The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-06-06
From the Western Reserve Chronicle.
Overcome Evil with Good.
BY FRANCES D. GAGE.

school, one sultry July evening. "Joe has
run away from school sgain, never was
there one Gloss after recess, and Mr.. Moggs
said must tell you as soon as came home. ("
"Oh dear /; what shall l do with that
child :" sighed Mrs. Read, as she motioned
with one hand to little Susy TO soften her
voice lest she should waken the baby. "He
is going to be ruined unless a stop can be
put to this running away. think there
never was such set OF boys, as those Place
boys. They don't 60 to school, have nothing
to do, and SO make mischief for all the
smaller boys In town. But an end must be
put to this playing truant at some rate"
The weary mother of six little children
got up carefully and laid the sleeping rose.
bud upon her breast into its tiny cradle, with
loving hand, and hushed it to slumber again
by loud lullaby, while the troubled face
told how sad were her thoughts over her
truant boy.
Joe did not come home till the sun was
down and then crept up back stairway and
his mother found him in bed and fast asleep,
when with her night lamp, she sought his
chamber before retiring, to see if all was
we'll.
Oh there is never a time when the mo.
theirs heart rests so quietly in her bosom,
when it throbs with so steady beat, as when
she takes her walk of love around her home
before she herself "ays down to pleasant
Dreams" and looking in the faces of her
little ones finds written upon each, health
and happiness. Joe was a beautiful boy of
seven. full Of energy and life full of ambi.
ton and power. Not boy at school could
out run him in a foot-race, or wrestle him
down upon the play ground. He was al.
woys first best in his class, and no boy in II
the school was so loved as Joe Read.
His hair was OF brilliant auburn, his skin
brigh! and fair, and his features clessicalIy
chseled, and as he lay there fast as eep upon
his pillow, freshly washed from the clear
running stream, his bright locks newly dried
with his pocket comb, and turned in shining
folds to one side, his mother thought she had
never seen her darling more lovely.
"Could it be-" she asked herself, "thut
there was uny righteousness in the heart of
her child, that made him SO dsobedent to
her commands, so restive under the iron dis.
ciplibe Of Mr.. Moggs."
She held her light near his fer brow he
moved, his eyes quivered, he threw up his
arms as il breastiug the silver waves, while
a vile laugh Of delight broke the silence Of
the chamber aud then deep breathing and
death like stiffness told the whiting mother
that her darling slept the sleep OF innocence
and Joy. STOPPING she left kiss upon his
brow and with soft step withdrew, whisper.
ing to her own heart, she is not bad, let the
schocl |. master sny what he will"
The next morning, when the school.bel
rang, Mrs. Read was somewhat worried the
half dozen little ones had made their de.
mands all at once the baby had kept her
awake: she was nervous and weak. But
Susy, who was year or two older, insisted
that Joe must be charged to do his duty be-.
fore he left.
"Now, Joseph" said Mrs. Read, as she
was hurryng to get the bread worked over
(before it soured.) and made ready for the
oven, "mind what | say to you-if you 60
from school this afternoon and 60 into the
river, l shall whip you with stick don't
like to do it, but l shall have to remem-
ber."
The vigorous work she was doing, edded
no doubt to the vigor of the command, and
Joe departed without saying a word, feeling
that his dear mother was angry and he re.
solved in his own mind he would not trans.
gress.
he day was very hot, and the school.
room, like most country school houses,
seemed built to tortsre the children. II
stood on an elevation from which the grand
old forest had all been removed, to give il
place, leaving not one shrub or vine to break
the sun 5 scorching rays, or delight the weary
eye.
The busy feet Of many players had trod
out every root Of green around the door, and
through the sultry July weeks the sun pour.
ed down hs heat till the walls of the school
almost baked the little victims Within
Hard, stiff forms for the little plant bodies
did their work for seven hours in the day
for Mr.. Moggs said he could not get through
in six hours, the children were so bad, and
took up SO much Of bis time.
| He believed with Solomon, "that to spare
the rod would spoil the child" The con
duct of Rehoboam never for a moment re
minding him that his son was practical IL
lustration Of the failure Of his fathers theo'
ries. The more hot, tired and uncomforta
{ Bile the children became, the more assidu
: ously Mr.. Moggs Aourished his rattan, the
D more he scoIded, of course the more turbu
, lent and uneasy grew the "innocents."
, Joe could not stand it the clear spark
n ling waters were temptation not to be re
}. sisted. especially that deep shaded pool un
+ der the hanging elm, where clinging to th'
a limbs be could plunge down into the COO
|. depths and wake up the fishes who gathere
n there for quiet and shelter from the burniD
i heat. Joe was missing after recess, missin
II at tea, missing when the rest gathered wit
10 their mother on the door. stone ct twiligh
N n hear her tell her pleasant stories and teac