Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-17
NED AND !.

NED AND I.
IA Soft Answer Turneth Away WRATH
An Faster Sunday Lesson.
was ten years old when l found out
that Easter Sunday meant anything be-
sides a good supply of gaily-colored
eggs and huge custard pies.
I was q country boy, and ~ there
was always an abundance of these
things, they naturally occupied more of
my attention than did the yearly Easter
sermons chat Parson Hartwell preached
in the little country church which we
attended; they had always made me
feel sleepy or restless, with a desire to
be out in the bright spring sunshine,
instead Of sitting on the hard, bare
seat. with my feet hanging down until
they were uncomfortable with the prickly
feeling of being asleep.
One Saturday night, before Easter,
I sat cleaning my coarse leather shoes
(for father always said it was no way
to wait until the Sabbath before getting
in order for church.) l rubbed and
polished very slowly, for in truth I was
not in a pleasant humor. That very
day l had %quarrcled with Cousin Ned
and we had even come to blows. 1t
had been about q dam which I had
been building across the brook behind
the barn.
had just completed il to my satisfac-
ton and was watching the bright, clear
water flow over the miniature falls,
when Cousin Ned came over and began
giving me advice as to ways of improv-
ing it. Twas puffed up with success
and answered shortly that [ had made
it in the way l wanted, and didn't need
his advice. Ned was a bit inclined to
be %tantalizing and he kept on chatting
me about the dam, until l could keep
my temper no longer, and I broke forth
with the most abusive language I could
command.
Ned was as hot-tempcred as I was,
and, picking up a handful of stones, he
began pelting the dam. In a second,
he had broken away part of the work,
and, as soon as the rushing waters
found an opening, they soon swept
the rest away, and the result of my
mornings work was carried down the
stream.
Isprang up from where 1 had been
vainly trying to prevent the destruction
of my dam, and confronted Ned with
flashing eyes and flaming cheeks. In a
moment we were locked together, and
were fighting like young tigers. We
two boys, who had been loving play
mates from babyhood until now, were
fighting as though we were mortal
enemies!
Who would have conquered, I can't
tell, for William, my eldest brother,
saw us from the barn, and. fastening
toward us. 500 separated us in his
calm, gentle way; but it mad left both
of us defiant and sullen, and as I sat
rubbing my shoes, l felt both angry and
sorry for the disgraceful scene.
I had just finished my task, when 1
felt mothers soft hand on my head, and
her loving voice asked: ''Wha is the
matter with my merry % to-night-he
is so quiet?"
I answered that nothing was the mat
ter, and tried to smile up in her face as
usual, but On looking up, encountered
Williams kind, gray eyes. 1 knew at
once that he was thinking Of the morn
ing's scene, and my face grew scarlet
as I reflected how panied mother would
be if she knew of it.
was unhappy all the evening and
was glad when it was bedtime.
| awoke the. next morning with the
feeling of not having rested well;
somehow the pillow had not been as
soft as usual.
Before we started for church, Will
lam whispered to me that l must not
go to church on Easter with anger in
my heart, but l was too sullen to an
swer. #
To this day l can remember how the
old church looked that Easter morn
ing. The young people had almost
covered the square, plain pulpit, until
it looked like a bower of flowers.
Easter had come early in the season,
and, with the variableness of March.
the would shine and light up the
church, and again the sky would be
overcast and u gloomy dimness per-
wade the editice.
I sat and looked at the white-haired
minister with anything but a gentle
spirit, for l was half angry and vet
half-ashamed Of myself, and when in
his quiet, almost monotonous voice, he
delivered the text, it seemed as though
he had read my thoughts. "a soft
answer turneth away wrath" he said,
repeating it slowly over again. l put
up to my burning checks my little
brown hands, as though to hide them.
| felt almost sure he had heard of nv
w%ickedness and was preaching entirely
to me. The sun had gone under cloud
J and there Was nothing to attract my