The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-12
JOHNNIE'S FIRST CHURCH.

JOHNNIE'S FIRST CHURCH.
"SUsAN, you may go to church to-day
if YOU wish,' said Mrs. Ellis to her serv-
ant one pleasant Sabbath morning John
MES uncle says he is not going out this
morning and will take care of him, so you
can go, just as well as not; and we will
! have lunch little later today
Johnnie was not yet quite three years
old, and as he was a restless little fellow
his mother had not taken him to church
for fear he would not behave well, which
would, of course, greatly disturb his papa,
who was the minister.
When his mother told him Uncle Will
was going to take care of him that morn
ing Johnnie was quite pleased, and prom
ised to be Zeal dood" and mot ky one
bit"
Don't dress him up in his best clothes
if he is going to stay with me and be sure
to leave some bread and butter for him in
case he gets hungry" said Uncle Will,
land l guess we will get along all right
until you come home. Won't we, John
nie?"
SO Johnnie's mother left his calico
wrapper on, got the bread and butter
ready and left i where Uncle VIII could
get it easily, gave Johnnie his Sabbath
book, with those wonderful pictures of
Moses and Aaron, Samson killing the
lion, and great many other men and an
| finals, which were a great delight to him :;
and after charging him again to be good
boy and not bother Uncle Will started
| off to church.
Johnnie stood at the window watching
his papa and mamma as they crossed the
street and entered the church, which was
Just opposite the parsonage; and then, as
Uncle viii was reading, thought he
would get his book and read too.
For little while it was very quiet but
Johnnie soon got tired of even Samson
and the lion and began to be uneasy and
| teased Uncle Will to ride him on his foot
Now Uncle Will had grown very sleepy
over his book and thought he would lie
down on the lounge and take little nap :;
so he gave Johnnie big piece of bread
and butter to keep him quiet, and lying
| down was soon fast asleep.
Now J.ohnniesyas not very hungry; but
he took his bread and butter and trotted
out into the hall, and was soon having a
| famous ride on papa's cane. All of a
sudden he spied one of the blinds Of the
front door open.
Selling his papa's old garden hat, which
lay on the table, he put it on the back Of
his head, got down the steps the best way
he could, taking his cane and bread and
butter with him.
He was soon at the garden gate, and as
he stood there he heard the people sing
| ing over in the church, and the thought
entered his busy little brain, how very
nice it would be to go over there and see
papa and mamma.
After good deal of tugging he got the
gate open, having first put the cane and
bread and butter through the Stats, on
| the sidewalk. Mounting his cane he was
soon on his way across the street to the
church
Johnnie got safely across the street, but
it took him good while to get himself
and his effects up the meeting house steps
but finally, after great effort, much per
spiration, and some tearing of his clothes,
he reached the top of the last one. His
face and hands were pretty dirty by this
time: but he still had his bread and butter
and the cane all right, while papa's hat
chung firmly to the back Of his head.
1t was very quiet in the church when
Johnnie got in The sexton was asleep in
the last pew, and no one seemed to see
him as he rode very quietly up the aisle
toward his papa, whom he saw standing
up in the pulpit
Now, Mr.. Ellis was just in the midst OF
the first prayer when he became conscious
of slight disturbance about him, and a
halfsuppressed laugh, and at the same
time he was startled by little voice pip
ing out, in high key:
"Here l is, papa; come to churks! Take
me up there l dot some bed and butter
for you"
Poor Mr. Ellis brought his prayer tc
an untimcly end, gave one helpless look
at his congregation, and seizing the hymn
book gave out a hymn at random, without
reading it, He then descended the pulpit
stairs, took his ragged dirty little boy ur
in his arms and gave him to the sexton tc
carry home, and with as much composurt
as he could command returned to the desk
and preached his sermon to as wide-awakt
congregation as he had ever had.
When the sexton got Johnnie home ht
found Uncle Will just starting out il
search of the little runaway, with rathel
an alarmed countenance.H .4
When he heard of Johnnie's adventur,
he secretly determined never to offer tt
take care of him again of Sabbath.
When Johnnies papa and mamma go
home they tried to show him how naught,
he had been; but the poor little fellow
seemed so grieved, and persisted so il
saying he was "'deal dood to 90 t,
churks," that they had to forgive him
but were very careful not to leave hin
alone with Uncle Will again.-Zion'
| Herald