The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-04-05

Goodwill.

LII OuG Vi Lly WALKS, UuG ObL0L Cltty, L
saw two boys OF my acquaintance, whom
| shall call Orson and Robin, playing
game Of barn-ball. I suppose every
country boy knows what that is. The
ball is thrown against the unclapboarded
side OF barn, or any suitable building,
and, as it rebounds, the thrower, who
stands behind the knocker, tries to "catch
him out. Of course, there must be no
windows to knock the ball through, or,
the first you know, there will be pane
to pay for, and, quite likely, somebody
very cross about it. A nice little game
it is for two; and, as [ used to be fond
of it when [ was boy, and am some
thing of boy still, stopped to watch
my young friends Orson and Robin.
They played very we'll, and I sympa-
thized SO much with their enjoyment
that was myself little disappointed
when Orson's aunt appeared with letter
which she said must so to the postoffice
at once, and asked Orson to carry it.
Now, Orson was her favorite nephew,
and [ have no doubt she Lad given him
the very ball and bat he was playing
with at the moment. She is always
IllII1 JICoClICO VI ll1Il 1uNOIS.
So, hard as it was for him to leave his
sport, 1 expected to see him, neverthe-
less, run with the letter, to please one
who was constantly doing things TO please
him. On the contrary, however, he
grUmbled out, "Can't go now I've got
Rob here to play with me, and contln-
ued pitching the ball.
It is very important the letter should
go tonight, " pleaded the aunt "Come,
Orson, dear; then you can play when
you come back"
81 don't want tol [ can't! And
bounce went the ball again, tossed against
the old barn.
cob, yes, go!" said Robin. "Tl
go with you.
But Orson still refused, while the aunt
turned back sadly toward the house.
"II go alone, then" clied Robin.
''Mrs. Woodman I'll take the letter !"
And he ran after her to get it,
ooh, come, now You'll spoil all the
fun p growled Orson, who was so angry
that he would not go with Robin, but
stayed about the barn and sulked-fing-
ing the ball occasionally, and trying to
knock it himself until his companion
returned.
was walking by again, when Robin
came back; and [ think If my readers
could see what then saw in the faces of
those two boys, it would be great deal
better than anything [ could write. [
thought Of it few days later, when I
received the editors kind invitation to
" talk " to the boys of St. Nicholas and
wished that I could paint for them that
picture instead:
Orson, sullen, gloomy, selfish, I'M
happy.
Robin, bright, cheerful, radiant with
satisfaction and goodwill Until he
came within the shadow of Orsons dis
content
AS I cannot paint this contrast, I may
as well make it text for my "Talk."
The world is full of Orsons, boys and
men; there is, moreover, an Orson and
a Robin in almost every one-a spirit of
selfshness and a spirit of goodwill; and
am going to ask each Of my young
readers to look for these two fellows in
himsef-to get rid Of the bad company
OF the one. and to cultivate the society
of the other
There are many subjects which +
should like to talk with the boys about !;
but it seems to me they may be nearly
all summed up in that one golden word
-GOod-aOiU. Robin has this beautiful
gift, and it makes him helpful and hap
Ply. Orson lacks it; and the opposite
quality not only renders him miserable.
when things do not go to suit him. but
gives him the dseadful power of making.
others uncomfortable. The good spirit
will make q brave, generous, upright.
manly man Of Robin the bad spirit
it be not cast Out-will make selfish.
accommodating, hard, ill-natured man
of Orson. Need ask you, my dear boy,
which you would rather be?
I have called the good spirit aft;
are those, then, to blame who have it
not But I have also sailor meant to
say-that every one has it in greater or
less degree, and that all can cultivate it.
Easy enough it seems for Robin to give
up for the moment his own pleasures,
and hasten to do a good action; his ioy
is in it, and he knows that his sports are
all the sweeter when, after it, he comes
back to them. It is not SO EASY for
Orson, because he thinks too much about
himself, in the first place partly, also,
because he is not wise, and does moi
know the satisfaction there is in gener-
Gus conduct. All, if I could only show
him his own portrait, and convince him
that even he has Robin side, which he
can show to the world when he will, and
make sunshine with it for himself as
well as for others
l suppose you all, my boys, are look
ing for some sort Of success in life; it is
right that you should; but what are your
notions Of success? 10 get rich as soor
as possible, without regard to the means