American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-12-26
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS.

|
| TOMMY LAKE, with his face buried in
the cushion, lay curled up on the lounge
| in the dining room. " What is the mat
ter, Tommy? Are you sick." said his
mother, as she came into the room, hav-
| ing lust returned home from sick neigh
boris.
No" was the mufiied and rather tart
answer that came from under the pillow.
Mrs. Lake at once came to the side OF
the lounge and said: Something is
wrong with my dear boy. Won't you tell
mother what it isl"
Tommy couldn't long withstand the
gentle stroke of the hand that was on
his head, and, Strengthening up, he burst
out, Nobody likes me-" A very woe
begone face looked up for "A moment into
the loving eyes bent upon him, and then
dropped into the hands that rested on
his knees.
What reason have you to think SOY"
said Mrs. Lake, as she arose to remove her
bonnet and shawl. Her heart prompted
her to comfort Tommy by telling him
how dearly father and mother loved him,
but she remembered certain instances of
selfish action toward his mates, and sus-
pecting that this had been the source of
his present trouble she thought it good
time to give him counsel in this regard.
With his face still buried in his hands,
he exclaimed: Arthur Briggs says I'm
as mean as dirt"
"What occasion did you give Arthur
for making such an ungraciOus asSer-
tion?"
II don't know, except" said Tom
my, as if hesitating to tell the whole
story" got mad at the way he pushed
the balls while we were playing croquet,
and told him he shouldn't come to my
birthday picnic"
Was that all?'
Yes, only left and broke the game
up and Arthur was angry, because he had
two friends visiting at his house and it
needed four to make up the party. L
wouldn't care, but Tim Crane said almost
the same thing about me yesterday, and
the BOYS are all down on me-" And poor
Tommy looked more forlorn and misera-
BILE than ever.
"What happened that so good-natured
a boy as Tim should have blamed you?
/ thought he liked everybody" said Mrs.
Lake.
81 suppose l was selfish, but | did not
Think" and Tommy drew a long sigh,
and taking Il rocking chair commenced
Il vigorous motion back and forth, as If
his confession were partly working Oft
his worst feelings. "You see, he began,
90 Tim hasn't as many nice things as
have, and yet he likes them as well as
anybody. He's a regular genius in using
tools, and is perfectly happy when ne can
be tinkering. After father made me
present last Christmas of that chest or
tools, and fitted up that room in the car
riage-house, told Tim he might use
them as much as he liked. The other
day he wanted very much to stop in the
shop and make something he had got in
his mind, and was half crazy to finish. L
wanted him to go with me down to the
brook to build dam, but he said he
would rather work out his idea, as he
called it, and then l was angry, and
locked up my tools, and l told him he
shouldn't ever use them again
about the way he had used Tim, and was
in "a mood to listen patiently to the kind
words of his mother, who showed him
the errors into which his selfish anger
had led him. She advised him at once
to see his mates and seek their friendly
good will.
"How shall do it? Get down on my
knees to them and ask their forgive
ness?" Tommy was not bad boy at
heart, and the smile that came with these
words was an assurance to his mother
that his better nature was gaining the
victory.
AS to the way" she said, Il leave
you to Judge"
Leaving him alone, Tommy sat awhile
very quietly, only keeping up furious
rocking, just as he did when studying a
hard lesson. At length he broke out
into a cheerful whistle, and with his
hands in his pockets walked to the win
dow. Just then he saw Tim Crane com
ing up the sidewalk on the other side of
the street. Without waiting to put on
his hat he rushed out on the verandah-
Tim" he exclaimed, "come over
here; want to see your With Il slow
step and sober face Tim came across to
the gate Look here. Tim" and Tom
my's face was fairly radiant with kindly
feeling, "you see father gave me two
KEYS to my tool-chcst, and l was just
thinking that, as am away sometimes
when you want to do some tinkerlng, you
had better take this extra key, and then
you can get the tools any time you wish"
A half smile of incredulity rested on
Tins face for moment, but there was
no installing the warmth of Tommy's
generosity and with g Thank YOU" that
rcve aled the bitter disappointment which
Tim had felt in being shut out from the
envied treasures of his more highly
favored friend, he very earnestly asked
Tommy to forgive him for having
spoken as he did the other day. After
Tim left, Tommy whistled more cheerily
than ever.
The lawn in front of Arthur Briggs
home was deserted, and Tommy did not
find Arthur and his friends until after
ringing the door-bell. The servant that
answered it told him that they were
reading in the library. He asked for
Arthur, who was much surprised when
he found Tommy at the door.
81 came down to see" he said, with
the sunshine that his interview with Tim
had left still shining in his face, :" if you
won't bring your friends over to my
house and try my new croquet sct?'
Arthur said they would be very glad
to come; it had been very stupid all
the morning, and they didn't know what
to do.
The games lasted until the tea-bcll
rang, and were all successful. Arthur