The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-22
THE SERVANTS" TEMPERANCE
PLEDGE.

Robbie Fletcher was little boy eight
years old. He lived in a pleasant house,
and had many nice toys TO play with.
he had a nice mamma, too; "the
prettiest mamma ever saw" he used
to say.
One winter Robbie was very sick a
long time with scarlet fever. and when
he began to get better he liked to be
fixed up in big chair with pillows all
around him aud look out of the win
dow. He could see down two streets,
for the house stood on corner-way
down to the depot in one direction. and
as far as the school-house in the other.
He used to watch for his papa. He
knew just when the train came in, and
how long it would be before papa
came out of the great depot door.
He loved, too, to see the boys going to
school and coming home. Those who
passed his house always stopped Il min
ute, no matter how fast they were run
ming, and looked up and waved their
ham, to Robbie. Often they came in to-
see him, for they all loved him dearly.
One day, as Robbie sat as usual by
the window, his face was very sober,
and mamma. who was near by sewing.
heard long sigh.
Are you getting tired, Robbie?' she
asked.
No, mamma" he replied, after a
minute, "only-I-do wish | could 90
around with the boys again. They have
all Just gone into Willie Dodge's for the
Blue Ribbon Boys and Dick told me
yesterday how they were all getting the
boys over in the hollow to join, and--I
cant do anythingn'
Mamma sewed very busily for few
minutes, and Robbie continued to look
wistfully down the street
Il know of some you can ask to sign
the pledge" she said, presently.
Robbie's eyes grew brighter, and he
asked eagerly: "Who, mamma, who?'
Robbie Fletcher's servants" NAM
ma answered, smiling
'Robbie-Fletcher 's-servants, re-
peated the little boy, slowly, with a
puzzled face. "Oh! do you mean Mary
and Ellen and Ben?'
"No; they are all my servants. l
mean your own, those who work for
you, and who do just what you tell
them"
Again there was silence, and Robbie
wondered who they could possibly be.
He was used to mammals puzzles, but
this one he could not find out.
Pretty soon mamma put away her
sewing and went over to her writing
desk. where she was busy for little
while. Then she brought Robbie oo-aa
neat little slips of paper, on which he
read:
I'VE, the undersigned, promise never to
look on the wine when il is red
ROBBIE FLETCHER'S EYES,
I'VE, the undersigned, promise never to
listen to any words which would tempt our
master to drink what would intoxicate him..
ROBBIE FLETCHER'S EARS"
4" We the under signed, promise never to
speak any words which would tempt any one
to drink intoxicating liquors..
ROBBIE FLETCHERS LIPS"
1--WE, the undersigned, promise never to
smell or taste anything which will intoXicate
our dear little master.
- ROBBIE FLETCHERS NOSE AND MOUTH"
eve, the undersigned, promise never to
touch or handle Intoxicating drinks;
" ROBBIE FLETCHER's HANDS"
ooh! see now," cried Robbie, Joy
ously, looking up at. mamma. "How
nice OF you to think of that! l never
knew before that had so many serv-
ants"
"And now that 1 have written the
pledges, you must find out if they will
sign them, and then 1 will show you
how it is TO be done.
After a few minutes of quiet thinking
the little boy cried, earnestly:
t1"Yes, mamma, they all will, and stick
to it, toon'
Il hope so, my boy,'' she replied,
kissing the eager, upturned face. ':.Can
you remember how old Uncle Pomp
signed the paper when papa paid him
his money last sammer?"
"Oh! yes, he couldn't write his name,
so he held the pen and made little
cross where papa wrote 'Pompey Lee.
He showed me-
"And that is what your servants must
do, make their mark-see like this. -
Mamma brought the Jen, and, in
turn, Robbie held his eyes, ears. nose,
mouth. lips and hands to the tip of it
while she made the small cross. Then
each signature looked like this:
their
ROBBIE FLETcHER's X LIPS.
,.. mark
When the boys came out from school
that day they saw Robbe's little white
flag flying from his window. That was
always signal that he wanted to see
them, so they ran up to his room, and
heard how his servants had signed the
Temp eranee pledge.-Intertq. g 81
mi