Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-02-08
lIuutb's Department..
ONE STEP.

der ~
Nobody would know anything about it
and there the pretty new boat lies. rocking to
and fro ON the river How fair and dainty it
looks. and there are the two oars lying in the
bottom. It's only mile down to the bridge,
and | could row down there and back in a lit
tie while; and oh it would be such pleas
ant pleasant sail
"Of course, nothing could happen to me,
for grandpa said to mama the other evening,
when we went down to the MILL why. Helen,
Harrys natural born sailor be can manage
the boat as well as l.
ION. dear wish he'd never seen that
boat! said mama expect it will be the
death Of him yet
Well be didn't inherit his nautical taste
I from you, that's certain, laughed grandpa !;
but women are always nervous about the
water
And that's ALL It's just mama's nerv-
business and EnoC nothing would happen
to me. getting 10 there and having a little
sail and it would be so nice, this beautiful
afternoon. with just that breath Of wind,
rocking the alders that fringe the shore and
the river lies here between the banks like a
deep blue mirror, and looks, away up by the
bridge, like brown ribbon, tangled in and
out among the young oaks and poplars.
Nobody would ever know anything about
il, either for. Of course. should get back
safe, and don't believe there'd be bit Of
harm in it.
But then, there's my promise to mother ;
there's no getting aside Of that, and it was
the last thing she said to me before she left
home on Thursday.
She called me TO the carriage and bent
over one side and smoothed my hair, as she
always does when she talks to me: Now,
Harry, my dear boy she said, | want you to
promise that you won't get inside that boat
until your father and get home again,
No, mama, won't, certainly, ] answered.
though hated to bad enough-thats fact.
And | think its quite too bad, that such
a big boy as ! am, can't have his way in such
a little matter as this
40 dear dear the longer look at the
sky over my head and at the sky in the river,
and at the banks on either side, and at the
bridge, looking like white fall Of lace away
of in the dstance-the more l want to go.
1t seems as if must.
One more step and l shall be in the boat /;
but, there again my promise to mama has
come back 20 me
"And how shall I feel when she comes
home and looks in my face with her loving
eyes, and calls me her darling boy, and puts
her arms round my neck and kisses me over
and over again
She won't ask me whether I've been in
the boat, because I've promised her wouldn't
and | never told my mother lie in my life.
AHd / U0Ht nor Beautiful riyer-pret-
ty boat, it's hard enough to leave you--but
wW
Nobody would know it, said. Yes, God
would know it if ! got in that boat, il no hu-
man being ever did, and the lie would be
written against me. and / should have to meet
1t somewhere-sometime
I'm get away as fast as | can. Oh, dear !
how near ! came to telling lie. and commit
ting terrible sin | just begin to see it
now
Mamma came home last night. Such
hugging as had
49, Has my Harry been good boyF she
said, and not done a single thing his mother
would have disapproyed Of;
mo. guess not, mama, said but
was thinking about the boat, and l didn't
speak very positively,
Mama held me away aud looked in my
eyes. You guess not; are you not quite
certain, Harry she asked.
"Well, mama, | haven't done anything, but
I've thought about it"
&" She drew her arms around me, and held
me close to her heart.
a. Tell me all about it, Harry dear, she
said.
"And then did. told her about my GO
ing to the river last Saturday afternoon, and
how near came to getting into the boat and
rowing down to the bridge and what a terri