ay round to get his education, that is all. For
education is nothing but a training which enables us to live and be
useful to others; and if when we're through we can't do that all the
book learning in the world isn't going to be worth much to us."

"Why, Mother, I thought you were terribly keen on schools," ejaculated
Mary, aghast.

"So I am, my dear. A fine mind thoroughly trained is a glorious tool;
but far too often people forget that it is simply a tool. Just
sharpening and polishing it and never turning it to account for other
people isn't what it was made for. Learn all you can so you will be
able to help the world along the better. But don't just soak up and
soak up what books tell you and then store it away in your head like so
much old lumber."

"But what can you do with what you read, Ma?" Carl questioned, laying
down his whittling and facing his mother.

"Precisely what you have been doing this morning, for one thing," was
the quiet answer. "Pass it on to somebody else who hasn't read it. Mary
and I, for example, hadn't read about England and the early spinning
wheels. We hadn't the time to; nor had we the book. You've managed to
tell us quite a lot."

"Maybe I could tell you some more, if you wanted me to," said Carl,
urged on by altruistic impulse.

"Of course we do," his mother replied.

Carl took a long breath and considered thoughtfully.

"Well, what knocked me was that at first the English government didn't
want any cotton cloth made," began he.

"Why not? I should think they would have been delighted!" Mary put in.

"Oh, the English made a lot of woolen goods, and they had a hunch that
cotton cloth might cut into the trade for wool and fustians. So
Parliament passed a law placing a five-pound fine on any of the British
who wore things made of colored calico. As the restriction also covered
the use of painted, dyed or stenciled cottons it knocked out all these
products for hangings, bedspreads, or coverings."

"How horrid of them!" said Mary indignantly.

"They were darned afraid of their trade being interfered with, you
see," explained her brother. "I believe you could use an all blue
calico and of course there was no objection to making cotton cloth into
underclothes; also you were allowed to use a cloth woven of cotton and
wool. But you mustn't wear any pretty figured cotton dresses. When the
people heard that they kind of rose up, and when the government found
out they wouldn't stand