Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-02-21
Our 4JOun9 fulks.
Henry ArnoIds Fault
by Vary 8. SHERMAN.

always ready for q merry game, aud OF
the playground would run and leap with
the best of his school fellows but when
the teachers bell called them back to
study, no ono entered the school room
with a more reluctant step than Henry.
Once within, instead of studying as he
ought to have done, he would busy him
/ self with whispering, marking the desk
and drawing comic pictures to show &c
those near him when the teacher was toe
busy 10 notice him. You know
satan duds some mischief s,uI
Tor idle hands 90 DO.
Henry, your lesson will be a failure
again unless you study more, the teacher
! often said.
But it's so hard | can't learn It, was
I Henry's invariabIe reply. So he wasted
4 the bright 20 den hours that never return.
and nearly every night found him at the
/ foot of his class. when be might have been
occupying an honorable p ace, for he
/ learned very easily when he really tried
/ Henry. said Mrs Arnold, one even
ing, IS want you to run down TO Testers
and get me some silk. am entirely out,
and [ want to finish Gerry'S dress this
evening.
Vou should have seen the long face
I Henry put on lie had Just settled down
into q comfortable seat by the glowing
crate. and he did no. ike TO leave 1t. Tie
looked out Of the window and shrugged
MS shoulders
b. Its as cold 49, Greenland, mother, he
whined 1 don't want 10 % out again
to night" I almost troze coming home
from school
" Nonsense. Henry, replied bis mother,
:. i great boy ike you afraid VI the cold "
But mother, believe its going to
snow, said he, peering out at small
cloud that covered the H0on bright face
Just then aud drawing his chair closer to
the FIRE
Come. Henry. make haste" urged
Mrs Arnold, am waiting t5r the silk
But, mother. l'n tired. ana I've got "a
lesson to learn Can't james 20
james Is helping Dennis, and you are
doing nothing You Will have plenty Of
time to study after you return
Henry wa- about to frame aouther ex-
cuse. when he observed bis Uncle Foster
looking grayeIy al him through ri, gold
bowed spectacles. and se!zing his cap. he
started without another word for ncle
Foster had a shrewd way Of answering
his excuses that made him feel decided z
uncomfortable sometimes
In very few minutes ue returned lie
looked q great deal more cheerful iu fact.
he was all animation o mother he
exclaimed, throwing down his purchases.
&" they are going 90 have ~1ea p splendid
time On the pond There vii ba band
of music. and all the boys are going May
/ 70 to, too Papa said ! must ask you
have 10 objection II you will return
early. replied Mr. Arnold.
-" Good Hurrah for the pond 80
shouted Henry dancing about in true boy
fashion.
3" Y GU forget, Henry, that its as cold as
/ Greenland, and you are almost frozen. re-
marked Uncle Foster quietly
/ Henry stopped and the hot blood
mounted to his forehead. Well nc knew
/ what Uncle Foster meant.
/ But-but-I don't think guess II
amt quite so cool as It was" he stammer-
/ ed
But don't YOU think its going 10
snow 2' quered Uncle Foster
Henry heartily wished himself out Of
sight and hearing but he answered as
bravely as be could. /" Its All clearing of
/ Uncle Foster"
But you are very tired. Henry you
bad better let James &c tor you, persisted
/ Uncle Foster.
Henry nervously twisted and UNFINISHED
the ends Of his scarf. and made no reply.
Besides, you have lesson to learn
added Uncle Foster.
can learn that ID the morning. re-
piled Henry, looking as he felt, very IN
comfortable.
Then good Uncle Foster shook his head
/ gravey. g So you made all those doleful
excuses lust because you didn't want to do
mamma errand, cd Al my boy, that
/ is o bad habit yon are forming, and you
rsust conquer it or it will conquer you
4 We must work as well as play. Remem-
/ Der, Henry, what the Bible says about the
sluggard. But yoUsmay 60 now the boy $
are waiting for you"
Henry felt big lump rising in his
throat. and tears flied his eyes as be left
the room. He knew that he had grieved
/ his mother and Uncle Foster by his con-
duct aud for few minutes he felt very
unhappy.
1t is wrong TO make such fuss when
mamma asks me to do a thing. and won't
do so again" he resolved.
Alas, how easily good resolutions are
broken when we make them in our own
strength Henry. | am sorry to say, soon
forgot his, and was as bad as ever. There
/ is no telling where this bad habit might
have led him if he had not received a les
son that he never forgot
/ One Monday morning Mr.. Arnold
called Henry and James to the wood-house,
and. pointing to a pile Of wood, said
There Is some work for you, boys. |
shall not return from Chester until Friday.
and | want you to chop this wood while
am gone. 1t will not be a bard task, will
Iit?"
No, sir" they both replied, although
Henrys reply was rather faint.
Very well have dividhd it equally,
and | shall expect you to finish it this
week. With this injunction Mr.. Arnold
left them James took his Ak and began
his work Immediately.
Amt you going to begin now, Henry?''
he asked.
40, don't know; there's no hurry ::
we've got all the week to do it in, you
know" replied Henry, walking leisurely
to the door. &" Hello There goes Will