The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-03-24


great lump Hcpk In TonMy's throaA
and made II ache. and bis eyes smart
I'd.
II know" said grandma, from the
other side Of the 6rc, - she laid dowa
her knitting and took OF her glasses b
wipe them. Last year there was .
dear. good father to come homo =
night with comforts that his strong
hands had earned, and who never lou
us in the morning without kiss and .
kind word; but he went up to Heaven
Don't you remember how he told hb
boy, just before he went, to be sure and
serve the Lord, and be . comfort to
mother, and gel ready to come and
live with father some day."
Tommy wiped away the tears. but
at still without replying.
I'm tell you," said grandma. after .
little pause; ''let's have . grumble-
mseting."
"A whatl" said Tommy. looking up
with wide-open eyes.
"A grumble-meeting. You don't ses
what we've got 70 praise God for; lets
see what We have 70 grumble about.
We've seen trouble this year-that's
sure; we're not the only ones, but then
we feel 1t moro than We do other peO-
pies troubles. Now. ! know . little
boy who hasn't lost bio father by
death as you have. Oh. no! but ono
cold day last week, he and bis mother
and little baby sister were al day with
out any fire or food, because every cent
that the poor. Grassy thing that he calls
father earns goes over the bar OF the
saloon for drink. Once he beat the
mother black and blue, and kicked
Freddy till they were afraid that no
would never get over Il. The neigh
bors had him arrested, but - was
worse than ever after he got out"
e'Oh-h!~ sid Tommy, drawing .
long breath, and looking little fool
ish.
''Shan't We complain little because
you haven't such . father, instead Of
one waiting to welcome vow in
HeavenP Nor We don't seem to get
started we'll on this meeting. Let's
take something else. We are poor;
that's = fact. You can't have fine
clothes, nor half the playthings you
want Mother has this little homo
that father bought, and she has steady
work, and turn in my little income;
but what is that? What did you have
for support"
"Nothing but bread and milk" said
Tommy, the whine coming back into
his voice.
"Now we've got . good start. II
you only had the nice, light meal that I
saw two little folks have, there might
be something to be thankfulfor. They
were standing outside an old shanty.
and the older one was eating snow,
but the younger one was crying Bit
terly. I stopped and asked what was
the matter, and she said: Use 80
hungry The older one said: We've
had nothing to eat since morning. !
eats snow, but she don't Don't you
think you might have something to
praise God for II you had been in their
placer"
Tommy hung his head.
"Then these two little girls had on
some old shoes that grown folks had
worn out, and ] saw their bare toes
through the holss, and ~ blue skin
through the ragged stookings Now,
mother don't keep you dressed in any
thing but good, thick flannels and
stout, warm clothes, though they arc
little patched Shan't we grumble
over thatp"
"N-no," said Tommy, family, and
turning red, for that very morning hs
had fretted about those very patches.
"Then," grandma went on cheerful
ly, ''there's mother. It's . shame, the
way she treats you. If you had some
mothers, you might have something to
be thankful for-like Billy McGrana-
hans, for instance, who lets him run
the streets, and never sends him to
school nor Sunday-sch0Ol, nor mends
his clothes, nor washes him, nor acts
as if she loved him. Why, all the little
mother does is to work all day for her
little son, as bright and cheerful as
though her heart wasn't sore with her
sorrow, and tuck him up in warm
bed at night, with kiss and prayer,
and teach him and train him so that he
may grow up to be good man. Don't
you think we had better have big
grumble over herP"
20 grandma" and the sorry tears
came into the little boys eyes.
'Then, there's the great, good Father.
who has given you all these blessings.
who knew what was best when He
took father away, who loves US, and
cares for US every day, who is prepar-
ing a home up there for US. Shall we
grumble, Tommyp"
mo, nor cried he, jumping up to
, throw his arms around her neck and
kiss her; don't don't wonder
, mother wanted to 60 to praise-meet-
, ingr'
"Bless me!' said mother, coming in
that moment, her cheeks pink and her
veil frosty; "what bright faces! You
must have been talking about some
, thing pleasant.
We've been holding grumble-
meeting" said grandma.
"And we turned it into praise-meet-
| ing" said Tommy.-D. II. Hayes. r.
Il A Minutes Anger.
Not long ago, in q CITY not far from