St Stan Illustrated Story

A fter the boy’s first embarrassing experience at school his fa- ther unhesitatingly rejected the many petitions to let him try again. Quite evidently the word had got around that Thomas’ son was an ignoramus. Another such experience would be too much for the family name. Nevertheless, we do find John back at school. One day, without the knowledge of his parents and with the aid of one of the farm hands, he sneaked out of the house and spent the afternoon at school. Patiently, yet doubting whether his efforts would be successful, the teacher began to teach the boy the alphabet. What a peasant and almost unbelievable surprise it must have been to him to find John mastering his ABC’s within a few hours. What was more, it wasn’t long before the boy overtook his classmates. John completed the rural three-year elementary grades along with his class and without any difficulty. A curious change came over John when he passed from the el- ementary grades to “Grammar School” lever. The 10-year- old boy, who had always been a model of diligence, developed a sudden dislike for school and study, and wanted only to go his own way in comfortable idleness. One day, instead of settling down to his homework, he decided to take a peep at the young storks in their nest on the thatched room, and began climbing a ladder placed against the barn wall. In doing so, he leaned just a bit too far over the edge of the ladder and, with a loud scream, came tumbling down. His mother, frantic with anxiety, dashed out of the house. The lad lay unconscious, with blood from a deep gash soaking the ground under him. To his mother, numb with fear, he looked more dead than alive; in her imagination she already saw him a permanent cripple. The results of the fall might well have been tragic, but, once again, we are told, recourse was had in fervent prayer to Our Blessed Lady, and Mary’s motherly intercession did not fail the pious mother. John was restored to complete hearth within a short time. 25