Show I 1 john quincy adams as a grandfather he taught the little mary louisa her alphabet and it ib was a proud day when she did really know tier her letters she was promoted at once to the bible mr johnson says saya in a letter I 1 the religious element was a dominant character isue of president ident john quincy adams the bible was to him the book of books the bum of all truth the main staff of life and hope of immortality the very substance of hoped for he was a most assiduous student of its pages tind not a day was f ver allowed to pass without the reading of at least a chapter and it was his ever constant resort for rest or rear refreshment s he thought it should be the he at first 6 book for or infant eyes to peruse as well el as aa the last in the hands of expiring age e I 1 in this regard his first care was that as soon 0 n as might be the baby mary child of his 8 delight should bo be taught to read and this he be made his bis personal care with such suc success cless that at the age of three years she was able to commence the reading to him bim of the bible in course as a daily duty thus at the period of my first meeting her at thirteen years of a abc a she he was well on in the fourth perusal of atit the h e bible word by word verso verse and chapter this fact act I 1 have heard repeatedly from the whole family and have of often ten heardie he beard ardic lic from the presidents own lips uttered with a rapt expression of triumph naturally one of her grandfathers early gifts was a bible the one he gave kr her at nine mine has a presentation poem the casket from his bis own peu pen there Ther was ewas a younger sister sinter geor glana frances France sand and miss A adams says that they both used to go to their grandfathers room every morning morn irs to read the bible with him he was of offen te U of course amused at the remarks they sturdily made and the questions they asked he always she says attended the unitarian tarlan church in the morning and the presbyterian in the afternoon and always some of the young people west went with him he did not like to hear young the sermons or the music he would say never a sermon that bad not some good in it for hick to imagine the abe great statesman with the little girls at his knee talking to them over the open bible is to see a beautiful picture it accords with the grandeur of the man who disdained disdain ed to possess Is a language official and a language confidential whom party could not rule nor guide gaide nor hold bold nor count lle won on whom the mere politician canno cannot iQ this day understand under fath forgive it accords wit Athe simplicity ef the man who when an C old man as trustingly as his bis little granddaughters might used ased to repeat every night now lay me down to sleep I 1 pray ray the lord my soul to keep Q it I 1 should die before I 1 wake I 1 pray the lord my soul to uke lake and this I 1 ask tor for jesus sake he wrote long letters from time to time to this dear granddaughter the sheets show the same neatness and precision which characterize the dla ries and the state papers the same elegance of diction and chirography which the venerable gentleman of threescore years and ten commends to the young girl though the pen strokes are tremulous he must have written with the aid of the steel ring and pen socket which he be wore in his old age to steady his pen 1 I wa wag rejoiced also to find your our handwriting much improved because I 1 acel th atwith perseverance and attention you will ere long write as aa neat and elegant a hand as your own mamma and in my judgment that is one of the most precious accomplishments that a jadv can acquire this neatness of handwriting is ob tai anly by constant practice continued tor for years and that same me practice while improving the hand has the same favorable effect upon the style this is the secret of the fact long observed both in france and england of the superiority of the female style of letter writing another and still more elevated accomplishment for a lady this letter should benefit ben s befit our sirls girls of fourteen as aa doubtless it did little miss adams from children of the white house bouse 1 in nov wide awake |