# Frank and the Hourglass - Source: McGuffey's Second Reader (second-reader.gutenberg.org), Public domain, William Holmes McGuffey, 1879, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Grades 1 and 2 - Subjects: Stories - Topics: mother, never, said, sand, frank, little - Length: 387 words, about 3 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: FRANK AND THE HOURGLASS. - Frank was a very talkative little boy. He never saw a new thing without asking a great many questions about it. - His mother was very patient and kind. When it was proper to answer his questions, she would do so. - Sometimes she would say, "You are not old enough to understand that, my son. When you are ten years old, you may ask me about it, and I will tell you." - When his mother said this, he never teased any more. He knew she always liked to answer him when he asked proper questions. - The first time Frank saw an hourglass, he was very much amused; but he did not know what it was. - His mother said, "An hourglass is made in the shape of the figure 8. The sand is put in at one end, and runs through a small hole in the middle. As much sand is put into the glass as will run through in an hour." - Frank watched the little stream of sand. He was impatient, because it would not run faster. "Let me shake it, mother," said he; "it is lazy, and will never get through." - "Oh yes, it will, my son," said his mother, "The sand moves by little and little, but it moves all the time. - "When you look at the hands of the clock, you think they go very slowly, and so they do; but they never stop. - "While you are at play the sand is running, grain by grain, The hands of the clock are moving, second by second. - "At night, the sand in the hourglass has run through twelve times. The hour hand of the clock has moved all around its great face. - "This because they keep work every minute. They do not stop to think how much they have to do, and how long it will take them to do it." - Now, Frank's mother wanted him to learn a little hymn; but he said "Mother, I can never learn it." - His mother said, "Study all the time. Never stop to ask how long it will take to learn it. You will be able to say it very soon." - Frank followed his mother's advice. He studied line after line, very busily; and in one hour and a half he knew the hymn perfectly. ## Picture credits - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain () - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain ()