The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-04-26
CHiLDREN's CORNER. /;
Johnny Bra nd's Decisions.

u,
and on each elbow OF the jacket were
spots, which looked remarkably like
patches; while the knees of his trow-
scrs were what some would call thread
bare. Then his shoes seemed so thin
ana out OF season for the deep snow
which had just fallen. Ii he could on
iy have pair OF Bice, thick boots
Then again, he had no such reader
as they were to use that term, and his
mother had just told him that she had
no money to buy one then.
And last, though not least of bis
troubles, there was a new teacher-a
stranger, and man His former
teachers had all been ladies, and so
very kind; but this man. Oh dear |!
how he did dread it
Mrs. Brand saw it all and once or
twice when he looked up into her face
with such pleading eyes, she felt like
telling INN he need not go; but she
wisely held back the words, and kept
about her work as though she had no.
ticed nothing.
At last the school bell rang. johnny
tip-toed across the room to where his
mother sat.
| = Mother, must L go2
On, 1t is SO hard, sometimes, to re-
sist the pieadings of the little ones.
even when we feel that to grant their
requests may be productive OF harm to
them. Mrs. Brand found it so extreme
II difficult, that morning, to say to John
ny that he must go, that she COM
promised the matter.
Decide for yourself, my SON.
No advice. no words of encourage
meut, or OF warning. She had been
giving him lessons of wisdom aud
truth ever since he had been old enough
to receive them, and his decision in
this case would show whether her
teachings had been treasured up or
lost.
Decide for yourself, my SON"
Johnny hesitatcd only q moment
only while he was recovering from his
surprise.
''Oh. mother" then he stopped.
this time his voice Yves strong and un-
yielding;
8 [ will go, mother"
! Dear reader, if you have ever been
placed in like position, you know
| how much courage Johnny needed in
making this decision; if you have not,
YOU never can fully comprehend It.
| But YOU can imagine what it is to be
! laughed at, sneered at, udiculed and
lnsultei by your schoolmates, or re-
/ buked by your teacher when you de-
| served praise or worse, unnoticcd.
| This was what Johnny Brand expected,
yet he decided to go ; and he went.
Nearly all the scholars were at the
school house when Johnny arrived In
sight of it, for you know there are so
| many reasons for being carly on the
/ first day. There are the nice seats to
select always retained, it is true,
! but there is the fun OF choosing them
then there are playmates to greet,
| whom you have not seen during d long
vacation, perhaps; and sometimes, as
/ In this case, new teacher.
! johnny had thought of all this, but
when he saw the yard full of boys. he
did so dread to go in before them all.
| He stopped and peeped through the
iron fence, wishing they would go III,
or that something would turn up to
! draw their attention while he went by.
All he had not quite conquered.
| ~ Il1it SAdHtlD- tIlt1ts TIE very tnll z
he had been wishing for actually hap
pened. a little apple-peddler, visb
his basket OF nice, red fruit, turned il
at the gate, and the boys huddled
round him,
Now is my time, thought Johnny.
S'Ihey won't see me.
He ran foT the gate, almost holding
his breath, he was SO eager and darted
up the walk No one had noticed him,
and he began to feel quite safe but
just then he heard the little apple ven
| der cry ont
"Oh, don't steal EN- don't steal my
apples "
This cry was followed by such an up
roar of voices that Johnny could not
distinguish another word
"Oh, pshaw that's nothing to me, =
said Johnny, without stopping. yet
slaekening his pace. g He ought to
! have known better than to come IN.
Ii stop, they'll all see me, and make
fun of my clothes; and / don't know
as | could help him any. I'll go in
and get a seat; If | don't perhaps l
| shan't get one at all.
Johnny knew better than that, but
| he was trying to find good excuse for
not helping the lad in distress.
He could not quite ease his con.
science, however.
| q I wish [ knew whether [ ought to
stop and help him, he unused. "Thev
will get all his apples. | can see a
| dozen boys who each have ore. | wish
| knew what to do"
| just as If he didn't know
| He took another step toward the
| sch0Olhouse-a slow and hesitating
step; then he turned quicker than a
/ flash. His mothers words: Decide
! for yourself, my son, had Gene to him,
and quicker than their coming was the
decision that followed:
IN help him, :"
The noisy group of boys had entire
| ly surrounded the little peddIer. who
| had fallen fiat on the snow, with his
basket under him, vainly striving to
save his stock in trade but JOHNNY
| did not think of superior numbers.
He was stout and active, aud better
than all else he was in the right.
| Johnny pushed the boys right and
/ left, and reached the frightened apple
vender
Keep away" he shouted, taking a
| firm stand over the PROSTATE lad.
Don't you dare to touch another ap-
pie
/ His sudden appearance took the boys
| b. surprise, and they fell back. Con-
scious guilt, too, had some share in
/ their nrOmDt oba1ienoe Pint .bor