The Two Scouts
Once upon a time the general of an army found himself in a serious position. He was shut up in a fortified town and his food supply was very low. In order to find out something of the position, strength, and plans of the enemy, he sent two young soldiers out as scouts.
After many hardships the scouts came within sight of the enemy’s lines. While they were looking down on the hostile camp from the top of a high tree, two officers came riding toward them. When they reached the tree in which the frightened scouts were hidden, the officers stopped to rest their horses in the shade. Never dreaming that their conversation could be overheard, they discussed their plans freely and rode away. As soon as it was safe, the two scouts came to the ground.
“What a lucky escape!” said one. “We might both have been captured. This teaches us a lesson. We will separate. Then if one is captured, the other can carry our information to the general.”
So they separated, and in due time one of the scouts came into the general’s presence.
“Well,” said the general, “how many men have the enemy?”
“Ever and ever so many,” answered the scout.
“Cavalry? Artillery? What?” asked the general sharply.
“Both,” replied the scout.
“Where are they?” asked the general.
“On the other side of the wood,” said the scout.
“But can’t you give me a better idea of their number and position?” cried the impatient officer.
“I only know that there are ever and ever so many of them, and that they are scattered all over the countryside,” was the answer.
“Well, did you learn anything of their plans?” asked the almost discouraged general.
“Yes,” answered the scout eagerly. “I heard two officers talking. They are going to besiege us, attack Clifton, and wait for reënforcements.”
“But what are they going to do first?” asked the anxious general.
“I don’t remember,” was the answer.
“I know no more than I did before you started! To think of the chance you have lost!” exclaimed the officer.
Just then the second scout entered.
“What have you to report?” asked the general.
The young man drew a piece of paper toward him and by a rough sketch and a few words of explanation, showed the general the position and number of the enemy, so that he saw at a glance their strength and weakness. Then he added: “The officers that discussed their plans under our tree say that they will wait for reënforcements. Then part of their army will besiege us closely, keeping us busy, while the main army will capture Clifton.”
“You have saved our army!” cried the delighted general. “From to-day you are ranked as captain. We will break through their lines before their reënforcements come up, and march to the relief of Clifton!”
Then turning to the first scout, he said: “You saw and heard exactly the same things as this young man, but instead of bringing me news worth while, you brought only a confused report. Do you know why you failed and he succeeded?”
“Yes,” was the answer, “he’s a born scout. I’m not.”
“Nonsense!” replied the general. “He has trained himself to see exactly, to hear exactly, and to repeat exactly. That’s all that is needed to make a born scout.”
The Two Boys
Two boys were set to study the same spelling lesson. When it was time to write the lesson, one boy knew that a certain word “had an i and an e in it,” but he could not tell which came first, so he guessed and failed. When the teacher pronounced another word, he wasn’t just sure what she did say, so again he guessed and again he failed. When called upon to read the words in the lesson, he left off final letters and slurred other letters, so that he did not even pronounce the words correctly, and as a perfectly pronounced word is half spelled, he failed once more. The other boy had a perfect paper.
The teacher said: “You boys had the same list of words to study, and the same time in which to master them. You had the same chance to hear them pronounced correctly and to pronounce them yourselves. Yet John has a perfect paper, and Tom has a failure. Do you know why?”
“John is a natural-born speller,” answered Tom. “I am not.”
“Nonsense!” replied the teacher. “John has trained himself to see exactly, to make a good mind picture of the word, just as the successful scout did of the enemy’s lines, and so with his pencil he can reproduce it exactly. He, like the same scout, has trained his ear to hear exactly, and his mind to reproduce exactly. That’s all that is needed to make a born speller.”
Which scout did Tom most resemble? Which would you rather be like?
Are you a “natural-born speller,” that is, do you
- See exactly,
- Hear exactly,
- Pronounce exactly?