Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-01-20
DONE AT ONCE, NOT FORGOTTEN.

I DONE AT ONCE, NOT FORGOTTEN.
Now, boys" said Mr. Russell, running
his eyes over school containing forty
boys, Il am tired of preaching TO you. ]
will tell you what | am going TO do. am
going TO give you number of receipts
receipts sone of the cook books call them
for variety of very desirable things
and to-day it shall be for never forgetting
what you have got TO do. 1t is very
troublesome, you know, II you mean TO
do what is right, 10 have the thing slip
out of your head, and perhaps get a scold-
ing, or it may be fiogging, when you
really, if you have not forgotten it, would
as soon have done it as not. How many
boys are there here who were never whip
ped for forgetting If there is one, let
him jump up. got so many whippings
myself, when wss little shaver, that |
should really like 10 see him."
Willie Collins, the widows only child.
jumped up; but no one was surprised
Willie had never been whipped for any
thing So Mr.. Russell said:
"Ah, Willie, never whipped for i'll But
my boy, you have forgotten a good many
/ things"
Yes, sir" said Willie. coloring, but
mother don't care"
You're lucky fellow, Willie. The
rest of here have mothers and fathers,
too, who do care. And now, bows, lis
ten"
There was magic in Mr.. Russelfs voice,
when he was in earnest. The boys felt il
and every eye in school was turned fixed
ly upon him.
Charley Allen was first rate boy
You would all have liked him if he had
been here with You. He was-but you
don't care how he looked, only how he
acted. Well, he was one of the sunny
tempered boys his mouth laughed and
his eyes laughed; and il seemed as If ev
cry curl laughed too, for they generally
stood wide apart, one from the other. In
fact, you would have known him among
a thousand for the cleverest, kindest,
most obliging, high-spirited fellow there
was out. If a little girl fell down in the
mud, and dropped her books or berries,
Charlie was sure to come along, pick her
up, and put everything to rights with such
merry smiles as dried the child's tears be-
fore she could take up her apron. If an
old or sick or poor person wanted an
errand done, they always looked out for
Charlie, sure that there would be pleas
ant word and ready help.
Il knew Charlie and could tell you
many a story which would make every
selfish, cross boy here ashamed of him
self. But this is not my receipt; so will
wait for another time. Everybody and
everything loved him the very dogs in
the streets would leave their masters and
run after him the moment they heard his
step, and let me tell you, the good will
of dog, even, is not to be despised.
Zone Saturday afternoon, Charlie was
bent on having good time. He had fin
ished the week well-good marks at
school and good marks at home. He had
striven all week against one great fault,
with marked success. | do not want to
tell you what that fault was, for fear you
would not think so much of him; but |
must be honest-he was very forgetfnl.-
He was very often at the foot of his clas-
ses because he forgot TO carry his books
home at night; and sometimes, dearly as
they loved him at home, he made the
whole family unhappy and out of order
about something he had forgotten. This
Saturday, he felt as we all do when We
have tried TO do right. Unusually hap
py, he was going for John Smith 10 hunt
up other boys for right good time; and
on his way he heard a knock against the
window glass in a small brown house he
was passing. If any one wanted him, he
was the boy, of course. In moment an
old woman opened the door little way, (
and put her head out.
''Charlie Allen, where are you going!'
''Oh. nowhere in particular-only off to
play. You don't want anything, do
your"
"Yes; our little Jenny is took down
mighty bad, and we want DR.. Salter just
as soon as we can get him."
''Dr. Salter lives next to the squire's
house; yes. Well I'll run right away,
Pm glad you happened to see me-"
Thank you now, much and kindly,
Jemmy's proper bad. Tell him to come
qmck."
Yes, that viii"
And Charley, who knew Jenny as a
little Irish boy whom her mother had of
ten employed around her garden, and
started with much speed for DR.. Salter.
He had only gone short distance when
he met John Smith coming for him.
40 Charlieu" said John, show lucky ]
met youl You are the very one ! want
ed. Come, Joe Bates has got his big
boat out, and he is going to row us down
to Chimney Point. He says the lake is :
as smooth as glass, but he thinks, by the
clouds, there will be fine breeze to bring
us back without touching an oar"
Splendid" said Charlie, cutting some
pranks, which looked very much like at
tempting to stand on his head "You
just wait till ! run home and ask my
father"
II met your father; and he said that if
Joe was going. you might, and that l
could tell YOU so. because we have not
moment to lose"
Now Charlie had been brought up by
very pious mother and for g moment
the wonder flashed over his happy heart
whether God was not sending this as a
reward to him for trying to be good, eve
thing was so delightful. In a moment,
he and John were running, as fast as
their feet could carry them, to the side
of the lake, where the pretty green boat
lay dancing on the water. There, too,
were the boys who composed the par
up when they saw John and Charlie, new
er was heard before or so at least Char
lie thought. What an afternoon of per-
feet enjoyment itwas, you can imagine,
boys; | need not tell YOU"
There was rustic all over the school,
not only as if the boys could not imag-
inc, but as if they were all ready to be
sailing on the same lake with Charlie.
at seemed impossible to the party
that the afternoon had passed; and when
Joe's breeze that he had foretold sprung
up, and they went scudding home before
good wind, it would be impossible to
tell you the many happy and funny
things they said and did. Well. they
had so good a time. that were tired; and