Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-07-27


room he heard him praying, and sortening his
steps and hushing his whistlng, he glided
down stairs more quietly than be was ever
known to do before. They we're of as soon
as breakfast was over, two or three miles into
the thick woods, and Fred leapcd over the
rocks and turned aside the refractory bushes
and moved intruding branches and stones from
the ministers way he showed him where the
patridges had their haunts, and the wild rab-
bits were to be entrapped, and the rare Wild
flowers were to be found and gathered the
choicest berries on cool green leaves for his
new-found friend
Do you love tho woods and all the wild
things and curious places he yentured to
ask az length, as the minister mounted a high
rock which overlook a secluded little pond
The minister replied, Certainly do; and
l love agood boys company too he added
with a smile
Well don't think you arc much like old
Mr.. Cranston ! thought il was wicked 90
love such things" he added with boyish
bluntness.
" Come up here, and sit down on this mos
sy place, and let's talk about it a little, said
the minister. "What made you think it was
wicked -
Why, l supposed it wasn't serving God,
and IL isn't work Ike MAKING b,v or amt tbing
of that sort. and SO thought it mi,bt be
wicked or AT least didn't know that piors
people and ministers ever cared about .ucb
things" Fred replied with little hesitation
Did not Jesus 20 out into the fields. and
alone upon the mountains. and often cross the
lake with his disciples in their fshino-h,ats."
said Mr. Barrv :. did he NOT snoa[ of the
birds and the flowers; God made them an !.
don't Won think he meant we should love
them: 1t saws in the Bible. He hath made
evorytbipg boautiful in his time' and ,s God
has ,iyenus all tbin,s sicblv IN enicv I
think we should be yery uporaterul if we did
NOT enjoy them"
We'll. then. Won don't think nl,v is wick
cd do YOU ;" asked Fred with earnestness
"Tbcro may he wicked plavs " rcplied the
minister. "but play in itself is not wicked. anv
more chan eating and drinking. and runBing.
and fny other things. If we have had
tboprbt. in our hearts. and act and talk had
ly. then our play is wicked but if we have
innocent feelings. and play so as 10 do no
harm to others. play is not only right. but me-
cessary.
4" But l have heard people say. Don't
waste your precious time in play.'" said
Fred.
"If boy neglects his lessons or duties to
plav. IL would be wasting his time. said Mr..
Barry &c but when cbild's tasks are done
he o,,qJtt, nlav God has made n . rocessi-
a., f,r cb;llro, ~ rio,. Ii,,o, ,1ars .Lo
,,rn., ~ an crolt,-o. rlav.it i n3t,,.a's
,,,, ~ 5oy,lo,,;n, tho ,,,,.oios o,,d b.,,os
All ,,ali,-, ~, stror,, and +, l. - e.,
,bo mind "a !, toocbo. G0ooh w bsva
mistaken some well.ncaDt tescbing NV how ;,
bo continued Z. bpt 40 vonr goTt ,r5H ana
tbon NAV /, .,,od o,rnost orIy ,yoid sir
ana ,I,r ,,;ll ,lo 80 ,,,,1 ~, J5,.,,
q" ~ nla, " IA E.od as ho ioa,,l 90
,bo rocL c,r bo ro,,or 90, s,ul ,,.ro ,I,a,, Go
minutos 4" bnt Tn, Glad von boyo toIJ mo
tbi. for nav sball not feol a. r. I u.s d.
ir,, ,yror,, .o r,r,t 7 didL,c~ bo
beoan 20 toss nebbles far ONT on tbo sn,rL-
linz, vater
The minister sat still b;nki,g a while
lop,or and tbon thoy tprrod ,boir sio,,s homo
v,,rds
OF bor.. Frel asa mot orito yyo,r ,o,,r ma
tionce ont SIR" said Mrs Chase tbst' 'cyeni,
To. .tbo minister .. ..rorbcist,,,,iloso,,. com,
many gepor.u,
Is. Not M All NOT tall" renlied Mr. Barrv.
"on the othor hand I f,nnd him WORT, interest
inr and agrceable comnanv tbink he is
lad Of urrat pr0mise "
"Tpdood sir " replioJ the mothor "T am
glad If vou have discovered good in him or
promise of rood for have bcen Greatly OK
ercised ON his account. and so has bis father.
We have found him hard to manage. and
he does not love religious things at ain. and
we have feared that he was firmly set in the
way to destruction Heis entirely unlike his
sisters but vet | know Gods grace is able
to change him, and hope it may"
But bis nature is entirely unlike theirs -
said Mr. Barry, "and will continue so. even
after conversion. That's, his natural char-
actcristics will remain the same. Your two
daughters have professod religion. yet before
their change of heart, | venture to say, they
we're quiet, gentle. reverent children. Now
Fred IS araent, energetic. impnlsive, and so
he always will be, unless disease breaks him
down; but Christian grace may modify that
nature. and cngra(t on it virtues which will
make him one of the brightest ornaments of
the church Just now the animal nature pre-
dominates. and so it will. probably. for some
years to come. But he is not irreverent. and
he has his monents of serions tbonght 7
doubt not, only it will be necessary to guard
agaipst one or two serious dancers in DEALING
with such a nature as his"
." To vbnt danoors in narticnlar do vou re-