The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-14
Ghilaren's Column.
Three Lessons.
THE LESSON OF PERSEVERANCE,.

He was very intelligent, and seemed to
understand all that was said to him.
One day this farmer had been mending
the fence between his garden and the
orchard. When he had finished the
work, he left his basket of tools in the
orchard, and went into the barn. Rollo
was lying near the barn door, His
master spoke to him, and said, "Rollo,
have left my basket of tools in the
orchard; go and bring it to me- The
dog started in a moment. When he
reached the place, he took hold of the
handle of the basket with his mouth,
but found that it was too heavy for him
to lift.
Now many boy or girl on finding this
would have given the matter up at once :;
and would have gone back and said,
The basket of tools is too heavy for me
to lift"
But Rollo did not do so. He evidently
belonged to the TRY Company" So, as
he could not carry the tools altogether,
he took them one by one and carried
them to his master, and laid them down
at his feet, till the basket was half empty ::
then he picked it up and carried it to his
master
This dog was setting good example
OF the lesson of perseverance. Let us
learn from the lesson he taught. Let
us follow his lesson of perseverance, and
then, by Gods help. we shall be sure to
succeed In everything that is right and
good.
The next we learn from some dog is
THE LESSON OF USEFULNESS.
One of the highest mountains in Swift
zerland is the st. Gothard mountain.
Near the top of it is large building call
ed convent or hospice. A number of
monks live in this building. A carriage
road from Switzerland, down into Italy
goes over the top of this mountain. The
road is much travelled but in the winter,
when heavy falls of snow take place, trav-
oilers cannot tell how to find the road
and many perish in the snow.
But the monks at this convent keep a.
number Of large dogs, known as the st.
Bernard dogs. After heavy fall of
snow they send these dogs out, each one
having a parcel of refreshments strapped
on his back. The dogs seem to under
stand their el business, and are glad to at
tend, to 1T. They run about over the
fields of snow and keep up loud bark
ing; and when they find some poor trav-
eller overcome by cold and hunger, he
takes the food the dogs bring him and is
revived; and then they show him the way
to the shelter and rest which he will find
In that mountain home
These dogs are good missionaries.
They teach us the lesson of usefulness.
1t would be easy enough to give many
more examples of the same kind, if we
had room
Another good thing that dogs some
time teach us is
THE LESSON OF RETURNING GOOD FOR
400 EVIL.
A gentleman had dog whose name
was Ponto. He had been useful dog
to his master, who was very fond of him
But the time had come when Porto was
getting old. He was not able to do all
that he had been in the habit of doing.
His master concluded to take him to the
river and drown him. This was not a
kind return to make to the dog for the
faithful service of his lifetime But this
was what his master had made up his
mind to do So he took Ponto down to
the river. Here he tied rope around
Pontos neck. A heavy stone was fas-
tened at the other end of this rope, so as
to sink the poor fellow when he was
thrown into the river. Then he picked
him up and pitched him into the water.
But in doing this he lost his balance and
upset the boat, and was thrown into the
river himself. He could not swim a
stroke, and would have been drowned if
it had not been for Ponto. For it hap
pened SO that the stone fastened to the
rope round his neck slipped out. This
left him free to swim about; and when
he saw his master struggling in the
water, he took hold of him and brought
him safe to shore. This touched the
mans heart so that he took Ponto home
again, and had him kindly cared for as
long as he lived This was a good lesson
for dog to teach
Let us be kind to dogs because of the
lessons they teach.-S. s. Word
Think Minute, First.