The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-03-28

0oou HioIutiiSs Auitvs iusOAsu q
smile Of real welcome, which the
most studied poli,eness of after years
may fail to win for him.
swell, Witt! come in,' won'i
your
"No, Aunty, just want TO ask
you something. You know your
speckled hen, old Jerusha!"
"Yes! What of her!'
"Don't she lay every day now?"
81 think So
"Them kind Of hens are good lay
ers.
Aunty,twitched her lips knowing
ly at this bit of information, but said
nothing. Witt continued:
casters most here. My! but
some Of the boys have lots of eggs.
Jim Duncan's aunt Christie gave him
three Dozen"
'.And you want me to follow her
example, Witt, is that it!'
No, Aunty, wouldn't be bother
ed with so many at once; but | tho't,
maybe you'd give me one Of the
speckled hens eggs"
"Why, what moderate request.
OF course l will" and directly light
yellow egg lay in his hand.
sThis will fetch 'em," said Witt,
tapping it against his teeth TO test
its firmness; then producing from
his pocket the small eg., Of a Guinea
fowl, he laid both in his hand as adj
miringly as the Duke Of Brunswick
would two diamonds Of similar
size.
"They are splendid fellows, Aun-
ty, | wish there was some way of
making them harder yet"
"Then you couldn't break them,
Witt"
"Break them, Aunty" said Witt,
looking up in surprise. "Why your
gre-0h, | didn't mean that, (clap-
ping his hand to his mouth,) but
you're SO funny. don't want to
break them. Why, l snapped a
knife that had ono good blade in it,
just for this little Guinea egg;because
the shell is so tough and hard. There
aren't two more like it in town."
"Do you intend to swallow them
whole, Witt, since they're not to be
broken
He frowned a little impatiently
At his Auni's pretended ignorance
maybe, but answered respectfully,
mo, ma am, | want them for pick.
ers. l bet | can win my cap full
with these fellows"
"But LII save you that trouble,
dear; I'll give it to you full for moth
ing"
ala! Aunt, it won't be no trouble
with these; I'll just win 'em as easy
as a pin,
"Why do you want to win them,
when l can give them to your
"Oh! just for the fun Of it."
s'Do you think it is fun for the
boys who lose their eggs TO your
'sThat's their lookout, not mine. "
Suppose by some accident you
lose, then where's the fun!'
Wit was getting a little fdgetty.
He didn't fancy such close question
ing, but answered carelessly,
81 wouldn't care a Bit
'Then if you don't care, why have
you gone TO such pains to get those
unusually hard eggsr
"Bscause-why-' but the
answer wouldn't come. He sudden
" discovered that it was near nine
O'Clock, and time for school; so with
ahurried "Good bye. Aunt he turn
ed away, but she laid her hand on
his shoulder. and while adjusting his
neck-ribbon, asked, "What is the
eighth commandment, Witt, do you
know!
"Yes, ma'an; Thou shalt not
STEAL
."Who made that commandment
"God.'
"Was he in earnest!'
"Yes, Aunt Witt wondered at
such a question, SO his answer was
in very serious tone.
"Why did God permit you TO live
last night!' She laid his hand on
his heart. do you feel that little
pump. how it is working inside OF
youl-it-gces day and night, open
Ing and shutting more than sixty
times every minute that you live.
II it should stop for five minutes
you'd be dead. Why does God keep
it goingr -.
II don't know,but | guess because
he likes TO-
81 guess because he loves you.
Win, and wants you to be Of some
use to him.. Now our first duty is
10 obey Him, and God expects boys