The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-07-27
I'm 4 MINUTE

what an you think lnhnny's birthday
present was: A Mheelbarrow. lie was sS
years old. And how rich he felt. Nav
can wheel mothers dinner home from mar.
krl," he said, "and can help father, and ID
ever 80 many things" That is right. Il i.
SO pleasant to do little services for others
especially for our parents.
For two days lie often asked, " Mother
what can wheel for yous Bot she had no
thing 10 be wheeled. aud so she SAID, i" Thank
YOU, Tommy; by -ald-bye | shail have some.
thing far you 10 de- johnny wished il was
nuw, aud not By and.bye
About four days after, johnny anil his bar.
row and some boys were down by the frog.
pond at play. AID what DO sou think they
were wheeling: ur mndturtes Which one
of the boys found 10 the swamp. do moi
know how much pleasure il gave the turtles,
for they could not laugh aud talk about il,
but the boys had good fun.
In little while Juhnny's mother called
him. lie heard her cal the Ir,t time, and
the second. but lie was too busy t. mind it.
Ills sister then came TO find him. johnny,
mother want, you to 20 down street and bring
home some fish," !" Don't want 10, answer.
ed he. Yes, but mother wants you TO-"
said his sister. I'm taking my turtles to
ride, and can't" cried Johnny. Il don't
want TO-" Come" cried his sister. In
a minute" cried Johnny.
How long do YOU suppose that minute was
1t was nearly half an hour, and might have
been a great deal longer, only that lie pitch.
ed into the mud; over went Johnny, wheel
barrow aud all. '.Oh dear dear 20 he cried,
picking himself up. and looking at his dirty
clothes. Now Ne thought Of mother. lie
could run TO her fast enough, now that he
had need Of her help, but he could not 90
when she needed his. Oh the selfish little
boy I! Ills conscience smote him. lie was
lpath TO show himself; but 90 home he must,
for who would take care Of such a pitiiul-
looking child but mother.
Home he trudged, leaving the boys to fetch
bis barrow. Il was a sober walk. "0h
DEAR" he cried. coming into the kitchen I;
indeed, he was almost ready TO cry. partly
fOr the mud, but most for fear u what his mn
iher would say. She heard him, and turned
round. You dirty boy, 90 away" cried
his aunt. Come here, my child" cried
his msthcr. All that is mother she Is AZ.
ways ready TO receive her child. however sad
lis plight. The mother took her boy. wash.
ed him, undresscd him, and dressed him
again in clean sweet clothes. She did not
talk much, but she was very kind aud very
sad, too. Ah! she did not begrudge sery.
ins him Johnny felt her kindness. and
more and more lie felt his own disobedience
and lisobligngness.
Mother" at last he said, 81 am going to
kill my turtles" "Why II she asked.
+" Because" cried Johnny, "because they
wouldn't let me 20 down street for you"
" Did the poor little turtles beg you not to
mind moiheri" she asked. mot in so ma.
ny words" answered Johnny slowly but
they seemed to say. Stay, STAY a minute"
i" And do you think il was the poor little
turtles that said that /" asked his mother,
Johnny hung down his head, as we'll he
might, trying TO throw the blame Of his dis.
obedience on the turtles, and not where il
properly belonged, on his own naughty will.
Adam aud Eve Gid just 50, when they did not
mind God in the garden Of Eden. Eve said
Il was the serpent who made her do wrong.
Adam said il was Eve that made him do
wrong. You see wrong.dOing is always COW.
afdly, trying to make excuses, aud throwing
The blame upon somebody else. i il not
mcanf