The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-08-15
NO.21.
The Way to Speak to Boys.

The Way TO Speak TO Boys.
Many years ago, certain minister was
going one Sunday morning from his
school room. He walked through num-
Der of streets, and az he turned the cor
ner, he saw assembled around pump
party OF little boys who were playing at
marbles. On seeing him approach, they
began to pick their marbles and run away
as fast as they could. One little fellow,
not having seen him as soon as the rest,
could not accomplish this so soon, and
before he succeeded in gathering up his
marbles, the minister has closed on him
and placed his hand upon his shoulder.
They were face to face, the minister of
God and the poor little ragged boy who
had been caught in the act of playing
marbles on Sunday morning. And how
did the minister deal with the boy !? for
that is what | want you to observe.
He might have said to the boy, What
are you doing here You are breaking
the Sabbath Don't you deserve to be
punished for breaking the command of
God ?"
But he did nothing of the kind He
simply said: "Have you found all your
marbles 2"
"No," said the little boy, 'I have not"
"Then," said the minister, 81 will help
you to find them,' whereupon he knelt
down and helped to look for the marbels,
and as he did so, remarked, 81 liked to-
play marbles when a little boy, very much
and | think l can beat you, but l never
played marbles on Sunday.
The little hov's attention wac orrorta6
He liked his fiend'S face, and began to,
wonder who he was. The minister Of
the Gospel said:
81 am going to place where think
you would like to be-will you come with
me 2"
''Where do you live ?" asked the little
boy.
"Why, in such and such place." was
the reply.
"Why, that is the minister's house" ex-
claimed the boy, as if he did not suppose
that kind man and the minister of the
Gospel could be one and the same per-
son.
why" said the good man, ~ am the
minister myself, and if you will come with
me think | can do you some good"
Said the boy "My hands are dirty Z
cannot GO"
Said the minister, "Here is pump
why wash ?"
Said the boy, ''I am so small I can't
wash and pump at the same time"
Said the minister, IF you will wash
will pump"
He at once set to work, and pump, and
pumped and pumped and as he pumped
the little boy washed his hands and face
till they were quite clean.
Said the boy, "My hands are wringing
wet, and do not know how to dry them"
The minister pulled out of his pocket a
clean handkerchief and offered it to the lit
tie boy.
Said tie boy, "But it is clean"
"Yes," was the reply, But it was made
to be dirtied."
The little boy dried his face and hands
with the handkerchief, and then accom-
panied the minister to the house of wor-
ship.
Twenty years after, the minister was
walking in the street of a large city, when
tall gentleman tapped him on the shoul-
der, and looking into his face, said, "You
don't remember me :"
"No," said the minister, II don't"
"Do you remember, twenty years ago,
fndinga little boy playing marbles around
a pump? Do you remember that boy be-
ing too dirty to go to school, and your
pumping for him, and your speaking
kindly to him, and taking him to school!'
oh" said the minister, Il do remem-
ber"
Sir" said the gentleman, ''I was that
boy. l rose in business and became a
leading man. | have attained = good
position in society and on seeing you to-
day in the street, | felt bound to come to
you, and say it is to your kindness and
| Christian discretion that | owe, under
God, all have attained and all that am
at the present day"