Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-01-31
Reaaiua fur the Thilareu,
From the ChiIdren's Friend.
THE DIsOBEDIENT son.

About one hundred and fifty years ago, there
lived in the town of LtchGeld, England, poor
bookseller, whose business was then not as pros
porous as it had been and so he was obliged to go
every market-day and sell books at a stall In
neighboring village called Uttoxeter.. de was
feeble old man, and sometimes forced hmse1 70 90
there when he really was too i'll to be out OF bed !;
but he had a family to support, and son OF whom
he was very proud, to educate:
This son, whose name was Sam, was now large
boy, and very remarkable looking. He had an IN,
teiigent face, but it was scanned and scared, and
his ewes very much affected by scrotula.
twas believed in those days, that the touch OF
King or queen would cure this disease. So when
Sam was baby, his parents took him to the good
Queen Anna, who very kindly laid her royal hands
upon him, but the scrofua was not cured, Ihey
then took him to the physicians, who tired their
knives upon him, and left good many ugly MARKS
but they did not cure poor Sam s disease either.
So, fyou had seen him at that time, you would
most certainly have pronounced him very ugly
lad Then, as his parents were quite poor, ne had
seen his little bare toes sticking out OF his broken
shoes. His disease often caused his head to shake,
too, as if he had the palsy; and am very much
afraid some of our young readers might nave peen
unkind and rude enough even to laugh at the poor
boy But he was so clever at his books, that all OF
his schoolmates respected him. Indeed, they were
so proud of him, that three of them would come
every morning to take him to school; and he would
ride on the back of one while the two others sup
ported him on each side; and thus ne would nde
to school in triumph. So, very naturally, Sam had
learned to consider himself Of great consequence,
and am sorry to say, was by no means an humble
boy. .,
One market-day, when his father, felt too weak
m leave home. he called his son to him and said
'sSam, am too feeble to 60 to Uttoxeter to-day,
YOU must take my place at the book-stall, my son,
and hope / shall be better tomorrow :,
Now Sam was willing to see his father selling
books at stall, but he thought himself too good
for such employment. He looked down tor rev
moments, grumbling to himself, then raising hls
ewes and looking his father in the face, he said IN
a determined manner: go,
etI will not 20 to Uttoxeter sir!'
The old man felt too feeble to contend with his
stubborn boy so reaching his hat and stick, and
preparing to 60 himself, he said.
'tWel, Sam, you are willing, through your tool
ish pride to see your poor old father take this walk
when he ought to be in bed but you will think OF 81
it with sorrow, perhaps, when am dead and gone y
And Sam did think of it with sorrow: while a
Door boy at the village school, while young man
at the University, and afterwards, when great
man. caressed and honored by the greatest men OF
England. He never forgot his unkindness to ms
poor old father. Fifty years after that day, ne
stood, an old man, in the streets OF UttoXeter and
sought the spot where that sick father had STOOD
then. He easily found it; and then, with head
uncovered, and eyes raised to heaven, ne seemed
wrapped in thought, alike unconscious Of the burn
the sun and the curious s gsss ,a S tas bs
learning did not satisfy him then what would he
not have given if he could only have lived that day
over again-to be able to take his poor old father
place in the book-stall But it was then too late
old Michael johnson had long been sleeping in the
churchyard and the great DR.: Samuel johnson
could now make no amends for having been dlso-
bedent child.
Dear children, do you ever disobey your parents
Oh hope not, Even if their comnands = ;ssaa seem
they should tell you to do something that you are
sure God commands you not to do-such as to
steal or lie. Remember one of the ten command
ments given on Mt Sinai, was to honor your faith;
er and mother; and in the New Testament God
saws to you: Children, obey your parents I1 all
things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord