Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-26
JOhnnie's Present.

with wonder. A novel position for John
ME; ordinarily, his brisk little body
bodied to and fro like 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 a pres
| ent.n
| Such 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 sports; 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
fingers hammering great holes in his
trousers pocket.
Clang clang, clang-the town-ciock
struck three! The fence that had known
Johnnie suddenly knew him no more;
straight westward he trotted his brisk
| little body till, breathless, he stood in the
meadow where Uncle Job was diligently
stacking hay.
Johnnie approached the hay-rifts with
kind of ave.
"Please, Uncle job"
That gentleman looked up with smile;
it seemed like dinner to Johnnie when
he was impatient for dessert.
con time, eh, my boy?" said Uncle Job
cheerily; and then throwing down his
rake he drew Johnnie toward him and
continued:
81 was to make you present. | believe,
Johnnie. And SO l will-the grandest one
you ever had in your life. You mayn't
like it at first. 1t amt top, nor a 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 a 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 keep 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; present he
could break at will and yet use it when
ever he pleased; a present it was hard to
keep-neither top nor a jackknife-
"What can it be ?' he exclaimed at last
aloud
'tIt's a rule" broke in Uncle Job, soft
| ly. GA 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 were strange
to his experience. For, you see, Johnnie
was little waif that Uncle Job had recent
| ly adopted, and his native atmosphere had
not favored these extra buds and blossoms.
Still Johnnie knew what gold was, and
after minute he turned his blue ewes,
| trimming with 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 90 unto you.
| Johnnie's lip quivered There vas 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
kissed his sad, little face.
my boy" he said, Twill you say these
words with me?'
Johnnie complied, wonderingly; and
out upon the summer foated like a hymn:
| "Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.''
Then continued Uncle Job softly:
Johnnie, this is all have for you
to-day-these dozen words. No gift 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 wonder Uncle Job thought
| it worth halfmile 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 Jobs ewes
| 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 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 lust
as he would like them to act toward him
wish [ could tell you all the won
drous trials he made, and how bravelv he
strove to reap the promised good. For
it was not always smooth WALKING in
Johnnie's path; he had his trims and
tumbles; ne 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
1ully than the one Uncle Job gave him
that summer afternoon.