Jessie by Walter Aimwell

Jessie had one secret that she preserved very carefully from even her / most intimate friends. She kept a "journal," or daily record of her / life. Not that she was ashamed to have this known, but regarding it as a / strictly private matter, she preferred to keep it entirely to herself. / She was induced to commence keeping a journal by some remarks made by / Mr. Upton, the preceptor of the academy, to his older scholars, near the / close of the previous year. He recommended the practice of journalizing / very highly, and mentioned quite a number of benefits that were usually / derived from it, by the young, the chief of which were these:

1. It aids in acquiring an improved and distinctive handwriting.