Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-03-11
A mountaineering.

| 81 don't see what mother wanted &c
60 off to the pgaise-meeting. for to
night" whined Tommy Trout, rub
bing the knees of his pants before the
blaze of the little sTssing-room fire. 81
don't see what any of us have got tc
praise God for anyhow. Here we, are
just as poor as coaldn't have sled
this winter cause we couldn't afford it,
and mother has to pinch every way
now-that- Last year" Here a
| great lump stuck Tommy's throat.
and made it ache, and his eyes smart,
| ed
Il know" said andma, from the
other side of the fire, as she laid down
| her knitting and took off her glasses to
wipe them s'Last year there was a
dear, good father to come home at
| night with comforts that his strong
hands had earned, and who never left
US in the morning without kiss and a
| kind word; but he went up to Heaven
| Don't you remember how he told his
boy, Just before he went, to be sure and
serve the Lord, and be a comfort to
mother, and get ready to come and
| live with father some dayP"
Tommy wiped away the tears, but
| sat still without replying.
| 9Th tell you" said grandma, after a
| little pause; '@let's have 3 grumble-
meeting"
"a what?" said Tommy, looking up
| with wide-open eyes.
"a mountaineering. You don't see
| what we've got to praise God for; let's
see what we have to grumble about.
We've seen trouble this year-that' S
sure; we're not the only ones, but then
we feel it more than we do other peo-
pies troubles. Now, I know a little
boy who hasn't lost his father by
death as you have. Oh, no! but one
cold day last week.. he and his mother
and little baby sister were all day with
out any fire or food, because every cent
that the poor, crazy 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 he
would never get over it. The neigh
bors had him arrested, but he was
worse than ever after he got out"
''Oh-hl' said Tommy, drawing a
long breath, and looking a little fool
ish.
"Shan't we complain little because
you haven't such a father, instead of
one waiting to welcome you in
Heaven? No? We don't seem to get
started well 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 home
that father bought, and she has steady
work, and turn. in my little income;
but what is thatP What did you have
for SUPERB
Nothing but bread and milk said
Tommy, the whine coming back into
bis voice.
'Now we've got a good start. If
you only had the nice, light meal that
saw two little folks have, there might
be something to be thankful for. They
were standing outside: an old shanty,
and the older one was eating snow,
but the younger one was crying bit
terly. 1 stopped and. asked what was
the matter, and she said: Use so
hungry The older one said: We've
had nothing to eat since morning. l
eats snow, but she DON'T Don't you
think you might have something to
praise God for if you had been in their
placer
Tommy hung his head.
s'Then these two little girls had on
some old shoes that grown folks had
worn. out, and [ saw their bare toes
through the holes, and the blue skin
through the ragged stockings. Now.
mother don't keep you dressed in any
thing but good, thick fannels and
stout, warm clothes, though they are
little patched. Shan't we grumble
over that?"
.N-no," said Tommy, family, and
turning red. for that very morning he
had fretted about those very patches.
''Then,' grandma went on cheerful
", there's mother. It's shame, the
way she treats YOU If you had some
mothers, you might have something to
be thankful for-ike Billy McGrana-
hans, for instance, who lets him run
the streets, and never sends him to
school nor Sunday-school, 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 60 De Soou man. ION
you think we had better have big
grumble over her?''
90 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 home up there for us. Shall we
grumble, Tommy"
s.No. nor cried he, jun ping up to,
throw his arms around her neck and
kiss her; ''don't. | don't wonder
mother wanted to go to praise-meet-
ingr'
t.Bless metz said mother, coming in
that moment, her checks pink and her
veil frosty; ''what bright faces! You
mus, have been talking about some
thiE:,, pleasant.
''We've been holding a grumble-
melting" said grandma.
And we turned il into praise-meet-
ing" said Tommy.-D. II. Houes, in
s. s. Times.
TIE GTADEtch