Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-29

is so susceptible Of development, that most
anything can be done with it, What metal
eau be made TO cut like steel ?"
What is it about the Damascus blade,
grandmother you can bend one Of those
clear back to the sword hlt aud it won i
break, aud it'll be just as good as ever
when it siraightens out again"
" That's it, said grandmother
Just like Martin Luther" answered
Jared. THE monks could starye him, aud
freeze him, aud screw him all out Of shape
on the rack they could bend up his poor
body, but they couldn't break him, grand
mother, nor they couldn't hurt him, in
here. Now | know what true as steel
means"
Some way Mrs. Raymond didn't feel
much like talking. There was strength
aud power about her grandson that she
had never noticed before; and the chief
points of his character suddenly became
disclosed to her. That Jared was q as
good as the average" she had slil hun
dred times but she had never given him
credit for more truth, or honor, than most
boys Of his age lie obeyed her. well,
any boy would obey her, she thought; his
father aud uucles and aunts always minded
her, why shouldn't Jared This was the
very first iutimation she had received that
her grandson obeyed her because from the
bottom Of his heart he believed it wa,
right TO do So There was silence for sev.
era minutes. The clock ticked away stead
ily, the fire blazed and cracked, but no one
spoke. Finally Jared said, while a look
Of determination lit up his boyish face:
Grandmother, I'm not as true as steel
You are not, Jared--why not ?" shC
asked, again unmindful of her knitting.
Because l'm not honest"
Not honest, child ?" repeated the old
lady leaning forward eagerly, You havn'l
stolen any Thug have you ?"
No, grandmother" and Jared couldn't
help smiling at the question. " but I'm
not honest with you. May be LIN not made
Of good steel, for break every once in a
while
Break, Jared r.
Yes, break | broke tonight right
square in two about that wood house door
aud | said lots of ugly things about you"
Abou, mt, jared said the old lady
adjusting her spectacles. " Who to ?"
To myself, grandmother, TO the mean
coward that jumped into me about that
time. It's just as bad as if | went a mile
and talked it out to somebody else, sup.
pose. This is it, grandmother ought
always to remember that whatever you say
or 90 for Inc is for my good that you ART
50 much older, and know a hundred times q,
much aud to try to but the first thing
know, forget. Some way | hate awfully
to be nagged at"
To be iehat at" inquired Mrs. Ray
mond, in surprise.
call it nagging, grandmother" er
planned Jared. Now let me tell yor
about the woodhouse door. In FIVE minutes
should have remembered that, because
when come in aud sit down, the very
first thing do is to go over the whole lis
Of c'ores; and when | sung out wood
house door, the little something in her,
would have sung out mo- and | SHOULD
have gone right out and fastened it bu
you didn't know that: you had all th'
things on your mind, and | ought to b.
ashamed Of myself. Grandmother, whs
should be done with such a boy? Truly
grandmother, want to please you, auC
my father; aud want to get my lessons
and do all the chores, because it is right /,
DO them; and it is given me to do and
but what's the matter ?"
Grandmother was crying.
" You have set me thinking, Jared, tha
is all, she answered, with sob. "Whel
you have finished your lessons, put out tn,
lights and 20 to bed. I'm going to m
room now. Good night, my child, and MAJ
you always continue to try to be as true a
STEEL
It was out of Jared's power to ask
,iusle question. He saw that his grand
mother was deeply moved. Tears wer
very rare visitors TO her eyes, aud he won
d5red what could have hurt her so.
Perhaps | shouldn't have told her, bu
how could be honest aud keep it to my
sell p he wondered But suppose thi
is part of the bending | did right any
way, and it wouldn't be right to feel ba,
about it, Dear Grandmother hope sh,
don't think | blame her."
That night Jared awoke, thinking b.
heard his grandmother's voice. Sure enougl
the old lady was beseeching divine guid
auce.
" Forgive the ignorance of the past" h
heard her say, "and grant that the lesson
have learned this night may never be for
gotten. Help me to keep my boy as tru
as steel, in the right way, aud by the righ
means. Amen"
There were two lessons learned i'll tba
house that night. Jared looked into tn
depths of his grandmothers heart, aud iel
for the first time in his life what fine an,
noble nature was hers and grandmothe
had touched the groundwork Of his, an
fully understood that "nsgging" wasn't goo
for boy who was in earnest about being a
"trIe as steel"