The New McGuffey Fourth Reader | Page 5

a
heap of stones.
If the owner of the stolen property had not been more merciful than the
master mason, it might have gone hard with our friend Benjamin and
his comrades. But, luckily for them, the gentleman had a respect for
Ben's father, and, moreover, was pleased with the spirit of the whole
affair. He therefore let the culprits off easily.
But the poor boys had to go through another trial, and receive sentence,
and suffer punishment, too, from their own fathers. Many a rod was
worn to the stump on that unlucky night. As for Ben, he was less afraid
of a whipping than of his father's reproof. And, indeed, his father was
very much disturbed.
"Benjamin, come hither," began Mr. Franklin in his usual stern and
weighty tone. The boy approached and stood before his father's chair.
"Benjamin," said his father, "what could induce you to take property
which did not belong to you?"
"Why, father," replied Ben, hanging his head at first, but then lifting his
eyes to Mr. Franklin's face, "if it had been merely for my own benefit, I
never should have dreamed of it. But I knew that the wharf would be a
public convenience. If the owner of the stones should build a house
with them, nobody would enjoy any advantage but himself. Now, I
made use of them in a way that was for the advantage of many
persons."

"My son," said Mr. Franklin solemnly, "so far as it was in your power,
you have done a greater harm to the public than to the owner of the
stones. I do verily believe, Benjamin, that almost all the public and
private misery of mankind arises from a neglect of this great truth,--that
evil can produce only evil, that good ends must be wrought out by good
means."
To the end of his life, Ben Franklin never forgot this conversation with
his father; and we have reason to suppose, that, in most of his public
and private career, he sought to act upon the principles which that good
and wise man then taught him.
DEFINITIONS:--In defining words, that meaning is given which is
appropriate to them in the connection in which they are used. The pupil
should look in the dictionary for the meaning of all the others with
which he is not perfectly familiar.
Quagmire, soft, wet, miry land. Outskirt, borders. Plague, bother, great
trouble. Plight, condition. Wharf, a platform on the shore of a harbor,
river, or lake, extending some way into the water. Comrades,
companions, playfellows. Magistrate, an officer of the law, justice of
the peace. Ringleader, the leader of several persons acting together.
Culprits, wrong-doers. Solemnly, with great dignity. Induce, lead
persuade. Benefit, profit, accomodation. Verily, truly.
EXERCISE.--Where is Boston? How long ago did Benjamin Franklin
live? Learn all that you can about his life and work, and repeat it to the
class at the next recitation.

A HARD WORD.
"P-o po, p-o po, Popo, c-a-t cat, Popocat--Oh dear, what a hard word!
Let me see, Po-po-cat-e-petl. I can never pronounce it, I am sure. I wish
they would not have such hard names in geography," said George
Gould, quite out of patience. "Will you please tell me how to
pronounce the name of this mountain, father?"
"Why, do you call that a hard word to pronounce, George? I know
much harder words than that."
"Well, father this is the hardest word I ever saw," replied George. "I
wish they had put the name into the volcano, and burned it up."
"I know how to pronounce it," said Jane. "It is Po-po' ca-ta'petl."
"Po-po' ca-ta'petl," said George, stopping at each syllable. "Well, it is

not so very hard, after all; but I wish they would not have any long
words, and then one could pronounce them easily enough."
"I do not think so," said his father. "Some of the hardest words I have
ever seen are the shortest. I know one little word, with only two letters
in it, that very few children, or men either, can always speak."
"Oh, I suppose it is borne French or German word; isn't it, father?"
"No: it is English; and you may think it strange, but it is just as hard to
pronounce in one language as another."
"Only two letters! What can it be?" cried both the children.
"The hardest word," replied their father, "I have ever met with in any
language--and I have learned several--is a little word of two
letters--N-o, no."
"Now you are making fun of us!" cried the children: "that is one of the
easiest words in the world." And, to prove that their father was
mistaken, they both repeated, "N-o, no; n-o, no," a great many times.
"I am not joking in the least. I really