Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-08-06
WHEAT OR TARES-
BY T. s. ARTHUR.

Fanny, dear, in the mind OF this little fel-
low!'' said Uncle Lincoln to his neice, Mrs.
Howard; and he lifted child. not beyond
his fourth summer, upon his knee. and laid
one of his hands amid the golden curls that
fell abort his neck, and clustered about his
snowy tempes.
| "Wheat trust, Uncle Linesln,'' reFffed
Mrs. Howard, smiling, yet serious "lt is
the enemy who sows tares-and / am his
mother"
There was glow of proud feeling m the
eountenance of Mrs. Howard, as she safd,
81 am his MOTHER
It was Mr.. Lincoln's first visit to his niece
since her marriage and removal to city
some hundred miles away from her old
home.
t.Even a mothers hard may suw tafes;'
said the old gentlemen. 81 have seen II
done many times. Not of design, but in
| thoughtless inattentiou to the quality of
| seed she held in her hand. The enemy
mixes tares with wheat quite as often as he
scatters evil seed. The usband-man must
not onlv watch his fields by night and day
but also the repositories of his ground, lcst
the enemy cause him TO SOW tares as well
as wheat, upon his own fruitful ground
| "Wiliie,' said Mrs. Howard, speaking to
her little boy. about ten minutes afterwards,
stdon't upset nv work basket; stop, l say
you little rogue!'
Seeing that the wayward child did not
mean TO heed her words, the mother start ed
| forward, but not in time to prevent the
spools of cotton, scissors, emery, cushion
&C.. from being scattered about the floor.
Willie laughed in great glee at this ex-
plot, while Mrs. Howard gathered up the
contents of the work basket, which she now
placed on the shelf above the reach of her
mischievous boy Then she shook her in-
ger at him in mock resentment, saying
"Yeu little sinner! II you do that again,
I'll send you off with the milk man."
"Wheat or tares. FanuY." Uncle Lin
coin inquired as he looked soberly at his
neice.
Neither replied Mrs. Howard. smiling
gayly.
"Tares,'' said Uncle Lincoln, emphatically.
"Nonsense, u ncle!';
oThe tares of disobedience, Fanny
You have planted the seed, and it has al
ready taken root. Nathing will choke out
the wheat sooner. The tares of falsehood
y O0 dlsU lHIOW AA upon tAV ot0hOA
soil. What, are you thinking about, my
child!''
ssThe tares of falsehood, Uncle Lincoln.
What are you thinking about" said Mrs
Howard in real surprise.
"Did you not say that you would send him
off with the milkman if he did that again!
wonder if he believed you?"
"Of course he did not"
"Then,'' said Uncle Lincoln, sshe has al
reedy discovered that his mother makes Dus
light account of truth. Will his mother be
surprised if he should grow up to set small
value on his word."
aYou treat this matter too seriously, Uncle.
He knows that l am only playing with
him.
"He knows that you are telling him what
is not true" replied Mr.. Lincoln.
"lt was only in SPORT SAID Fanny per-
sistently.
But in sport with sharp p-edged instru-
ments-playing with deadly poisons. -
The old gentlem an looked and spoke with
the seriousness tha oppressed his feelings.
" Fanny Fanny Truth and obedience
are good seed. Falseho cd and disebedience
are tares from the Evil One. Whatever
you plant in the garden of your child will
grow, and the harvest will be wheat or tares
just as you have sown."
Mrs. Howard did not reply, but her coun-
tenance took on a sober cast.
Willie,'' said she few moments after
wards. "go down to Jane and sssll sell her TO bring
me glass of water
Willie, who was amusing himself with
ha9 his
name, but, as he did not feel like going off
to the kitchen, he made no response, and let
his eyes turn to the pictures in which he
had become interested.
sWillie!'' Mrs. Howard spoke with de-
cision, ''did you hear met"
81 don't want to co. answered Willie"
$50 this minute."
81 am afraid"
"Afraid Of whai!'' inquired the moth
er.
stAiraiid OF the ca: ~ =--=----
"No, you are not The cat never hurt
you or any body else.''
"I an afraid of the milknaE. You said
he would carry me off,
ssThe milkman is not down stairs,'' said
Mrs. Howard, her face beginning to Grim
son; che only comes in the morning"
ayes he is. | heard his wagon a little
while ago, and he is talking with Jane now.
Don't you hear him % said the little fellow,
with re cmarkable skill, having all the SEM
blance of truth in his tone and expression.
Mrs. Howard did not look towards her I'm
| Gle, she was afraid to do that.
''Willie," the mother spoke very seriously
'iyoh know that the milkman is not down
stairs, and you know that you are not afraid
of the cdt. What you have said therefore
is not true; and it is wicked to utt3t false
hood.''
"Ho! ho!' laughed out the bright-eyed
| little fellow, evidently amused at his own
sharpness; "then you are wicked for you say
that which is not true cry days
| "Wilie?"
ssThe milkman has not car ried me off
yet"
| There was world OF meaning in Willie's
| face and voice.
"You haven't whipped me for throwing
my cap out of the window
! "Willie!' calculated the astonshed tioth-
er.
"D'ye see that!" and the young rebel drew
from his apr on pocket fine mosaic breast
! pun, Wu1Oh Hnu PoSuFely UeeH ioEutuaCu ~
touch, and held it up with lock OF triumph
and defiance.
"You little wretch." exclaimed Mrs. How.
ard, "this is going too far;'' and. springing
towards her boy, she grappled him in her
arms, and fed with her struggling burden
from the room,
It was quarter of an hour before she re.
turned alone to the apartment where she
had left her Uncle. Her face was sober and
her eyes betrayed receat tears.