Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-07-03
Out in the Rain.

There is touching story of the famous
DR.. Samuel Johnston, which has had an
influence on many boy who has hoard it.
SamuePs father, Michael Johnston, was u
poor bookseller in Iichfeld, England. On
market days he used to carry package of
books to tho villogo Of Uttoxetor, and sell
thom from q stall in the market place.
Ono day the bookseller was siok, and asked
his son TO 60 and sell the books in his place.
Samuel, from silly pride, refused to obey.
Fifty years afterward Johnston became
tho celebrated author, tho compiler of the
t'Engish Dictionary" and one of tho most
distinguished scholar, in England, but he
never forgot his act of unkindncss to his
poor hard-toiliug father; so when ho vis-
'itcd Uttoxetcr, he determined to show his
sorrow and repentance.
lie went into tho market place at tho
time of business, uncovered his head, and
stood thoro for an hour in a pouring rain,
on the very spot where tho book k-atall used
to stand. "This," he says, twas an act Of
contritlon for my disobcdienoe to my kind
father"
The spectacle of the great DR.. Johnston
standing barcheadcd in the storm, to atono
for the wrong done by him fifty years before,
is grand and touching one. There is
representation Of it Gin marblc) on the doc
tors monument.
Many man in after life has felt some
thing harder and heavier than storm of
rain beating upon his heart, when he re-
membercd his acts Of unkindness to good
father or mother now in their graves.
DR.. John Todd, Of Pittsfcld, tho cmi
nent writer, never could forget, how when
his old father was very sick, and sent hin,
away for medicine, he Ga little lad) had
been unwilling to 60, and made up lie
that the druggist had not got any such
medicine" 1i
Tho old man was just dying >whon little
johnny came in, and said to him, "Ny boy,
your father suffers great pain for want Of
that medicine"
johnny started in great distress for tho
medicine, but it was too late. The father
on his return was almost gone. He could
only say to the weeping boy, Glove God,
and always speak tho truth, for the eyes of
dod are always upon you Now kiss mo
once moro and farewell"
Through all his life, DIR. Todd often had
n heartacho over that act of falsehood aud
disobcdicnce to his dying father. 1t takes
more than shower of rain to wash away
the memory of such sins. DR.. Todd re-
pented of that sin thousand times
The words, "lionor thy father and thy
mother" means four things-always do
what they bid you, always tell them
the truth, always treat them lovingly, and
take care Of them when they are sick O.,
grown old. mover yet know q boy who
trampled on the wishes of his parents who
turned out we'll. God never blcsscs a will
fully disobcdiont son.
When Washington was sixteen years old,
he determined to leave home, be midship
man in tho Colonial navy. After he bad
sent off his trunk, he went in to bid his
mother goodbye. She wcpt SO bitterly
because ho was going away, that he said to
his negro servant, "Bring back my trunk;
l am not going to make my mother suffer
go by my leaving her."
= He remained home to please his mother.
This decision led to his becoming survey.
or, and afterwards soldier. His whole
glorious career in life turned on this one
simple act of trying to make his mother
happy. And happy, too, will bo tho child
who nevor has occasion to shed bittcr teurs,
for any act Of unkindness to his parents.
let us not forget that God has said, "IIonor
thy father and thy mother"
[Dr. T. Il. Culyer, an Kouth's Companion.
The Stranpest Crime