American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-08-21
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 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 not 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 guess we will get along all right
until you come home. Won't we, John
nie?n
So Johnnie's mother left his calico
wrapper on, got the bread and butter
ready and left it where Uncle Will 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
imals, which were 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 Will 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
leased 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 Johnnie was 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 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 a good deal of Juggling 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 a 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 I is, papa; comet to churks! Take
itAS up t1AC1C. wv ooAAAC DSSt oAea DoetSA
for you" r.
Poor Mr.. Ellis brought his prayer to
an untimely end, gave one helpless look
at his congregation, and Selling the hymn
book gave out hymnat random, without
reading it. He then descended the pulpit
stairs, took his ragged, dirty little boy up
in his arms and gave him to the sexton to
carry home, and with as much composure
rs he could command returned to the desk
and preached his sermon to aswide-awake
a congregation as he had ever had.
When the sexton got Johnnie home he
found Uncle Will just starting out in
search of the little runaway, with rather
an alarmed countenance.
When he heard of Johnnie's adventure
he secretly determined never to offer to
take care of him again of Sabbath.
|. When Johnnie's papa and mamma got
home they tried to show him how naughty
he had been; but the poor little. fellow
seemed so grieved, and persisted so in
saying he was "'deal dood to go to
churks," that they had to forgive him
but were very careful not to leave him
alone with Uncle Will again.-Zion's
Herald.