Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-03-07
FOR THE CHILDREN.
Eddie's Disobedience
The Story of a Box of Matches

| ,EWF HE child was asleep. His rosy
Il NY cheek was pressed on the pill
TI low; his lips were parted, and
%HA = the little white teeth were peep
ing out: his light curls were all tossed
about; and pretty smile was playing
all around his mouth. One little hand
was outside the counterpane, the other
| was close clasped, and under the pillow
t-clasped, because it held what to Eddie
was a dear treasure, and under the pill
low. because that treasure was secret
one-a secret from even mamma. What
was it? What could it be?
In the afternoon of that day. Eddie
had been playing in the garden. John
came by and called him: Master Eddie.
I have raked up great heap of rubbish
and thorns and am going to burn them.
Would you like to come and light the
bonfire?''
| "Oh, how famous!'
| Away went barrow and spade, and
away went Eddie. Such glorious
heap of dried weeds and couch grass
and thorns to be burned! How gladly
Eddie, for the first time, took the match
box from Johns hand, struck the match,
and lighted the fire. 1t was a splendid
bonfire; the flames rose higher and
higher, cracking and splitting bright
sparks about. and Eddie thought he had
never seen anything so grand. What
nice plaything a matchbox was, he
thought; better than anything he had
in the world-only just to open the lid,
take match, give little rub, and there
was the lovely little flame ready to light
| a bonfire at any time. Oh, if papa would
only get him a whole hat full of boxes
and matches! But papa, and mamma
| too, had always said he must not touch
the matches.
&c Am | naughty boy to light bon
fire?" he thought, again and again; and
the little face looked grave and guilty.
Master Eddie" said John. ''you had
better run off now, or the smoke will
make you ever so dirty"
Eddie took one more look at the fire,and
scampered off, forgetting that the match
box was still in his hand; only, when
he wanted two hands for the barrow, he
| saw what one of them still held.
Then came the wish TO keep that box
of matches for his very own. He was
sure he would not burn himself, and
that was all that mamma feared. Yes,
he must keep them. And soon they
were safely slowed at the very bottom
of Master Eddie's pocket.
Eddie did not feel quite happy now.
The barrow was too heavy and the spade
would not dig; so he walked along slow
ly with one hand in his pocket, feeling
the box.
Soon came tea-time. Mamma won
dered that her little darling was so 81
lent.
Eddie had darling little sister, only
two years old. Her name was Mary,
but they called her Dolly. Papa often
called hers 6 bundle Of fun," for she was
such a sweet merry little maid.
n lnll %
stood by, watching the sprinkling and
laughing and tickling, till she took her
own doll ard was carried off and laid in
her little crib, Miss Doll and all.
Now came Eddie's turn. Mamma un-
dressed him and fetched him biscuit
for supper 1t only took Eddie min
ute to jump up, take the matchbox
from his pocket, and draw it up into the
sleeve of his night-dress; but his heart
beat very fast and he could scarcely say
& Thank you,'' as he took the biscuit.
Then he said his evening prayer. He
said the words, but he did not feel joy
full. His mothers soft kiss seemed to
trouble him; and when she smoothed
his pillow and said, ''God bless my dar-
ling boy!' he felt as if something hurt
him in his throat. He was very tired,
however, and soon slept; and when papa
and mamma came to look at their dar-
lings the last thing at night, they only
saw what 1 wrote down at the begin
ming, only they did not know, as you
and 1 do, what the little hand was
clasped under the pillow.
1t was all quiet and still, for it was
rest time, and all was sleeping sotindly.
What woke Eddie? Perhaps he had
dreamed dream that frightened him
perhaps the little hand under the pillow
was cramped; but there he was wide
awake, holding the matchbox still. He
turned his head from side to side, 1t
was all dark only tiny glfmmer came
from the night-lamp in mammals room,
and he heard the staircase clock strike
one.
Eddie had a little picture of some
white kittens over his head; he won
dered how it would look in the night
He would just strike one match and
peep. Fiz. went the match on the box,
and the little flame burst out brightly.
Fiz! and fiz! again, great many times,
match after match. As they burned
nearly down to Eddie's fingers, he
tossed them from him over Dolly's crib
against the wall near which that crib
was placed. But he wondered there
! was not more fun in them, and he grew
afraid of the shadows made even by their
tiny light; SO he laid his head down
| dSdlll, dllu CotClCu up Will tllc OcU-
clothes, thinking that when morning
came he would tell mamma all about it.
Oh. mother, mother! wake up from
your light sleep, tor there is dread dan.
ger near your darlings! the danger OF
death!
Dolly's doll had been brought to bed
with her, all in her white muslin frock
and blue ribbons, and when the wee
mamma had fallen asleep, Dolly's doll
had dropped out of bed on to the floor
Eddie's matches had been tossed over
out, except the last one. Eddie had go!
tired of them, and frightened, and per-
haps he did not hold it quite as long in
his hand as the rest; when he tossed il
, away, it fell all alight on the white
) muslin frock of dear Dolly's doll.
, Eddie's head was still under the
clothes; Dolly was fast asleep; one lit
tie hand dropped over the white coun.
terpane, the white coQnterpane dropped
over the pretty wax doll, whose muslin
frock was all in flame from the burning
match. Frock, petticoat, kid arms filled
with sawdust, all are alight. Higher
and higher the flames leap. Now it is
catching the white counterpane; now il
is nearing the fair little dropping hand
Oh, mother, mother! wake up! for the
, danger is close to your darlings-the
: danger of death!
Oh, blessed Lord look down and save
them! Who is there to aid them now
but Thee?
Eddie was nearly asleep. Surely thai
was a cry he hcard-a sharp cry of pain
Something must be the matter with dar.
ling Dolly.
Eddie dearly loved his sister, and ht
was sitting up in moment; but what {
l sight met his eyes! All he had lighted
= a bonfire indeed! The room was filled
| with sitting smoke, and lighted up by
q bright flame; and the little one annie
f the burning bel was screaming witt
t fright and pain.
e Mamma! mamma! mammal rang
through the still house and in less time
e than | can take to write it, the mother
e was there, catching the little ones in hel
G arms and bearing them to place of safe
' ty, while the flames leaped and ragged al
S the more flercely as more things caught
s fire.
e Papa, auntie, John ,alI were awakened
r The great bell was rung long and loud
a and all was haste and confusion.
Now, Eddie's home stood in the coun.
) try, and stood alone There was no fire