The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-03-26
A GRUMBLE-MEETlNG.


Praise Nc citing.
~ don't see what mother wanted to
go off to the praise-meeting for to-
night" whined Tommy Trout, rub
bing the knees of his pants before the
blaze of the little sitting-room fire. 81
don't see what any of us have got to
praise God for anyhow. Here we are
just as poor as couldn't have a 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 in Tommy's throat,
and made it ache, and his eyes smart
ed.
81 know" said grandma, from the
| other side of the fire, as she laid down
her knitting and took off her glasses to
wipe them. 'Iast 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 vent to be sure and
serve the Lord, and be comfort to
mother, and get ready to come and
live with father some dayP"
Tommy wiped away the tears, but
sat still without replying.
'I'll tell you" said grandma, after a
little pause; 'let's have u grumble-
meeting"
ga whatp" said Tommy, looking up
with wide-open eyes.
"a grumble-meeting You don't sec
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 8
sure; we're not the only ones, but then
we feel it more than we do other peo-
ple's troubles. Now, | know 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-h!" said Tommy, drawing q
long breath, and looking little fool
, ish.
, ..Shan't we complain a little because
, you haven't such father, instead o
J one waiting to welcome you il
Heaven? Mop We don't seem to ge
started well on this meeting. Let
] take something else. We arc, poor
that's fact. You can't have fin,
' clothes, nor half the playthings yol
: want. Mother has this little hom
that father bought, and she has stead,
> work, and l turn in my little income
, but what is thatP What did you hay
' for superb
[ Nothing but bread and milk" sai
: Tommy, the whine coming back int
a his voice.
r "Now we've got good start. ]
i. you only had the nice, light meal that
J. saw two little folks have, there nigh
be something to be thankful for. The
: were standing outside an old shanty
and the older one was eating snow
4 but the younger one was crying bi
v terly. stopped and asked what wa
q the matter, and she said: Use S
Il hungry The older one said: .We'y
i. had nothing to eat since morning.
eats snow, but she DON'T Don't yo
think you might have something /
o praise God for if you had been in the
]. placer"
n Tommy hung his head.
|. "Then these two little girls had o
If some old shoes that grown folks ha
st worn out, and saw their bare to,
through the holes, and the blue ski
II through the ragged stockings. Now
mother don't keep you dressed in an
le thing but good, thick fannels an
re- stout, warm clothes, though they are
TX little patched. Shan't we grumb
q. over thatP"
le ''N-no," said Tommy, family, ar
er turning red, for that very morning
I'd had fretted about those very patches.
a 'eThen,' grandma went on cheerfu
a. ly, "there's mother. It's shame, II
lg way she treats you. If you had son
q, mothers, you might have something
er hams, for instance, who lets him II
ed the streets, and never sends him
school nor Sunday-school, nor men
rs his clothes, nor washes him, nor ac
he as if she loved him. Why, all the lit
mother does is to work all day for h
ed little son, as bright and cheerful
though her heart wasn't sore with h
i'm sorrow, and tuck him up in wal
IL bed at night, with kiss and prayt
o. and teach him and train him so that
no may grow up to be a good man. Doi
you think we had better have /
he grumble over her?"
lin 20 grandma!' and the sorry te;
on came into the little boys eyes.
I'D ''Then, there's the great, good Faith
ed who has given you all these blessin,
on who knew what was best when
,is took father away, who loves us, a
M cares for us. every day, who is prep
ing home up there for us. Shall
Id grumble, Tommy"
Of mo. nop' cried he, jumping up
Sc; throw his arms around her neck a
ifs kiss her; don't. I don't won,
ea mother wanted to go to praise-me
81 ing!"
nRless metl said mother. coming