The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-08-08
for the 9giAle folk,
BEYOND THE GATE.

Children" said Mrs. Jay, "you.
may play any where in the yard,
but don't 60 beyond the garden gate
Do you hear. Peter ~ NH.
"Yes, MOTHER" said Peter, ''Do
not 60 beyond the garden gate!"
Mother then seeing her little boy
and girl quietly at play in the yard,
put on her bonnet and shawl and
went down street.
Peter and Jessie, his little sister,
had nice plays together. He used
to make believe horse, and draw her
on trucks; or she make believe a
pumpkin, land be carried in his wheel
barrow; or they would both make
believe cows, and set up terrible
mooing; indeed, there was no end
to the different characters they took.
all the while keeping very kind to
each other. Their plays this after
noon led them down to the bottom
of the garden, where there was a
gate, hasped inside, which opened
into a field of thick underbrush and
trees, slopin g down to a lower part
of the village. This was the for
hidden gate.
81 wish we could go out into the
woods" said Peter; 'perhaPs We
should find birds nest"
Peter unhasped the gate, and he
and Jessie looked round and saw the
pretty woods.
"But what did mother tell us!"
asked Jessie.
:.Perhaps she was afraid of BEARS
answered Peter, 'or the water in the
woods, or something; but there are
no bears. o, there's a squirrel on
that tree! See him, see him, JESSIE
and away ran Peter to the woods,
and away ran Jessie after him.
The squirrel hid, and the children
went on, hoping to find another
They strayed down a bank and came
to a brook and little pond.
"Mother thought we'd fall into
this pond and that's the reason she
cautioned against US coming here
said Peter; but we shan't, shall we,
Jessier
"No," answered Jessie, "we
WON'T And SO they ran round, and
tumbIed about, and picked flowers,
and at last got back to the garden
gate safe and unframed, without
any body knowing they went. 'Jes-
sie,' said Peter, "don't you tell"
Not if mother asks!' asked Jes-
sic. "She won't ask said Peter.
Mother did not ask, nor did Jes-
sic tell, and all went on at home as
usual. Saturday night after the chill
dren were washed. and Jessie had
gone to sleep, Peter and his mother
talked little longer together, as
they often did Saturday night. Pc.
ter said, "Mother,I have been in the
woods beyond the garden-gate Thu
week. "When did you go!' sh,
asked. . He told her. And, moth
err he said, "nothing happened itt
us there; we didn't fall into the wa
ter, or get wet, or tear our clothes
no bears ate us up. '"Why didn'
you want US to go!'
"You lost something that after
noon in the woods said his mother
Lost something!' said Peter; and h,
thought of his knife, and his slat,
pencils, and his ball ,and three cen
piece in his pocket; he hadn't los
one of them, he was quite sure
"Yes.' repeated his mother, 'think a
moment what you have missed. for
know you have lost something Pc
ter for moment thought his moth
err must be spirit; for how could
she know when he didn't know him
self! "You will recoilect if yor
think said she. Peter put his head
under the bed-quilt, for he began tc
see that he had lost something; and
the more he thought the more sure
ne was of it. "Mother," he at last
said, in little, sorrowful voice, 81
did lose something in those woods
did. 1 lost the happy out Of my
heart" All, that was it; and sad
loss il is when a child loses the hap.
py out of his heart.
1t does not always concern child
to know why his parents forbid him
this or that; his duty is obedience.
Nor because nothing befalis him in
a course of disobedience must he
conclude no harm is done at all. Pc
ter and Jessie got home safely; but
was, there no harm done! Yes,yes;
the happy left their little hearts.
They were afiaid.-afraid their moth
er would find it out. This is the
way doing wrong wrongs you. Ii
wrongs you out Of that peace and
comfort which God made you to en-.
joy;and all Peters play 10 the woods
did not make up for this loss tiIl he
told his mother and received her
forgiv eness with her goodnight