The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-16

have been!-Laxra +. Richards. IN
Our Little Ones.
-1S-
JOHNNY'S VICTORY.
He Remembered just In the Nlek q
Time. aud Stood Bravely 1t His Pest.
Johnny was all alone in the house.
rocking baby Lulu to steep, and the
big tears were rolling, one BY one.
over his red cheeks, and down bis
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
matterp
Johnny was the ''best boy in the
world" so his mamma said, and I'm
sure she ought to know il anybody
should; and ever since God took his
papa homo to Heaven, mamma would
leave little Lulu in Johnny's care while
she went out to fit the ladies' dresses
for them. And then. when she Game
home, he always had such . bright
CHEEKY fire in the winter time; and in
the summer would run and draw .
clear, cold glass Of water whom she
came in tired and warm.
Mamma was gone now, and Johnny
had been rocking baoy 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 case.
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 800
what? A great awkward form, that
looks like-can it be?-an elephant!
And then, We are sure-those are
camels, we can SEQ their humps. And
that group (the people crowd 20 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 it was show that had
come to the village; but she thought
she would have time to 60 and alter
Miss Meriweather's basque for her DO
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 tho end OF tho
street.
Now, don't give our little boy too
much credit. His first impulse, whom
he heard the music, was to put baby in
her crib, and-hy! Really, he did get
her in the crib, when he remembered.
Then he cried aloud: mamma, O
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 90, even il she had heard that
poor little cry. And, with that dis
tracted music sounding in his ears, aud
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 brayely
as he might to keep them back.
I said that Johnny remembered; and
just in the nick of time, too. Indeed.
if it had not been for his remembering.
l doubt il he would have stood 50
bravely at his post But first l must
tell you little secret; and, as all this
happened SO long ago, don't think
Johnny will care. The very top pin
nacle of Johnny's ambition and happi.
ness was to be 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,
remember, soldier must never finch.
but stand like q rock at his post. "
These words had taken deep hold on
Johnny's young mind, and 80 it was he
remembered; but oh, it was 80 hard!
He was soldier, he was at his post,
and stand he must, like rock. And
SO he did, brave little hero!
The gay parade and the bswitchina
music are gone now, and mammd
comes in, all flushed with walking se
rapidly. She takes in all at q glance
the brave little face that would moi
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 al
out.
Look up, little captain! Dry you
tears-put on your brightest smile; fol
you have played nobler. Drawer par
than if you had marched 1t the heat
Of a regiment and captured . city,
Edna Sheldrake, in s. s. Times.