The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-06-05
A BOYISH PLEDGE.
How 1t Was Made and How Much 1t Meant
to Dick and His Father.

now IL was MADE ana HOW Much tt Meant
to Dick and His Father.
Little Dick Howell was boy who
often surprised people. They called
him ''lazy Dick because he loved to
get into sunny corners and think, and
he was not always ready for work such
as little fellows can do. But one day
he said: "Pa, want a lot of money"
Eyes, Dick, 1 have known other
folks who felt so. Go to work anc
earn it.
"How?" asked Dick, who really was
in earnest, for he longed for little ex-
press-cart.
"Oh! weed the garden" said Mr..
Howell, growing absent-minded, as he
often became. He remembered sud
denly business letter he must write,
and so when Dick said ''Will you give
me a penny for every big weed?" his
father said yes"
"Well, that night Dick amazed his
father by presenting him with four
huqdred big soeedS, and eagerly claim
ing four dollars. Mr.. Howell never
broke his word to child; he said he
did not think what he was promising,
because he knew there were too many
weeds in his garden for such bargain;
but he paid the money down, and Dick
had the prettiest cart in town. Not
long after his father said: 'Dick, you
and ought to have made a written CON
tract about those weeds. If we had |
should not have agreed to such terms as
| made. A man thinks when he signs
his name. If had been dishonorable,
too, | could have said never agreed to
pay you a penny a weed, and you
could not have proved that | did. You
must learn to write your name before l
do any more business by contract with
you. Then we can each sign our
names" And so Dicks father went
on to tell him that solemn promises
not to be broken were made in writing,
and men who broke such promises
were men whom nobody could trust.
Dick hated to read, and he could not
write letter, but after that he used to
climb up on the woodshed-roof with
| his dear little sister Nellie. She did her
best to teach him, and the first word he
ever wrote was '.Dick.' the next was
| Howell" Such funny business con-
tracts as Dick make that year with his
father, and such a pile of nickels as he
earned! First, five cents for every week
that he never forgot to shut door and
never slammed it; ten cents for being
! helpful and starting at once when asked
to do something; fifteen cents for pick
| ing over barrel of apples, and so on
up to dollar and half in three
months. Every time he signed writ
| ten contract to do what he agreed, or
| try his very best to do it, how proudly
he used to sign 'Dick' with big, inky
| flourish!
When Dick was twelve years old he
was asked to sign a Temperance pledge.
He took it to his father, who talked it
over with him and proposed that they
! sign it together-a contract that neither
would break Dick did not know then,
nor until years after, that his father
was taking too much wine. They signed
the PLEDGE Richard Howell, Senior"
Richard Howell, Junior" And then
Dicks father told him to kneel by his
knee, and, laying his hand on the boys
head, he prayed God to help them both
to keep the promise they had made.
You have signed your name great
many times, my boy, but never to q
paper that meant so much as this. "
'Oh! | don't ever want to drink,
father. 1t is easy to promise, and l
shall never go back on my word" said
Dick, gayly.
Years went by. Dick grew up, and
many and many time he was tempted
to taste glass of wine or beer He
never yielded, for he had signed his
name and was on his honor. A few
more years and he had seen the curse
of drunkenness, and was so glad of
that boyish pledge-so glad of a father
who made him feel the sacredness of
promise. -Annette G. Noble, IN Tenn
perance Banner.