The boys admitted the truth of this, and, as no other plan was presented, the rule was adopted of requiring all those who were tardy to remain in their seats during the recess, whether they were necessarily tardy or not.  The plan very soon diminished the number of loiterers.

4.  HELEN’S LESSON.—­The possibility of being inflexibly firm in measures, and, at the same time, gentle and mild in manners and language, is happily illustrated in the following description, which is based on an incident narrated by Mrs. Sherwood: 

“Mrs. M. had observed, even during the few days that Helen had been under her care, that she was totally unaccustomed to habits of diligence and application.  After making all due allowance for long-indulged habits of indolence and inattention, she one morning assigned an easy lesson to her pupil, informing her at the same time that she should hear it immediately before dinner.  Helen made no objections to the plan, but she silently resolved not to perform the required task.  Being in some measure a stranger, she thought her aunt would not insist upon perfect obedience, and besides, in her estimation, she was too old to be treated like a child.

“During the whole morning Helen exerted herself to be mild and obliging; her conduct toward her aunt was uncommonly affectionate.  By these and various other artifices she endeavored to gain her first victory.  Meanwhile Mrs. M. quietly pursued her various avocations, without apparently noticing Helen’s conduct.  At length dinner-hour arrived; the lesson was called for, but Helen was unprepared.  Mrs. M. told Helen she was sorry that she had not learned the lesson, and concluded by saying that she hoped she would be prepared before tea-time.

“Helen, finding she was not to come to the table, began to be a little alarmed.  She was acquainted in some measure with the character of her aunt, still she hoped to be allowed to partake of the dessert, as she had been accustomed to on similar occasions at home, and soon regained her wonted composure.  But the dinner-cloth was removed, and there sat Helen, suffering not a little from hunger; still she would not complain; she meant to convince her aunt that she was not moved by trifles.

“A walk had been proposed for the afternoon, and as the hour drew near, Helen made preparations to accompany the party.  Mrs. M. reminded her of her lesson, but she just noticed the remark by a toss of the head, and was soon in the green fields, apparently the gayest of the gay.  After her return from the excursion she complained of a head-ache, which in fact she had.  She threw herself languidly on the sofa, sighed deeply, and took up her History.

“Tea was now on the table, and most tempting looked the white loaf.  Mrs. M. again heard the pupil recite, but was sorry to find the lesson still imperfectly prepared.  She left her, saying she thought half an hour’s additional study would conquer all the difficulties she found in the lesson.