PATRICK'S CHILDHOOD
(Patrick Henry is one of the leaders of the War of Independence and a famous orator.)
The teacher stood before the children in the old one-room shcool and told them proudly, "Our new school supplies have arrived from England. Each one of you will now have something to write on." He showed them the square slates that had come from England."Now,"he continued, "I need some fishing-line to put through the holes in the slates, so that you can hang them around yours necks."
The small boy in the front now quickly tried to hide his fishing-line, but it was too late.
"Patrick,"said the teacher,"give me that fishing-line."
Slowly the boy gave him the line and watched as the teacher cut it into short pieces. The fishing-line was gone. Patrick would pull no fish out of the river this afternoon. Sadlly, he closed his blue eyes.
"Now," said the teacher, after each child had received his slate,"find the answer to this problem":
9373783648563901423894*
95674892037060215961276=?
Patrick made a sound as though he were in pain, and rested his head in his hands.
"Patrick,why aren't you working?"
"It's useless."
"Useless?"
"When will I ever need to do a problem that looks like this?"
"Patrick, you are a fool!" shouted the teacher, taking hold of a stick and hitting the boy across the legs.
Walking through the rorest on his way home, Patrick thought of what a bad day in school it had been.But every day was a bad day for him.
Patrick's home was a Christian one, and it taught him many of the values of life. But from his schooling, he learned little. When he was in school, he spent most of his time thinking of ways to play.Patrick's parents did not know what to do with him.His father would hit him at times,and his mother thought God might help her son.One day she took Patrick to church with her to Mr Davies who was considered to be a very good speaker.
"How many of us,"shouted Mr Davies at the top of his voice,"cry peace,peace to our hearts, when there is no peace!"
Patrick the unhappy shcoolboy who want to be left alone to enjoy the peace of nature, thought those words wonderful.On the way home, his mother asked Patrick waht Mr Davies had said.She was surprised to learn that the boy was able to speak like Mr Davies,and that he remembered everything that had been said.
His father talked with his brother about the problem of Patrick."This boy of mine is part wild,"he said,I don't know what to do with him and neither does the teacher."
"Your boy is no fool.He has an unusually good mind and notices and remembers everything.Give him time."
But soon everyone felt that he had been given enough time, and at the age of ten, Patrick left school forever.This was a great pleasure to both Patrick and the school.
Patrick's father decided that his son would be taught at home, ahd his brother came from church to help him.With hard work they taught the boy to read and count,and even to enjoy Latin, the language spoken centuries ago by the people of Italy.Patrick continued to enjoy Latin all his life.His uncle also gave the young boy rules to guide him in life, most of which came from writting of the Church of England.Fifty years later,Patrick still remebered every word without looking at the book.
By the time Patrick was 14, his family moved to a new place near a mountain. The house was built on high ground,and the forest all around were filled with animals to hunt.
"This time has come for you to work, my boy,"said his fatherddddd.
Sadlly, Patrick agreed with his father.He opened a shop with his brother.Patrick weighed sugar and measured cloth.His brother was little help.Patrick kept a notebook in which he wrote the price of everything he had sold, and he was careful with his handwritting.Sometimes he sat for hours in the dark airless room,wishing he could be out in the bright sun.If the days were too beautiful the brothers would close the shop,leaving behind a sign which read: Gone hunting.
The country shop, at that time, was where people met their friends.It was a place where people would gather to talk about what was happening in town and in the colony.Before Patrick's wooden table,a thousand scens were acted, and at thousands stories told.
If the buyers were happy and full of talk, Patrick listened very carefully. If they were slow and quiet, he knew how to make them talk. He liked to hear diferent opinions.The neighbour told his father,"Your son knows how to get everyone's opinion without making known what he thinks.He sounds like a real lawyer."
On stormy days, when the shop was quiet, Patrick enjoyed playing his music.To his own surprise,he also began to enjoy reading.He read a great number of books,especially history, but when people came into the shop, he quickly put the books under the table. He did not want anyone to think he was trying to make himself seem more important than they.
There was always much interesting talk when Uncle Langloo visited the shop. One day, he came in and said," There's goint to be trouble,Patrick,my boy. The French plan to control the Ohio Valley, and we Virginians are not going to allow it."
"What will you do, Uncle Langloo?"
"Fight."
"Who will be your leader？The French, with Indian help, will be very strong."
"There is a young man with a good mind.Everyone likes him.It is George Washington."
Patrick wished he could go to join battle with Langloo and leave the shop forever.What he didn't know was that his wish would come true. He did leave the shop one day, and not just to go hunting.He became an important leader in American history.
The great man always have some shortages.In my opinion,the God
is very fair to everyone.Your childhood is not happy, you
will success in the future.Because of hard living before,then he will study and work much more hard.Most parents cultivates their children like it. That is a theory.[ 此帖被左。微希在2011-09-18 22:15重新编辑 ]
