South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-05-30

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them, by the fallen tree. but fslled trees
were many, for the wood-choppers had
been cus'iog timber for the old ssw.m mill
down the creek aud though when they put
their shoes down they thought they could
easily fnd the spot, they now discovered
dozens Of trees that looked jus, like che
one they sought. The sun was far 10 the
West; aud the forest growing DINNER aud
more dim, and still they could not fiud the
shoes
Now came the first fruit Of their sin.
Conscience, that bad slumbercd for awhile,
awoke. Maggie began to cry and said |:
oh, sister, how nau ghty wo were to DISC
hey mamma! Now We shall have to 20
home without our shoes and stockings /; aud
what will mamma say to us 2
Yes, said Agnes, and besides that We
shall disobey again in not getting home be :
fore sundowu, anc again in not getting
Cusha home by milking time. That is the
way one naughty thing makes way for ..
mother. o, dear, what made us do so!'
Maggie took hold of her sisters hand
and speaking in busbed, low tone, said:
Il guess it was Satan who made US do II,
Aggie. Do you think We shall be pun
ished p
Il know we ought to be- said Agnes,
thus appealed to, 'and l think we are get.
ting pretty we'll punished now; and I'd
rather te whipped as hard as old Mr..
Woodhurst whips poor Dan, than to 20
home without the shoes and have to tell
mamma how mean we've been. It was
awful wicked, and just as mean as il could
be too, to treat mamm ma SO when she was
so good TO u.s.
/. Il am just as slammed as I can be- said
Maggie, tie tears running like rain down
her round, rosy cheeks. Sister Aggic, do
you suppose il would do any good to pray
Do you think God would hear rs when
we've been so very naughty
Il don't see what else we can do said
her sister, we've looked everywhere, and
done oil we can, and maybe now il We tell
Him our trouble and confess our sin, He
will help U.s.
So the little girls knelt down by the log
on which they had been sitting, and pray
ed. They were very earnest in their sim.
pie petitions. They told the dear Lord ali
their trouble, confessed their sin, and beg
ged to be forgiven. And then they prayed
Him to help them find the lost shoes. They
promised they would confess their fault TO
papa and mamma when they got home, and
would try TO be good obedient children.
Their little hearts grew comforted rs they
prayed and they felt that if they did not
find the shoes they should be now quite
willing to go home barefooted, confess their
siu, aud take whatever punishment their
parents cav best TO award them.
Whaa thav bad -, a. -
the Lord, and said, for Christ's sake A.
men, they arose TO go home and as Ag.
nes got up her eyes glanced down on tho
other side of the log, and there, just where
they had left them, were the shoes!
The children put them on very quickly,
and thankfully, feeling quite sure that the
Heavenly Father had answered their pray
er, and helped them to End them. They
walked soberly home driving Cusha before
them, aud entered the gate just as the sun
was sinking like great red globe behind
the west meadow.
Mamms stood by the sitting room win
dow and called: 'Dear little girls, you are
just in time. See, the sun is not yet q ute
down. Come 10 quickly and wash your
faces, for there IS junket and cream, aud
currant jelly for my good little girls cup
per-
Into the house they both went, their
eyes full ofteurs, and their sweet faces red
with shame aud they said, 90, mamma,
do not Hiss Us, and We do not want junkst
and cream and jelly, for we have been We
ry wicked and bad, and disobeyeJ you
We took of our shoes aud stockings and
lost them, and We should not have been
home this good while, nor brought Cusha
10 Der milking only God helped US.
Then they told all their story, not keep
ing anything back, and their mother, though
she was grieVed at their fault, was glad
that they bad learned 40 sweet = lesson Of
Faith, and the virtue Of Prayer.