The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-01-05
From the American Messenger
The Four Words.

l was boy. than almost anything else
said gentlemen the other day. 81 canno,
reckon up all the coodthey have done; they
were the first words which my mother taught
me.'
Indeed what were the four little words?'
said /.
lie answered me by relating the follow.
ing story:
"My father grated y pear tree; i. was
very choice graft, aud he watched it with
great care. The second year it blcsSomed.
but it bore but one pear. They were said
to be very nice kind Of pear. and my IA
ther was quite anxious to see if they came
up to the mans promises. This single
pear, then, was an object Of some concern
TO my fithcr. lie wanted tito become fully
ripe; the high winds he hoped would not
blow OIL the pear aud he gave express d.
rections to all the children on no account TO
touch it. The graft was low, aud easily
reached by us. 1t grew finely. 81 think
that graft will meet my expectations" said
my father many times to my mother. 81
hope, now, there is some prospect Of our
having good pears"
Every body who came into the garden ne
took TO the graft, and every body said, 1T
will prove TO be most excellent pear
1t began to look very beautiful; it was
full and round; rich red glow was gradu.
ally dying its cheeks, and its grain was clear
and healthy.
Ts it not almost ripe? long for bite
cried, as | followed father one day down
the alley 10 the pear tree.
swat patiently, my child; it will not be
fully ripe for week. said my father.
81 thought loved pears better than any
thing else often used 10 stop and look
longingly up 70 this. Oh, how good il looks,
used to think, snacking my lips, wish il
was all mine.'
The early apples did not taste as good
the currans were not as relishinC, aud the
damsons thought nothing oil in comparison
with this pear. The longer ] stepped alone
under the pear tree, the greater my oLginC
for il, until vas SeIzed with the idea Of get
ting il. Oh, ! wish had il, was the selfish
thought, that gradually got uppermosi in my
mind.
One night, after we were in bed, my bro
theirs fell asleep long before did tossed
about and could not get TO sleep, Ii vas
warm, still, summer night; there was no
noon no noise except the hum Of number
less insects. My father aud my mother
were gone away. put my head out of the
window and pecpcd into the garden.
/ snuiied pleasant smells. Traced the dark
outlines OF the trees. glanced in the di-
rection of the pcartree. The penr tree, then
| the pear, My mouth was parched was
| thirsty. Thought how good would Juicy
pear taste. ! was tempted.
A few moments found me creeping down
the back stains. with neither shoes. stock
I mr. trpNy Iii l.
ing frightened me. ! stopped on every sair
10 listen. Nancy was busy somcwh here else,
and John had gone to bed. At.last fairy
felt my way 10 the garden door. 1t was
fastened. Ii seemed to take me ages toum-
lock 1t, so fearful was Of making a noise,
and the bolt grated Igot it open, went out
and .alched it after me. 1t was good TO get
out inthe cool air. ran down to the walk +.
/ The parng of my feet made no noise on
the moist earth. stopped a moment and
/ looked all around, then turned in the drec-
ton Of the pear tree. Presently | was be-
meath its branches.
! Father will think the wind has knock ed
/ It of; but there was not breath Of air stir
ring. Father will think somebody has sto-
len it-some boys came in the night and
robbed the garden-he'll never know.
[ trembled atthe thought Of what was about
to do. Oh it will taste so good. and father
never will know it. He never would think
/ ! took 1t. On tiptoe, with my hand upliited
and my head turned upward, beheld star
looking down upon me through the leaves.
"Tuou Con sErsT MEw | could not help
saying over aud over again. God seemed
on every side. He was looking me through
and through. was afraid TO look, and hid
my face. 1t seemed as if father and mother.
and all the boys, and every body IN town
would take me for thief. 1t appeared as
! though all my conduct had been seen as by
the light Of day. 1t was sometime before |
dared to move, so vivid was the impression
made upon my mind by the awful truth in
those four words, s'Thou God scest me-" !
iae,c he saw me. teH that he saw me.
| FASTENED from the pear tree; nothing on
earth would ut that moment have tempted
me to touch the pear. With very different
feelings did creep back 10 bed again.
lay down beside Asa, feeling more like a
criminal than any thing else. No one in the
house had seen me, but oh it seemed as il
every body knew il, and | should never
dare meet my fathers face again. 1t was a
great while before went to sleep. lheard
my parents come home, and involnnarly
hid my face under the sheet. But could
not hide myself from a sense Of Gods pre-
sence. His eyes seemed every where, div.
ing into the very depths of my heart. 1t
started train of influences which God be
praised, never got over. If | was ever
tempted to any secret sin. "Thou Grd seest
me-" stared me IN the face, aud stood back
restrained and aw,d.
The gentleman finished; his story inter-
es,ed me greatly. think IT will interest
many children. | hope 1t will do more than
interest them--l hope it will do them much
good.
"ThCu God sccSt me-" Those four .iu,c
words are from the Bible. Hngar uttered
them. She fled in anger from her mistress,
Sarah, aud went into the wilderness. An
angel met her by fountain Of water. The
angel babe her return TO her mistress, and
told her some things in her life, which Ia.
gar thought nobody knew but herself. "Thou
God scest me-" she exclaimed. Then she
knew it was the angel Of God, for nobody
bu, he could look into the most secret things
Children learn these four small words
Impress them upon your heart. Think oI
them when you lie down, when you get up
and when you go by the way; when alone