Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-25
Che family Circle.
Ont in the Rain.

There is touching story of the fl II Gus
DR.. Samuel johnson, which has had an
influence on many Il boy who has heard it
Samuel's father, Michael johnson, was a
poor bookseller in Litchfield England
On market day he used to carry a package
of books to the village of Uttoexeter, and
sell them from q stall in the market place
One day the bookseller was sick, and ask
ed his son to 90 and sell the books in his
place. Samuel, from a silly pride, refus-
ed TO obey.
Fifty years afterwards, johnson became
the celebrated author, the compiler of the
- English Dictionary" and one of the
most distinguished scholars in England
but he never forgot his act of unkindnoss
to his poor, hardtoiling father, so when
he visited UttoeXctGr, he determined to
show his sorrow and repentance.
He went to the market place ut the time
of business, uncovered his head and stood
there for more than an hour in a pouring
rain, on the very spot where the book stall
used to stand This" he says. " was an
act of contrition for my disobedience to q
kind father
The spectacle of the great DR.. johnson
standing bare headed in the storm, tc
atone for the wrong done by him fifty
years before, is a grand and touching one
There is IL representation of it Gin marble)
ON the doctors monument.
Many man in after life has felt some
thing heavier than II storm of rain beating
upon his heart, when he remembered his
acts of unkndness to good father OF
moi hor nnNv in thpir graves
DIR. John Todd of Pittsficld, the eminent
writer, never forgot how, when his old
father was sick and sent him away for
medicine, lie "a little lad) had been
unwilling to 20, and made up lie that
- The druggist had not got any such med
icine."
The old man was just dying when little
johnny came in, and he said to him, My
boy, your father suffers great pain for the
want of that medicine"
Johnny started in great distress for the
medicine, but it was too late. The father,
on his return, was almost gone. He could
only say to the weeping boy: Love God,
and always speak the truth, for the eye of
God is always upon you. Now kiss me
once more. and farewell"
Through all his after life, DR.. Todd often
had heartache over the act of falsehood
and disobcdiencc to his dying father. 1t
takes more than a shower of rain to wash
away the memory of such sins. DR.. Todd
repontcd of that sin thousand times.
The words, Honor thy father and thy
mother" means four things-always do
what they bid you, always tell the truth,
always treat them lovingly, and take care
of them when they are sick or grown old.
| never knew boy who trampled on the
wishes Of his parents who turned out we'll
God never blesscs wi!fully disobedient
son.
When Washington was sixteen years
old, he determined to leave home and be
midshipman in the colonial navy After
he had sent off his trunk he went in to
bid his mother good-by. She wept so
bitterly because he was going away that
he said to his negro servant: Bring back
my trunk am not going to make my
mother suffer so by leaving her."
He remained at home to please his
mother. This decision led to his becoming
u surveyor and afterwards II soldier. His
whole glorious career in life turned on
this one simple act of trying 10 make his
mother happy. And happy, too, will be
the child who never had occasion to shed
bitter tears for any act of unkindness to
his parents. Let us not forget that God
has said, Honor thy father and thy
mother. "-Dr. T. L. Cuyler, in Youths
Companion.