The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-09-11
Our Young People
MADE UP FROM THE BEST CLIPPINGS.
Out in the Rain.

There is a touching story of the
famous DIR. Samuel johnson, which
has had an influence on many
boy who has heard it. SamuePs
father, Michael Johnson, was poor
bookseller in Litchfield. England.
On market day he used to carry a
package of books to Uttoxeter, and
sell them from a stall i'll the market
place. One day the bookseller was
sick, and asked his son to go and
sell the books in his place. Sam
uel, from a silly pride, refused to
obey.
Fifty years afterwards johnson
became the celebrated author, the
compiler of the English Diction-
ary," and one of the most distln-
guished scholars ii England, but
he never forgot his act of unkind-
ness to his poor, hard toiling ia
Their; so, when he visited UttOXeter
he determined to show his sorrow
and repeDtanc
He went into the market place at
the time OF business, uncovered his
head and stood there for an hour
in the pouring rain on the very spot
where the bookseller used to stand.
"This," be says, twas an act of con-
triton for my disobedience to my
kind father"
The spectacle of the great DR..
johnson standing bareheaded in
the storm, TO atone for a wrong
done by him fifty years before, is
grand and touching one. There is
a representation of it in marble)
on the doctors monument.
Many a man in after life has telt
something harder and heavier than
a storm of rain beating upon his
heart, when he remembered his acts
of unkindness to good father and
mother now in the grave.
DR.. John Todd of Pittsfeld, the
eminent writer, never forgot how,
when his old father was sick and
sent him away for medicine, he Ia
little lad) had been unwilling to go
and made up lie "that the drug
gist had not got any such medi
cine"
The old man was just dying when
little Johnny came in, and said to
him, MY boy, your father suffers
great pain for want of that medi-
cine"
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 alter life Or. Todd
often had heartache over that act
of falsehood and disobedience to
his dying father. 1t takes more
than a shower of rain to wash away
the memory of such sins. DR.. Todd
repented of that sin a Thousand
times.
The words "Honor thy father and
thy mother" mean four things-al
ways do what they bid you, always
tell them the truth, always treat
them lovingly, and take care of
them when they are sick or grown
old. never yet knew a boy who
trampled on the wishes of his pa
rents who turned out well. God
never blesses wilfully disobedient
son.
When Washington was sixteen
years old he determined to leave
home and be a mtdshlpman in the
Colonlel navy. After he had sent
off his trunk, he went to bid his
mother good bye. She wept so Bit
terly because he was going away
that he said to his negro servant,
"Bring back my trunk; l am not
going to make my mother suffer so
by my leaving her,"
He remained at home to please
his mother. This decision led to
his becoming a surveyor, and after
wards a soldier. His whole glo-
rious career in life turned on this
simple act of trying to make his
mother happy. And happy, too,
will be the child who never has &C
casion 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"
: Youths Companion.