PROUD AND LAZY.
I.
Tommy Woggs was a funny little boy.He was very proud and very lazy. Heseemed to think he was a great man, andthat other people lived only to serve andobey him.
None of the boys and girls liked him,because he used to order them round, andbecause he thought himself so much betterthan they were.
Tommy's father was a doctor, and a richman. He could afford to have servants towait upon his son, but he was not quiterich enough to spoil the child by lettinghim do as he pleased.
There are some things that wealth cannotpurchase. It will not buy wisdom, for all[Pg 6]the money in the world would not teach aperson even to perform a simple questionin arithmetic.
It will not buy the love and respect ofothers. Many rich men are hated anddespised by nearly all who know them.
So Tommy's father could not buy aneducation for his son, nor would wealthwin for him the esteem of his companions.He must study like the children of poorpeople if he wanted to be wise; and hemust treat them well, in order to obtaintheir good will.
Tommy did not like to study, and he didlike to command others. He wished everybody to think that he was better than they,because he had been to New York, andbecause his father was rich.
Children are just like men and women.They always find out the really good boysand girls, and love and respect them. And[Pg 7]they never think much of those who thinktoo much of themselves.
When Tommy was eight years old, hisfather sent him to the village school. Itwas a public school, and it was the best inthe town. He had learned his letters athome, and was able to read a very little.
At first he was pleased with the idea ofgoing to school, and did not even tell hismother he would not go. He was very aptto say he would not do anything, when hewas told to do it.
I am sorry to add that his parents werevery much to blame, for he was an onlychild, and they did not like to cross him.They did not make him "mind," as allgood parents ought to do, and as all goodchildren are willing to do. He used to havehis own way; and when he went to school,he hardly knew what it was to obey.
Miss Dale, the teacher, gave him a good[Pg 8]seat, when he first went to school, and spokevery kindly to him. For two or three dayshe got along quite well. It was a new thingto him, and he was pleased with the schooland the teacher.
But in a little while he was tired of theplace, and of the teacher, and he had yetto learn that he could not always have hisown way.
On the fourth day of his school-life, whenMiss Dale called him up to read, he madeup his mind that he would not read.
"I don't want to read," said he.
"Perhaps you don't, Thomas. Do youknow what your father sends you to schoolfor?" replied Miss Dale.
"No, I