Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1859-02-24
Be Gentle and 0bligIng.


so, don't disturb me, I'm reading"
was the answer. -..
''But Just hold this stick, won't you,
while drive this pm through go
81 can't now, / want to finish this sto-
ry," said / emphatically; and my little
brother turned away with disappointed
look, in search of somebody else to assist
him.
He was a bright boy of ten years, and
my only brothers He had been visiting
a young friend, and had seen windmill,
and as soon as be came home his energies
were all employed in making small one;
for he was always trying to make tops,
wheelharrows, kites, and all sorts Of
things, such as boys delight in. He had
worked patiently all the morning with saw
and iack-knife, and now it only needed
putting together to complete it-and his
only sister had refused to assist him, and
he had gone away with his young heart
Saddene6. I ll1 oaA 4 s @ i
| thought Of all this inthe fifteen minutes
after he had left me, and my book gave
me no pleasure. 1t was not intentional
unkindness, only thoughtlessness, for ]
loved my brother, and was generally kind
him still, had refused to help him. /
would have gone after him, and afforded
the assistance needed, but / knew he had
found some one else. But ! had neglect
ed an opportunity of gladdening child
ish heart. 1 .llraa
In half an hour he came bounding into
the house, exclaiming, "Come, Mary, Eve
got it up; just see how it goes!'' His
tones were Joyous, and I saw he had for
gotten my petulance, so determined to
atone by unusual kindness. | went with
him, and sure enough, on the roof of the
wood-house, was fastened miniature
windmill, and the arms were whirling
around fast enough to suit any boy. /
praised the windmill and my little broth
er's ingenuity, and he seemed happy and
entirely forgetful of my unkindhess, and
l resolved, as | had many times before,
to be always loving and gentle.
A few days passed by, and the shadow
of great sorrow darkened our dwelling.
The joyous laugh and noisy glee were
hushed, and our merry boy lay in dark
ened room with anxious faces around him,
his cheeks flushed, and his eyes unnatu-
rally bright. Sometimes his temples
would moisten, and his muscles relax, and
then hope would come into our hearts,
and our eyes would fill with thankful
tears. 1t was in one of these deceitful
calms in his disease that he heard the
noise of his little wheel, and said. 81 hear
my windmill" al
"Does it make your head ache?' ]
asked. ''Shall we take it down?" '.l'
40, no." replied he, it seems as if ]
were out of doors, and it makes me feel
better" lar. ---
He mused moment, and then added,
"Don't you remember, Mary, that want
ed you TO help me fix it, and you was
reading, and told me you could not But
it didn't make any difference, for mamma
helped me-"
) o, how sadly those words fell upon my
ears, and what bitter memories they
awakened! How repented, as kissed
little Franks forehead, that l had ever
spoken unkindly to him Hours of sor-
row went by, and we watched his cough,
hope growing fainter and fainter, and
anguish deeper. till one week from the
morning on which he spoke Of his child
ish sports, we closed the eyes once SC
sparklings, and folded his hands over
! his pulseless heart. He sleeps now in
the grave, and home is desolate; but
D the little windmill, the work of his busy
hands, is still swinging in tie breeze
just where he placed it, upon the rool
D of the old woodshed; and every time
J see the tiny arms revolving, / remem
: Der the lost little Frank-and Iremem
e Der also the thoughtless, unkind words
: Brothers and sisters, be kind to eact
: other. Be gentle, considerate, and low
ing.