Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-16
NO. 1913.
A Story for the Little Folks,
BY ROSA GRAHAM.

Johnnie sat perched upon the barn yard
fence, his hands thrust deep in his pock-
cts, his blue eyes wide awake with won
der. A novel position for Johnnie; ordi-
narily, his brisk little body bobbing to and
fro like q windmill: and no wonder Aunt
Martha regarded him, amazed, from the
kitchen window
The fact is, Johnnie was thinking-as
only boys can think when some great sur
prise is upon them. His soberness dated
back to the early morning
Come down to the meadow" Uncle
Job had said, when the clock strikes
three. am going to make you pres.
ent." -
Such a future to an eight year old boy!
Johnnie's Joints stiffened instantly; he
could not eat his dinner, much less exc out
the interval with his usual sport his life
seemed lost in that speck of afternoon
So up on the fence-post he perched, his
blue eyes wide open with wonder, his fin
gers hammering great holes in his trowsers
pocket.
Clang, clang, clang-the town-clock.
struck three! The fence that had known
Johnnie suddenly knew him no more;
straight westward he trotted his brisk lit
tie body till, breathless, he stood in the
meadow. where Uncle Job was diligently
stacking hay.
Johnnie approached the hay riffs with
something like awe. 3l@8e9sa
"Please Uncle Job" a
That gentleman looked up with smile;
| it seemed like dinner to Johnnie, when
he was impatient for dessert. fss5
..On time. eh, my boyp" said Uncle Job
cheerily; and then throwing down his
rake, he drew Johnnie towards him, and
| continued:
II was to make you a present, be-
lieve, Johnnie. And so ! will-the gran
dest one you ever had in your life. you
mayn't like it at first. 1t amt top, nor
jacknife, nor anything like that, but its
so beautiful that it shines all over; and
though it's easy broken, you can break it
ever you like. It's meant for use, to; it
thrives better by wear and tear; the only
trouble is to keep it, Johnnie"
| Here Uncle Job paused. but Johnnie
was too absorbed to notice. A present he
mighntt like. perhaps, though it was so
beautiful it snone all over a present he
could break at will, and yet use it when
ever he pleased, present it was hard to
keep-neither top nor jacknife-.
"What can it bep" he exclaimed at last,
aloud.
"It's a rule", broke in Uncle Job softly.
"a golden rule"
Johnnie stared straight down into Uncle
Jobs eyes. No mischief there; rather an
earnestness, deep and solemn.
The boy looked bewidered. he was
familiar with rules masculine, feminine,
and neuter but golden ones were strange
to his experience. For, you see, Johnnie
was little waif that Uncle Job had re-
Gently adopted, and his native atmosphere
had not favored these extra buds and blos-
sons. Still Johnnie knew what gold was,
and, after a minute, he turned. his blue
eyes brimming with curiosity
"Show it to me, Uncle Job, please"
Uncle Job made no movement towards
his pocket, though Johnnie eyed 1t 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
great Disappointment was in store for him.
but the present." he gasped.
A big tear rose in Uncle Jobs eye. He
tightened his arms around Johnnie, and
kissed his sad little face.
My boy" he said, "Will you say those
words with meP"
Johnnie complied, wonderingly. and
ont upon the summer air floated like u
hymn
"Do unto others as You would have
them do unto you"
Then continued Uncle Job softly:
Johnnie, this is all l have for you to
day-these dozen words No gift at all,
you think it, now; but if you resolve to
keepit, it'll make you so rich and happy
that you won t wonder Uncle Job thought
it worth half-mile trip to the meadow.
And, Johnnie-you know one gift don't
hinder another-there are hosts of tops
and jacknifes yet to get, and hosts Of days
to get them in" and Uncle Jobs eyes
twinkled so mysteriously that Johnnie was
moved to 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 be kept the golden rule, be would be
the richest and happiest boy IN the world.
SO he listened eagerly to Uncle Jobs ex-
plantations, and resolved to try always to
act towards others just as he would like
them to acttowards him.
1 WISH L cOuiu tell YOU al 'nv "ohuiouS
trials he made, and how bravely he strove
to reap the promised good. For it was
not always smooth in Johnnie's path; he
had his trips and tumbles he turned some.
times 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 man.
hood grown, no gift does he regard more
gratefully than the one Uncle Job gave
him that summer afternoon.