Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-06-12
I'm A MINUTE"

What do you think Johnnio's birth.
day.prcscnt was? A whcolbarrow.
lie was six years old. And how rich
he felt! "Now can wheel mothers
basket homo from Market" said he ;
; "and l can help father, and do ever so
many things" That is right. 1t is
| 80 pleasant TO do littlo services for
others, especially for our parents?
For two days ho often asked, "Moth.
CT, what can l wheel for youw But
she had nothing to ho wheeled:
"Thank you, Johnnie by-and-by l
shall have something for you to do"
Johnnie wished it was now, and not
by-aud-by.
About four days after, Johnnie and
his barrow and somo boys were down
by the frog-pond at play. And what
do you think they were wheeling !?
Four mud>turtlcs, which ono Of the
boys found in the swamp. 1 ;'do not
know how much pleasure it gave the
turtles, for thoy could not laugh nor
talk about it, but the boys had good
fun.
In littlo while Jonny's mother
called him. lie heard her call him
tho first time and the second, but he
was too busy to mind it. Ills Sister
then camo to find him.
"Johnnic, mother wants you to 90
down street and bring homo ,somc
fish"
'Don't want to" answered he.
"Ies, but mother wants you to-
said his sister.
"I'm taking my turtles to ride, and
can't" cried Johnny; 81 don't want
to-"
"Come," cried his sister.
ain a miEuto," screamed Johnny.
How long do you suppose that min
ute was1 Itwas nearly half an hour,
and might have been great deal Ion
ger had he not pitched into the mud.
90, dear, dcar," he cried, picking him.
self up, and, and looking at his dirty
clothes. Now ho thought of mother.
He could run to her fast enough, now
that he had need of her hclp, but he
could not gowhon she needed mis-. o,
the selfish little boyl His conscience
smoto him. lie was 10th to show
himself; but 60 homo no must for
who would take care of such pitiful
looking child but his mother?
"Come horo, my child" cried bis
mother. All, that is mother; she is
always ready to receive her child,
however sad his plight. The mother
took her boy washed him, undressod
him, and dressed him again in clean
clothes. She did not talk much but
was very kind, and very sad too
Alb, she did not serving him. John
ny felt her kindness, and moro and
moro ho felt his disobedience.
another" at last he said, 81 am
going to kill my turtles"
"Why? 2" asked she.
"Because," cried Johnny, "because
they would rot let mo go down tho
street for you"
"Dld the poor turtles beg you no,
to mind mother ?" she asked.
"Not in 80 many words" answered
Johnny, slowly; "but they seemed
to say, Stay, stay, minute"
"And do you thipk it was the poo,
little turtles that said that?" askec
his mother, seriously.
; Johnny hung down his head, ae
we'll he might, trying to throw the
blame of his disobedienoe on the tur-
ties, and not whore it properly belong
cd, on his own naughty will. Adam
and Eve did just 30 when thoy die
not mind God in the garden Of Eden
Eve said it was the serpent that mad,
her do wrong. You see wrong doinl
is always cowardly, trying to max,
, excuses, and throwing the blame up
on somebody else. Is it not mean
J, "Do you really think" asked John.
ny's mother again, "tbat the poo
, little turtles are to blame for your no
coming when mother called you
Do you deserve to be punishedW
"No," cried Johnny, finding it hare
to stand his mothers look "no,
, was only 1. It was that said, Stay
stay and mother, God punished me
r he pitched me into the mud; and yo
made me feel bad, you were 80 kind !;
and the tears streamed down Johnny
, checks '"Do let mo 60 down stree
r now for you, mother, do"
. And tho mother no longer neet
. as