The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-10-17
Juvenile COLUMN.
THE BOYS TWO RULES.

who was sitting by the stove, playing with
= Well, What are they . let's have them"
said Fred, suspending his sport with the dog |
The first is: Never get vexed with any
thing~you can help The second is: Never I
get vexed with anything you can't help!"
Are not those rules as applicable to you as
to me ~ inquired Fred, .archly.
s'No doubt of that" replied Giles, good !
hu1noredly, "tut then it is so much easier to !
hand over a piece of good advice to another |
than to keep it for ones own personal use. 1t
is kind of generosity that does not require |
any self-denial" Fred laughed.
" But what do you say to those rules ]" con-
tinued Giles. " How would they work if we
adopt them ~
~ think they take q pretty wide and clean
sweep" said Fred. "They don't. leave fellow
any chance at all to get vexed."
That might be an objection to them" said |
Giles, 'Eif any one became wiser, better, or
happier for getting ve&ed. think they are
sensible rules. tits foolish to veX ourselves
about what can't be helped. Let MS assist
each other to remember and obey these two
simple rules. What say youW
"Tll agree to it," said Fred, who was usually
rcadyto agree to anything his brother pro-
posed, If it only proposed good humoredly.
CHATS too bad" exclaimed Fred, the next
morning, while making preparations for school.
@ What's the matter" inquired Giles.
I've broken my shoe-string, and its vex-
atious; Pm in such hurry
tits vexatious, no doubt" replied Giles,
''but you must not get veXed, for this IS one
of the things that can be helped. you can
find string in the left corner of the upper
drawer in mothers bureau"
4" - But we shall be late at school, said Fred.
% No, we shall not" said Giles. eve shall
only have to walk little faster. Besides, If
you keep cool, you will find the string and put
il in much sooner than you can II you become
vexcd and worried"
That's true. said Fred, as he went for the
string, quite restored to good humor
Several opportunities occurred during the
day for putting the rules into practice. The
best was this In the evening Giles broke the
blade of his knife while whiting piece OF
hard wood.
cit can't be helped so you must not get
vexed about it," said Fred.
50 1t can't be helped, but can do better
than fret about it. 4 can learn lesson of
care for tho future, which may some day save
me a knife more valuable thal this. The rules
work well. Let's try them Tomorrow"
| The next morning Fred devoted an hour
before school to writing composition. After
he had written half dozen lines, his mother
called him Oft to do something for her. In his
absence his sister Lucy made of his pen to
write her name in book, and she let fall a
great drop of ink on the page he was writing;
I Fred returned while she was busi45-employed
! in. doing what she could to repair the mischief.
" You have made n great blot on my com
postion,f he exclaimed, looking over her
shoulder.
lam very sorry, did not mean to do it,"
said Lucy. But Fred veXed that he
would have answered his sister very roughly,
| had not Giles interposed.
Take care Fred; you know the thing IS
| done and can't be helped"
Fred tried hard to suppress his veXation.
:" know it was accident" he said
pleasantly, after brief struggle.
| Lucy left the room, and Fred sat down again
| to his composition. After moment he looked
up. Z" No great harm is done after all. Two
or three alterations are much needed, and Ii L
write it over again can make them"
$50 much for good cool head and not
getting vexed," said Giles laughing.
g Our rules work we'll"
| At night Fred tore his trousers IN cIlmDlnB
a fence. That's too bad"
% 1t can't be helped" said Giles, they can
THE way to help it is what troubles me-"
said Fred. l don't like to ask mother, she has
so much to do .
Giles proposed that he should get over his
difficulty by asking Lucy to do the job for him,
/ as her mother had taught her to mend very
neatly. Fred not at first disposed to
adopt this measure. He knew that Lucy dis
! liked mendiug very much, and was AFRAID she
would be cross. if asked to do 1t !; but at last
decided to run the risk of that. ihcy iouhu
Lucy busily employed with n piece OF em-
| brudery, and quite absorbed in her work
Fred looked significantly ut Giles, when he
saw how she was employed; but he concluded
he had gone too far to retreat and must make
e! n bold push.
I - wish to ask a great favor of you, Lucy,
hut fear have come in the wrong time,
said Fred.
"What do you want ?" said Lucy.
81 am almost afraid to tell you. It's too bad
to ask you to do what know you dislike"
"Yom are good while getting to what is
wanted" said Lucy, laughing Come OUT
with it
Fred thus encouraged, held up his foot and
! displayed tho -rent.---
. "Wcll, take them off; will do my best, !"
said Lucy, checrfn1ly.-
:" You are a dear, good sister" said Fred
"Whcn l saw what yOu were about thought
/ | You wonId not be willing 10 do IT,
" Ny unusual amiahility quite puzzles You
does it 2" said Luey, laughing. shall havG
to let You into the secret. To tell the truth,
} have been thinking all day what could dc
--4t.4-S+.44 it-Eeturn- for yonr compnsitlon-- -
SO much for our rules" exclaimed Giles
triumphantly. They work to charm"
What rules p inquired Lucy.
"We must tell Lucy all about it," sait
Giles.
They did tell her all about it; and the resnl
was that she agreed to join them in trying thu
; new rule.
TIE FATHER AND HIS SoNs.-A father hat
+ seven sous who often quarreled with eacl
: other. Engrossed by their quarrels and con
tentions, they neglected their work. Nay, |
went so far that some evil-mnded peopl
i thought to turn this difference to their owl
advantages, in order to deprive the children o
! their inheritance on the death of their father
The venerable old had all his seye
N