Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-06-03
JOHNNY'S VICTORY.

He Remembered just in the Nick of
Time. and Stood Bravely at His Post.
Johnny was all alone in the house,
rocking baby Lulu to sleep, and the
big tears were rolling, one by one,
over his red cheeks, and down his
straight little nose, with alarming per-
tinacity. He wasn't crying! no, not
for the world would he acknowledge
that he was crying. But what was the
matter?
Johnny was the s'best boy in the
world" so his mamma said, and I'm
sure she ought to know if anybody
should; and ever since God took his
papa home to Heaven, mamma would
leave little Lulu in Johnny's care while
she went out to tit the ladies' dresses
for them. And then, when she came
home, he always had such a bright,
CHEEKY fire in the winter time; and in
the summer would run and draw a
clear, cold glass of water when she
came in tired and warm.
Mamma was gone now, and Johnny
had been rocking baoy a long, long
time, it seemed to his tired little arms.
But that wasn't the cause of the
trouble-oh no! He didn't mind that
one bit Let us follow Johnny's gaze.
Away down at the end of the street,
right on the square, but almost hid by
the thick foliage of the naples that
line each side of the street, we see
| whatl A great awkward form, that
looks ike-can it be?-an elephants!
And then, we are sure-those are
camels, we can see their humps. And
that group (the people crowd so we
can't half see)-that must be the dear
little ponies! and oh, the monkeys!
Johnny's mamma had said that he
might go and see the procession that
morning-for it was a show that had
come to the village; but she thought
she would have time to go and alter
Miss Meriweather's basque for her be-
fore the procession would start. So
here Johnny sat, rocking the baby, in
stead of making one of that merry
| crowd of boys and girls watching the
procession down at the end of the
street.
Now, don't give our little boy too
much credit. His first impulse, when
he heard the music, was to put baby in
her crib, and-tiy! Really, he did get
her in the crib, when he remembered.
Then he cried aloud: Mamma, 0
mammal in real agony. But Miss
Meriweather's house was, quite five
blocks away, and mamma couldn't
have walked home fast enough for him
still to go, even if she had heard that
poor little cry. And, with that dis
tracted music sounding in his ears, and
the dim shapes of those wondrous
creatures from another world just visi-
BILE, what wonder that the tears rolled
down his fresh little face, wink bravely
| as he might to keep them back
l said that Johnny remembered; and
just in the nick of time, too. Indeed,
if it had not been for his remembering,
I doubt if he would have stood SO
bravely at his post. But first l must
tell you little secret; and, as all this
happened SO long ago, I don't think
johnny will care The very top PIN
nacle of Johnny's ambition and happi-
ness was to be a soldier: His, dear papa
knew about this desire of his heart,
and not long before he died he talked
with Johnny about it, and said: "Son,
rem ember a soldier must never finch,
but stand like rock at his post. -
These words had taken deep hold on
Johnny's young mind, and so it was he
remembered; but oh, it was so hard!
He was a soldier, he was at his post,
and stand he must, like a rock. And
so he did, brave little hero!
The gay parade and the bewitching
music are gone now, and mamma
comes in, all flushed with walking so
rapidly. She takes in all at a glance;
the brave little face that would not
cry, the sleeping baby. She quietly
takes baby and puts her in the crib;
then (wise mother) she lifts her soldier
in her arms, and, in mothers lap, he
| no longer tries to check his tears, but,
close to that loving heart, sobs it all
| out.
Look up, little captain! Dry your
tears-put on your brightest smile; for
you have played a nobler. Drawer part
than if you had marched at the head
of regiment and captured city,
| Edna Sheldrake, in S. S. Times.