=want of thought=" for others.

(The writer would ask the teacher, or mother, who reads the following Story Lessons to the little ones to emphasise this fact in each--that =thought for others= induces nice manners, while "Thoughtlessness" and "Selfishness" invariably lead to rudeness. Spoilt children, and those whose mothers are in the habit of doing everything for them, =miss= the training in "Thoughtfulness for others" which is so essential to the building up of an unselfish character; and so the mother's intended kindness is in reality =not= kindness, seeing that it causes distinct loss to the child, _viz._, =loss= of those traits of character which are the most desirable, and which tend to the greatest happiness.)

XLVI. ON SAYING "PLEASE" AND "THANK YOU".[18]

95. Fairy Tale of Alec and his Toys.

Alec was a merry little fellow, full of life and fun, and a great favourite with his aunties and uncles, who often gave him nice presents.

The strange thing about Alec was that he always forgot to say "Thank you". No matter how beautiful the present, he would just take it and play with it, and return no thanks to the kind giver, until his mother reminded him how rude it was not to say "Thank you". Alec was not like little Vernon (Story Lesson 44), who was br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with thanks.

One night as Alec's mother was putting him to bed, she said: "Alec, I have been reading some verses about a little girl who would not say 'Please'. She would cry 'Pa.s.s me the b.u.t.ter,' 'Give me some cheese'. So the fairies, 'this very rude maiden to tease,' carried her down into the woods, among the b.u.t.terflies and birds and bees, until she should have learnt better manners."

Alec listened with wide-open eyes fixed on his mother's face, but when she said, "I wonder what the fairies would do with a little boy who always forgets to say 'Thank you,'" his eyes dropped, and he was very quiet while his mother was tucking him in his little cot.

When she had gone Alec thought to himself, "Suppose the fairies should come and take all my toys away," then he fell asleep, and this is what happened.

The fairies =did= come, and Alec saw them. Such funny little fellows they were, dressed in red, with funny little wings stuck out behind, and the funniest of little peaked caps on their heads.

Alec began to wonder about his toys, and sure enough they had come to fetch them. First they picked up a beautiful, long railway train, which was a present from Aunt Sophie. It took them all to lift it, there were so many carriages. (Why do they not draw it along? thought Alec.) Up on their shoulders it went. Would the peaked caps fall off? No, they were all tilted sideways, and the train was borne safely out.

Soon the funny little fairies came dancing in again, laughing and rubbing their hands as they looked all about. Surely they were not going to take the Noah's ark! =That= was Uncle Jack's present, and the animals were such beauties! But that did not matter to the fairies. Slowly the ark was lifted on their shoulders; six fairies were on one side and six on the other; again the peaked caps were tilted sideways, and solemnly they all marched out.

Next time they pulled out a wooden horse, papa's gift, and Alec saw that the fairies all jumped on its back, and then a funny thing happened--the horse walked out of its own accord.

Again and again they came in and bore away one precious toy after another, until there was nothing left but grandpapa's gift--the tricycle. Surely they will leave that! Alec never knew until now how much he loved his toys; but here they are again, and, yes! they are actually bringing out the tricycle. One sits on the saddle, one on each pedal, and all the rest on the handle-bar. Now the pedals go round, and, strange to say, the funny little men do not fall off. The tricycle seems to go of itself, as the horse did.

And now, oh dear! =everything= is gone, and Alec thinks he is worse off than the little girl who was carried away by the fairies.

Morning comes! Alec wakes and rubs his eyes; what has happened? Oh! the toys! Quick as thought he is out of bed, and off to the playroom in his night-dress. Where are the toys? All there, just as he left them last night. "It was only a dream, then," said Alec; "how glad I am that it is not true, but all the same I =will= remember to say 'Thank you' in future," and he did.

(Blackboard.)

Always Remember to say "Please" and "Thank you,"

not in a Whisper, but loudly enough to be Heard.

FOOTNOTE:

[18] Nos. 15, 18 and 19 in _Games Without Music_ are games that might be used in connection with above Story Lesson.

XLVII. ON BEING RESPECTFUL.

96.

If you should see the sailors on board s.h.i.+p when they are receiving orders from the captain, you will notice how polite and respectful they are. They never forget to say "Yes, sir," or "No, sir," when he speaks to them. Perhaps the captain was once a little cabin-boy himself, and he, in his turn, had to learn to be respectful to his captain.