Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-02-08
A SOFT ANSWE

A group of little children were playing
on the pavement of large and hand :
some dwelling. The eldest of them could
not have been more than eight years of
age, and from that they descended 10 the
little curly haired innocents of two sum
mers. They played for nearly half an
hour, all harmony and peace, when a lit
tie golden haired pratter wished to PLAY
! different from the rest.
: No, you shaa';, Fanny Bird" ex-
claimed the eldest of the group.
Yes, but | will, play Just as | please.
You have no right 70 dictate to me, Nit
tie Conway"
You always spoil our play" said Nit
tie; ''and | just wish YOU would stay at
home, and never cone near my house !;
! hate"
Mlttie," said a gentle voice, and a
| girl about sixteen came out of the dwell
ling. Instantly little MittIe stopped her
harsh, loud speaking, and came to the
girls side.
Lena" she said, Fanny Bird has
spoiled our play. Make her go home !;
she is so hateful"
Hush, Mute. do not speak thus of
your playmate. She did not intend to
spoil your play
''Yes, she did, Lena. She was, oh,
so angry, and she did it on purpose"
My dear little Miuie, YOU must not
be SO hasty. When Fanny got angry
with you, you should either have renamed
silent or else answered her kindly
Your reply exasperated her. Don, you
know a soft answer turneth away wrath
but grievous words stir up anger!'"
" So you tell me, Lena but | can't do
it, when Fanny spoils our play"
Yes, you can, Mite. Fanny is a
very little girl. and you should not have
answered her harshIy as you did. If
she proposes a play in which you do not
wish to engage, tell he gently that you
do not wish to play that now, but after
awhile she may if she wishes That, my
little girl, would be a soft answer, and
you would find that it would save manv
an angry word and an unhappy feeling,
between you and your little playmates-
Now will not Mittie try to be kind and
gentle, and ever to remember that 9 a
soft answer turneth away wrath, but
/ grlevcus words stir up anger p"
:" | will try, Lena; and now l wlll go
and tell Fanny she may come and play"
| q Go, dear, that will make a very
good beginning" And bending over,
| Lena kissed Mittie's cheek, and watched
/ her as she ran OF in search Of her often
! ded playmate, to try the power of a soft
and gentle word and ere long they re-
turned, laughing and talking as me.rily
as though hard word had never passed
between them.
/ | gazed upon that fair young girl as
she stood looking at the children, with a
look of such calm, holy peace resting up
on her countenance, and | felt that she
practlced the doctrine which she was
/ teaching lIule Mittie. a soft answer
turneth away wrath. but grievous words
/ stir up anger"
saw 1t shining from her dark eye. It
was marked upon her smiling mouth !;
and doubt not, had the history of her
/ life been written, young as she was, i.
would have been one of self-sacrifcin3
! love and charity. /" A soft answer turn
eth away wrath" How true it is, and
what heart aches, and what anguish might
/ be saved, did every one act III accoraan nee
with that little sentence.
As | walked on, musing upon the lit
tie scene | had witnessed, repeated to
myself piece of poetry | had read a
+ few days since.
Speak gently, it is better far
To rule by love than fear:
/ Speak gently. lei n, harsh words mar
The good might do here"
\ gentle word is a very little thing,
and yet what vast deal of good may be
accomplished by ii!
4 SPIcY ANswER-W hen Judge Nc