The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-12
CONOUERING A ZOE.
How the Persistent 81 VIII" Overcame
the Giant Cant"


How the Persistent 81 VIII" Overcame
the Giant Cant"
Sammie Gay was bright, generous,
but very quick tempered His father
and mother had tried faithfully to point
out the foolishness and danger of yield
ing constantly to so dangerous foe.
Frequent punishment had followed pa
ternal counsel, but still Sammie yielded
far too often to the tyrant temper, which
proved after all hard master to the
kind hearted boy.
When there was to be festival at the
Broad Street Church, and Sammie beg
ged leave to 60, his mother said, yes,
he could 90, and have fifteen cents to
spend if in the intervening two days he
would not yield once to any improper
show of temper, not that it was any
part of her plan to hire Sammie to do
right but the wise mother knew that
onceln awhile some tempting incen-
tive would go great ways towards
stimulating boy to real effort in the
right direction. But the mother was
made both glad and sorry, when, on the
afternoon of the festive day, poor Sam
mic declared with burst of tears that
he couldn't 90, because he got lawful
mad " that morning and called Tommy
Ting ga hateful, dirty spider" because
he crawled softly up behind him and
scared him half out of his wits.
Mrs. Gay was glad that if Sammie
was quick-tempered he was not
coward, but dared to tell the truth
although it cost him considerable in
the way of fun and pleasure. And she
did not forget nor neglect to commend
the boy for his truthfulness, for the af-
fair happened in the school-yard and
could easily have been concealed had
Sammie had less courage and con-
science than distinguished him. So that
evening, when the time for the festival
came, Mrs. Gay invited Sammie to take
a little walk with her, and during the
pleasant stroll she showed how hasty
temper betrayed any one into all kinds
of sin and folly
Then she spoke in her calm, kind
way of the improper language he had
used in calling Tommy ling the names
he did, language no little gentleman
would soil his lips by using. Now,
my child" she added, cheerily, "l've
heard of an excellent plan for prevent
ing ones self from saying hasty words
and making improper speeches; when
ever you feel the least angry, stop and
count ten before allowing yourself tC
SPEAK one word
Sammie thought this a splendid idea
and declared his belief that he coulC
kill his unfortunate temper in that way
W thout doubt. He would try it tn,
very next day.
And so he did, poor child for whel
Nick Neal, the bad boy Of the school
tainted him with having failed in spell
ing, he answered never a word, but jus
began counting ten with all his might
but when Nick called out in his mos
provoking tone: "Ah, so the littl
parson hasn't the courage to say
wordr' up went Sammie's hand il
quick revenge, and he had to remain il
from recess an the afternoon for strik
ing another boy
No wonder poor Sammie cried tina
night, and told his sympathiziug mothe
it was no use, he could not conquer hi
temper, it was bound to overcome hin
every time.
After Sammie was in bed and set
Ting himself ito think over things,
his mother came into his room with
book in her hand; and with ready dc
light he knew that meant story belor
gong to sleep. And it was a wonder
full story, all about a boy who won a
astonishing victory in making Il can &
yield to 81 will. y
The hero was not avery strong child
and every difficult task of duty mad
him shrink back and say: Il cans
but one night he dreamed a great gian
BY the name of II will'' came and cor
quered the feeble, but persistent, "
can't" until it was driven away fol
ever. But the great Captain. unde
whose leadership the victory was a,
complished, was named "PorSevel
ance;n for If will'' did not come o
conqueror at once. There We're sever;
long battles. first; but the boy dresme
that Il wiz was not to be put dow
and when finally Il can't was reall
driven away he never came back again