The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-04-18
The Jall-Chamber

Shall We take that poor chrii 2 asked
Mr. Stone, as the IamIy sat at breakfast.
lie Is II bad boy, suspect
My greatest fear ls his mhueuc. over
our chIidrer,' sand Mrs. Stone. On their
accouu, We may well hesitate
Might not our children help to improve
hlm Z asked the father, looku. round on
his five little ones in their pjnafores, tnk
iC- their bread aud milk.
''l he his BROTHER said Willie. 'and
let hun fly my kite
lie is II Iltre heatheu, from all can
hear, said Mr.. Stone. j don't know that
we can make much OF him
But. father, we send missionaries 70
!AS M EyeaAihsP ya aJ spSal tfnM nMg G2!. t
can, = good many Christian, 10 one
hea,hen good, aud he ut "A heather eth
er Z asked Susv.
Wen "N Susy,' said her father. Jack
shall come
Who was Jack He was the son OF
Mr.. Stones brother, all whose family hav,
my died, this boy was left to be sent to
his fathers relatives, and he was now on
h's way 10 Mr.. Stone. Jack was about
zine. In few DAYS he arrived He
WAS little and would have been handsome.
only he seemed to think washing his face
and combirg his hair quite unnecessary.
As for shoes, socks. or hat, he hated them
And lac roved round the house and prem
Ises As lawless as a Young buffalo on the
prairieS.
In these things he was gradually tam
ed but more serious faults leran L.
show themselves. lie loved to torment
h,s cousins Dogged in hi, disposition,
he sometimes broke into violent tits Of
temper, when he would destroy every
thing within his reach. Whipping hai
no effect coaXlng or reasoning had none
lie did not Uare. That was the worst Of
it lie didnt care. M. and Mrs Stone
did their best TO improve him. They pit
led the poor child with real fathers and
mothers pity. They thought, if our VII
lie were so; and that made them bear
and forbear with him
lie liked to tease his cousins, especial.
ly Susy. Susy vas a gentle and delicate
htIIe girl, and she used to try in her small
way to make poor Jack better, '1ecause
nobody torres nim : and uobody's loving
him seemed to her the worst ~ his case.
One day he got very angry w'ih her, and
in his rage threw her doll into tie fire,
tore her hair, and actually bit and scratch.
ed her arm uulIi the blood came Nha,
was 10 be lone with Jack ! What could
be done a,th o boy who behaved more
like Wild beast than bov lis uncle
said he must he locked up until he could
promise better conduct.
There was chamber in the Louse,
once used as nursery by some former
family, which bad iron bars across the
two windows outside, and therefore was
called the Jail chamber. 1t had little fuF
niture in it and was chiefly used as a sort
OF lumber room After setting his con
duct faithfully before him, here they con.
cluded 10 put Jack. He didn't care he
said. Jack was locked up the rest Of the
day, and all night and perhaps nobody
felt more sorry for him than Susy did.
Mother she said Il can't 60 to sleep
| keep thinking Of poor Jack, alone, and
no light, aud noihing;' and her little lip
quivered,
II was the third day and Jack showed
no signs OF sorrow for his fault. Don't
care was all hc condescended to say
Mother said Susy, 'mayn't go and be
shut up, while Jack just comes out to see
how pleasant il is there is no sun there
nor anything
The mother looked into the dear chid's
face, and said, Go, Susy. Su'y went to
Jacks door and unlocking il, said, Il ask
ed mother il might not come and take
your place, Jack, for you to 60 out aud
see how pleasant il is +; it is so, so very
dismal here and lonely Jack looked up
and stared at her. You are fool for't,'