The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-26
JOB Rrintin&
Iobnn;e,s Joints stiffened instantly; l

could not at his dinner, much less exc
out the interval with his usual sports; his
life seemed lost in that speck OF afternoon.
So ND on the fence-post he perched, his
blue eyes wide open with wonder, MS
fingers hammcring great holes IN his
trousers pocket.
Clang, cang, clang-the town-clock
struck threel The fence that had known
Johnnie suddenly knew him no more;
straight westward he uotted his brisk
little body till, breathless, he stood IN T. a
meadow where Uncle Job was dill .,,lr,
stacking hay.
Johnnie approached tn" pr;ets with
kind of awe
Please, Unc'o I'll,
n"' 7 -'eman looked up with asmile;
1t See" cd like dinner to Johnnie when
Iii. vas impatient for dessert
"Oa time, eh, my boy?" said Uncle Job
cheerily; and then throwing down his
4 rake he drew Johnnie toward him and
continued:
. | was to make you present, | believe,
Johnnie, Ara so | will-the grandest one
you ever had in your life You mayn't
iifzs Il at first 1t amt to- nor jack
knife, nor anything like that; but it's so
beautiful that it shines all over; and
though it's easy broken you can break it
ten times day and yet use it again when
ever you like. It's meant for use, too; it
thrives by wear and tear; the only trouble
is to keen it, Johnnie"
Here Uncle Job paused but Johnnie was
too absorbed to notice it. A present he
mightn't like, perhaps, though it was so
beautiful it shone all over; Il present he
could break at will and yet use it when
ever he pleased; present it was hard to
kcep-neither top nor a jackknite-
"What can it be? ?" he exclaimed at last
aloud
It's a rule" broke in Uncle Job, soft
ly. "A golden rule
Johnnie stared straight down into Uncle
Jobs eyes. No mischief there; rather an
earnestness deep and solemn.
The boy seemed bewildered. He was
familiar with rules masculine, feminine
and neuter, but golden ones We're strange
to his experience. For, you see, Johnnie
was little waif that Uncle lob had recent
ly adopted, and his native atmosphere had
not favored these extra buds and blossoms.
Still Johnnie knew what gold was, and
after minrte he turned his blue eyes,
brimming W it'll curiosity:
SHOW it to me- Uncle Job, please"
Uncle Job made no movement toward
his pocket, though Johnnie eyed it closely.
He said simply:
| "DO unto others as YOU would have
them do unto YOU
Johnnie's lip quivered. There was no
beauty to him in the unfamiliar words
He seemed lost in the belief that a great
disappointment was in store for him.
But the present" he gaspcd.
: A hig tear rose in Uncle Jobs eye. He
tightcned his arm around Johnnie and
kissed his sad, little face.
my boy" he said, "will you say these
words with me?''
Johnnie complied wonderingly; and
out upon the summer f"ated like Il hymn:
"Do unto others as you would have
them do unto YOU
Then continue Uncle Job softly:
"Johnnic. this is all ! have for you
to-dav-these dozen words. No gilt at all
YOU think it now; but if you resolve to
keep it it'll make you so rich and happy
that YOU won't W, nder Uncle job thought
it worth a half-mile trip to the meadow.
And, Johnnie-you know one gift don't
hinder another-there are hosts of jack
knives and tops yet to get, and hosts of
days to get them in,' ana Uncle Job'sey
twinkled so mysteriously that Johnnie
was moved to a merry laugh.
Johnnie had great faith in Uncle Job.
He could not understand it, yet he be-
lieved implicitly all he had heard, and
that, if he kept the golden rule, he could
be the richest and the happiest boy in
the world. So he listened eagerly to
Uncle Jobs explanations, and resolved
to try always to act toward others just
as he would like them to act toward him.
wish | could tell you all the won
drous trials he made, and how bravely he
strove to reap the promised good. For
it was not always smooth walking in
Johnnie's path; he had his trips and
tumbles; he turned sometimes to the
right and left. But by effort he grew
strong, and his reward was rich indeed.
No boy was loved like Johnnie; none had
so many friends. And, to manhood
grown, no gift does he regard more CRATE
fully than the one Uncle Job gave him
that summer afternoon.