The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-18

mana lot glass OF wafer, SalO IN a ialnJ
but kind voice, Thank you. Bill; [ know,
old fellow, you didn't mean it"
A cold shudder ran through William az
he held the sick boys hot hand. How
vain and useless would all regrets become
il-if-l He dared not think of the worst;
he was learning bitter lesson by expe-
rience, and resolving TO take it to heart be-
fore he lefl Tom that night, who said again,
III be all right in the morning, Bill;
know you didn't mean it."
Bill passed a sleepless night. FoTtu-
nately Tom was all right in the morning;
that meant his headache was over. and he
could go around with the boys, and study
as usual, though the black eye and SCARED
face remained, suggesting to Bill painfully
the incident and encounter of the previous
day.
Mr.. Smith noticed Bill's contrition, and
whispered gently when he saw symptoms
of his being on his guard, He that Tul-
eth his spirit is greater than he that taketb
a city"
Mr. Smith noticed Bits contrition, and
whispered gently when he saw symptoms
Of his being on his guard, " He that rui-
eth his spirit is greater than he that taketh
q city,
He had several sore struggles during that
day; he hunted high and low for his slate,
and finally discovered that it had been
taken from his desk by boy whom he
disliked 1t was scratched, and left in an
OUt-Of-thc-Way corner. This was particu-
larly annoying to Bill, who was pressed
for time. When he found it his first i'm
pulse was to hurl il at the offenders head
This he restrained with great effort, and
the little boy escaped. Bill held the slate
in his hand, and walked up to him with a
flaming face.
See here, do you know whose slate this
is?" he asked fiercely. The little boy
quaked in his shoes. Bill intended add
ing, with a smart box on his ear, Take
that for your impudence."
The boy expected something of the kind
and shrank away with a frightened face;
others who were standing near, evidently
were as much surprised as the delinquent
when Bill, after a moments hesitation,
with a great effort, only said as he walked
away, Z" See that you don't touch it again,
then"
His knees trembled, but the victory was
won, at least for that time. As he was
going off he overheard one boy say in a
low voice, =" Mr.. Smith frightened him yes
terday so it's taken all thestarch out of him"
BilIs temper rose; in a moment it was
afiame. That boy should repent his speech,
he thought. At that instant Tom entered
the room; Bill glanced at Tom: he was
trembling so that he sat down, with his
back toward the boys; he dared not face
them at that moment
Tom sat down by him; he looked at Bill.
Glow white you are! What's the mat
ter?'' he asked.
Nothing, nothing" returned Bill. He
could not have confessed then that the
sight of Toms face had deferred him from
executing immediate and violent vengeance
on that boy who had reused his temper.
Ruling the SDiritn is no easy task,
city may be taken much sooner; easier far
is it 10 indulge the impulse Of hasty pas
sion, though it leaves US a lifelong regret.
These first victories were won, and Bill
began to congratulate himself upon his
success; he had overcome his temper.
When the temptation was passed it seemed
q comparatively simple task to keep it
under control. 1t had only been the work
of a moment; but a wonderful change may
be made IN a moments time. "And let
him that standeth take heed lest he fall"
His old enemy had held him in thrali too
long to give up his captive without
severe struggle.
Mr.. Smith saw with pleasure that Bill's
outbursts of anger were less frequent; the
lion was not changed into the lamb sud
denly, and the old spirit leaped up fercely
at sudden prOvOcations, battling sorely for
dominion, and was not always subdued
until Bill learned by experience that Onir
constant and careful watchfullness kept
{ him on his guard.
Il was very hard for Bill to hear in
+ illusions and snecrs Of the boys regarding
F his changed conduct; they were not said
! before him, but he knew that they attrib-
uted it to either lack Of spirit or fear Of
/ hIr Smith This CALLED and irritated him
greatly, and he longed for an opportunity
Of showing the fellows that he was no
. coward, feeling which is cOmmendable
in any boy.
"Ycs. he's as tame as a frog; he dosnt
/ dare say boo TO a fellow since he had his
fight with Tom"
Bill overheard this remark one morning
as he came suddenly upon group of boys
standing at the top of a broad flight of
stairs. His blood boiled, and turning
quickly, he seized the speaker by the neck
another moment and he would have hurled
him down the steps. Happily he was ar
rested before 1t was too late-a hand was
laid on his arm, and Mr.. Smiths voice
said, William, what are you doing? Do
you wish TO break Georges neck?"
If he had come an instant later some
bones might have been broken. William
stood in silence.
| thought you were gaining the mastery
over your temper added Mr.. Smith, lead.
ing him away. This one rash act would
have undone the hard work of months"
"The fellows think I'm a coward, re
piled William savagely. I'D like to show
them once I'm not one"
BY throwing a boy down stairs, and
manning him, perhaps for life. bringing
unavailing regret and lifelong repentance
for one passionate outbreak? No, my boy
that would not win their respect and youl
conscience viii soon assure you, if it Is no
doing so at this moment that it is cowardly
to yield to the temptation, and give YOU
enemy the advantage. l do not doubt tina
opportunities will arise when you car
testify that physically you are no coward.
That's true enough" thought Bill
when he was calm, and he could reason
"What would have been the use in break
ing fellows arm or leg, and getting al
the blame for it, and no credit either
Very brave it would have been, to be sure
to push little fellow like George dow
stairs"
He was very much disheartened, and les:
self-conident for some time after this.
was good for him, and put him more or
his guard than before, since he had felt hi.
own weakness; but the word coward ,
still rankled in his breast-as it must in
any boy who has true manliness of char
acteT-and he longed more than ever fol-
some opportunity of showing the boy,
that he was not indeed deficient in spirit.
1t soon came. One pleasant halfholi
day, the boys obtaining permission to spend
ii in the woods, they resolved to 90 straw
berrying, as they had been told that in
certain field the berries were very plentiful
So they started off in fine spirits, hoping
to find wild Strawberries as plentiful a:
blades of grass. But they were disap
pointed; there were more tiny white bios
SONS than red berries, and searching a few
moments they discovered some one haC
been ahead of them 1t was evident wha
were left were not worth looking after, Sc
Bill proposed fishing in the brook that rar
through the middle Of the sloping field.
The proposition was well received, as