Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-04-27
ONE STEP MORE.

into your hearts the good lesson it
teaches.
Had / better get in and row across,
wonder2 Nobody would ever know
anything about it, and there the new
boat lies rocking i'll the river, and
there are two oars in the bottom. 1t Is
only mile down to the bridge, and /
could row down there and back in a
little while, and it would be such a
splendid sail.
OF course nothing could happen to
me, for grandpa said to mamma the
other evening, when we went to the
mill, . Why, Helen, Henry is natural
born sailor He can manage the boat
as well rs l. -
"Oh dear! | wish he had never seen
that boat, said mamma II expect it
will be the death of him yet
"Well, he did not inherit his natural
taste from you, that is certain
laughed grandpa "but women are al
ways perverse about the water"
And that is all 1t is just mammals
nervousness and | know nothing
would happen to me getting in there
and having little sail, and it would be
so nice this afternoon, and the river
looks, away up by the bridge, like
ribbon among the oaks and poplars.
Nobody would ever know anything
about it, either, for of course | should
get back safe, and l do not believe
there" would be any harm in it.
But then there is my promise to moth
er; there's no getting around that, and
t was the last thing she said to mo be-
ore she left home on Thursday.
She called me to the carriage and
bent over one side and smoothed my
hair as she always does when she talks
to me.
Now, Harry, my boy" she said, 81
want You TO promise that you will not
get inside of that boat until your faith
Ell and | get home again"
"No, mamma, | will not, certainly, "
| answered, though | hated to, bad
enough, that's fact.
And | think it is quite too bad that
such a big boy as l am cannot have his
own way IN such things.
Oh dear dearl the longer / look
The more want to GO 1t seems rs if
must go.
One step more and I shall be in the
boat; but there my promise to mann
ma,
And how shall | feel when she
comes and looks IN my face, and calls
me her darling boy, aud puts her arms
around my neck and kisses me over and
over againI
She will not ask me whether | have
I l
her | would not, and | never told my
mother lie in my life, and will not
now.
Mamma came home last night Such
hugging as had,
Has my Harry been good boy, >
she said, land not done single thing
his mother would have disapproved
OFF,
mo, | guess not, mamma | said
but | was thinking about the boat and
did not speak very positively.
Mamma held me away and looked
into my eyes.
You guess notl Are you not quite
certain, Harry 2" she asked.
well, mamma, | have not done
anything, but | have thought about
1T
She drew her arms around me anG
held me close to her.
Tell me about it, Harry" she said
And then l did | told her about IN,
going to the river Saturday afternoon
aud how near came TO getting into tn,
boat and rowing down to the bridge
and what terrible temptation it was
and how in one step | should have beer
in but the memory of my promise t,
her, and the thought that God saw me
held me back when there was only on
step hetwiXt me and the boat.
And when | had done l found mann
mas tears falling, just like rain-drops
in my hair.
sob, my child | thank God l thanl
God! !" she said
And |, too, thanked Him, then, from
my heart, that | did not take that ''on
step. "