Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-05-17
The Writing on the Wall.
BY NJ. Q. JOHNSON.


!. You little mischief! What are you up
to now I'll teach you better, you naughty
child"
1t was on the mothers lips to say this;
and for a moment, in her heart to act in
accordance with it. But better thought
came into her mind and she paused an in
stant. keeping back the hasty words It
cost her al effort, for she was young. i'm
petuous, high-spirited. very nice house,
keeper; and here was her boy Willie, OF
Two or three years, busily engaged in draw
ing horse and cart, as it seemed to active
fancy on the parlor wall. To the mothers
eye the delicate pretty wall paper, with
its rose buds scattere on white ground,
was not improved by the young artists
handiwork It was provoking, when the
girl was sick and she had all the work to
do, and she had only left him FIVE minutes,
with playthings and picture book, to
keep him out Of mischief, to think that he
should stray into that one forbidden place,
and do forbidden thing, just where it
matters most. But she conquered her an
CRY feeling, and laying her hand on the
child's shoulder, with the other she took
away his pencil, and said calmly though
gravely:
willie, don't You know that was naugh-
ty? Mamma told you not to write on the
WALL
The boy had raised his little hands, to
plead for his pencil but he dropped them
Instantly, while a look Of surprise and
pain swept over his face. His P quiver-
ed as he met his mothers eyes, and the
tears rolled dowd as he said earnestly:
aOh, mamma, Willie did forget. Willie
SO sorry, mammal"
Mrs. Lawson felt in her heart that the
child's words were true; and, grateful
for the better thought that had come to
her--lhe strength that had been given to
rule herself, she took her boy in her lap
and spoke gently, tenderiy to him. wiping
away his tars.
Willie. dear, you must try to remem-
ber. You don't want to DO v hat papa and
mamma don't like, and spoil our pretty
house do you?"
Willie looked up in amazement. Don't
you tink Willie's hort be pity, mammal
he asked.
Two months had passed away, and an
awful shadow b CODED over the hitherto
happy home. There were anxious vigls,
and sad silence, and wrestling of prayer
by Willie's bedside. The doctor came aud
went with few words and face carrying
with it more Of sympathy than of hope
or encouragement. Willie had been heal
thy, and his mother, though young, was
careful and judicious but with no note of
warning, by some unseen and unsuspected
door, that terrible disease, that only those
who have seen it can imagine; Group had
entered. Ali in that trial time, when
prayer swelled up from anguished hearts,
and love could scarcely feel WEAKNESS. do
ing all that human love might do, by day
or night-in that hour. the recollection of
the little scene in the parlor, only two
months before, when she had never even
| fancied such an experience as this, thrilled
the mothers heart with thanksgiving. She
knew, then, that If she had been unjust or
impatient with her child, the remembrance
would in this dark hour, be her keenest
pang; it seemed to her that every hasty
word she has ever spoken 10 her son every
impatient feeling even, came back at this
] time. But the dreaded cup passed, and