The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-02-20
Ghildren's Column.
Johnny's Experience.


agree with him in this estimate of him
self Wise indeed he might have been
had he listened to the counsel of his
parents; but he really acted as if he
thought himself wiser even than they.
Near where this boy lived there was
large lake. You could easily find it on
your map if were to tell you the name
of it. But that would not do. / should
not like to give you a clue to find John
ny. About two miles from the end of
the lake there were many islands, some
of them were not much larger than a
steamboat, or even than small ferry
boat, while others were almost half
mile long.
Johnny's father intended to get nice
rowboat and teach the little fellow how
to row. He had a clumsy, ugly boat
tied to a stake along the shore, but it was
not very safe, and Johnny was forbidden
to get in it. Of course Johnny thought
he knew how to manage any boat that
ever was made. l believe he would have
tried to start steamboat If he had been
In the engine-room of one
One Saturday morning he thought he
would convince them that he could row
that boat by starting out in it. He
passed the first three islands. Just as
he was nearing the fourth, he ran upon
a rock that was nearly hidden by the
water his boat careened, filed with wa
ter, and turned over. He clambered
upon the top of the rock and there
watched his boat, as, with jagged hole
near the bottom, it reeled to and fro once
or twice, and then the waves filling it, it
- h. & h. LII
leaving Johnny knee-deep in water upon
the rock.
1t was fortunate for him that the rock
was only little way from the island,
and that there were succession of rocks,
more or less out of the water, between
himself and the land He managed by
jumping from one to the next to reach
the island, but he got wet almost up to
his waist. He felt very uncomfortable
In this plight, as you may imagine. What
troubled him most was the fact that the
three islands lay between himself and
his home, so that he was not only out of
sight of it, but, still worse, no signals
that he could raise could be seen by his
friends. Island No. 2 was covered with
woods and rocks, and rose much higher
out of the water than the island he had
been wrecked upon.
He thought at first he could play
Robinson Crousoe. But that much
beloved hero had animals to share the
solitude of the island. There was not
living thing Oh the island with Johnny.
He went from end to end and side to
side. There were many trees, rocks,
stumps, and bushes that was all. In
light fire, and try to dry my clothes, T"
he said to himself but he forgot that he
had no matches. "Ill fish," he said :;
but he had no line I'll try to build a
wood of any kind.
All that he could do was to lie in the
sun and watch the little waves as they
ran up on the shore. He soon found this
tiresome, and began to wish that he could
get home. Thinking over this he fell
asleep. When he awoke he thought that
he must have slept all night and that it
must now be morning again, for the sun
seemed in a different part of the sky.
He remembered reading a story about
family who had slept over whole day
and did not know that it was Sunday
when they awakened, and so went on
with their work. He even fancied that
he was very hungry. He walked over
his island once more, and thought it
very dull and stupid. There was not a
thing for him to do.
Once more he lay down on the rocks
and got asleep again. When he awaken
ed the sky was dark with clouds. 1t
looked as if it might soon be very stormy.
Thinking of what he should do to get
something to eat, he began to cry. He
could devise no way to let them know at
home where he was, and he began to
fear that they would never find him on
that island, and that he should die there
of hunger. He looked northward, south
ward, eastward, and westward there
was no sign of any human being.
There was no way for him to tell if il
was afternoon or morning. The sky was
full Of heavy leaden clouds; the lake
looked cold and blue, and the wind had
filled it with little waves. He did not
even see a bird flying across the island,
nor fish swimming across the lake.
He felt miserable, desolate, dreary
cold, and hungry. Heidi not remember
if it was Saturday or Sunday or Monday
He was sure he was starving with hun
ger, and began to think that every one
at home must have forgotten him.
Poor Johnny From the bottom Of
his heart he wished he had obeyed his
father and not gone near the boat He
was beginning to realize that he had beer