Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-02-15
HENRY RUSsEL'S FAULT.

Henry Russell was little hoy who
had good opinion of his own abili--
tics. He thoughthe could understand
every thing, and often said to his bro
theirs and sisters
"Oh, you can't understand it, but
know what it means"
Sometimes ho would try to explain
things, and now and then ho made
very great mistakes.
Ono day when his mamma was ask
ing his brother James who was the
first king of Israel, and tho little boy
answered, "Saul," Henry, anxious to
show how much moro he knew than
James, said, ayes, Saul of Tarsus, who
was also called Paul." and was very
much vexcd when Ja' and
his mamma said,
"No, Henry; you arc thin ng Of
the Apostle Paul, not of Saul, king Of
Israel"
Many other blunders, quito rs ab-
surd did Henry mako. 1tc had not
patience to learn, and did not take
timo to think, md though, naturally
clover, was too conccitcd to
sock information from those who
might havo tau ht him.
Not many days after this, Henry
was walking out with his father, and
said to him in n self-satisficd tone.
"Papa, the verso that I learned this
morning out of the ninth chapter of
ST. Johns Gospel seems to me as if it
ought to be altered"
allow so?" asked Mr.. Russell
"What verso is iL?''
"Tho fourth. 1t says, 4 must work
tho OF ks Of Him that sent mo-"
"Wcll, and how would you have it
altered p
900, would't say work twice over.
/ think should say, i must do tho
works."
"But that does not mean the same
think, Henry"
"Dosen't it, papa?" said Henry,
looking very mnch surprised.
"Cortainly not, my son. There are
many ways in which you may do work,
but there is only one way of really
workiny."
81 don't understand that said
Horny.
al will try and explain it. Some
time ago 1 had occasion to call upon
Mr.. Smith, the cabir et-makcr, and
found him in his work men, all busy.
could scarcely hear my own voice
for the noise Of saving, planning, and
hammering. All at once Mr.. Smiths
practised ear detected what my ear
did not perceive, some slight al
teration in sound, and he called
out to boy, who was at the
other end of tho shop, Brown
what are you doing? You arc not
.oorking, you arc playing at work. and
I could see, from tho sudden change
in the boys manner of handling the
saw, that Mr.. Smith was right; he
had been playing at work. So you see,
Horny, there are two ways Of doing
work-playing at it and working at
it. Do you understand now?"
ooh, yes, thank you, papa; didn't
think IL m cant all that"
"Thcre are q great many things,
my dear Henry, that you do not
know yet and only see into what
mistakes your ignorance may lead
you. 1t is no disgrace 10 little boy
to be ignorant of many things; if hc
is attentive and industrious he will
go on learning day by day till he
grows to be an intelligent man. But
it is a great pity when little boy
thinks bo knows every thing without
learning, and goes laundering on,
growing up into an ignorant man,
because his self-conceit tells him he
needs no teaching."
"Papa," said Henry, in an humble
tone, ~ have made great many mis-
takes lately, and this last was tho
worst of all. shall be ashamed of it
for long time"
"Then, my dear boy, you shall hear
no more of it from me. If 1 see in
you willingness to be taught, will
help you as much as can, and shall
be quite as glad as you can be if you
make NO more such Mistakes"
And Henry kept the resolution
which he made that day, not to guess
or suppose things, but to ask when he