Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
A BALL OF TWiNE.
Ned's Passionate Temper, and How he
Subdued 1t.


Subdued 1t.
Ned Dixon had quick. passionate
temper; lie spoke first and thought
afterwards. Like whirlwind his
anger overlook him; there came violent
words. and after awhile 4 very much
shamed little boy would say: 20 dear.
dear, what shall | do?' For he had
been taught that unless he learned to
conquer this evil spirit. in the end it
would subdue him. His mother had
striven with him and tried in all ways
to help him, and at last she said:
Now, my boy, you must do this
thing for yourself; neither God nor
man can help you unless you strive
yourself
But do, mamma" said Ned.
Il know YOU do sometimes, dear
child, but you have not struggled as if
YOU were in the clutches OF wild beast
that will surely destroy you if you
don't overcome him. Life is a poor
thing. child, if we let ourselves grow
up the slaves of our evil tendencies;
but remember, He that ruiath his
spirit is greater than he that taketh
q city, and you have read of some of
the terrible battles men have had to
fight to take cities"
This conversation took place after an
unusually bad exhibition of temper on
Ned's part. and when it was over. the
boy wandered off by himself in
a very contrite mood, and at last
found himself in the barn. Here
he sat down on a carpenter bench,
and began to examine the tools in a
box that stood open beside him. After
awhile he picked up a ball of Irvine
and began to unwind and rewind it.
All at once Il new thought took pos
session of him, and tossing the ball of
Irvine back into the box, ne dartcd of,
and was soon running down the street
as fast as he could 90.
After awhile he returned with fresh
ball of Irvine that he had bought, and
put it away in box of his own traps
in the barn-chamber. About this time
Ned's friends began to notice that he
did not get into a passion as often as
usual. and instead of speaking when he
was angry he ran away. His mother.
who watched him closely, was over
joyed, for she saw that he was learning
self-control, though it was no easy
matter. she saw his face flush often.
and the angry spark in his eye, but he
would shut his lips tightly and disap-
pear. coming back after awhile with
his anger quite gone. Seeing that Ned
always ran to the barn at such times,
his mother followed him one day. curl
Gus to know what the boy would do.
She stepped cautiously. and, looking
:up into the barn-chamber. saw Ned. |
IsittinC on a box unwinding with great |
rapidity a ball OF twine. His face was |
very red and his lips shut tightly. and |
the cord flew fast through his fingers.
Towards the end the hands began to |
relax their speed, and when the taSs |
was done the boy gave great sigh |
and slowly began TO wind up the Irvine |
again. His mother Judged that it |
would now do TO speak to him, so |
climbing the stairs she said:
What are YOU doing. Ned?"
He looked up surprised, and little |
confused, but said:
20 mamma. | do believe l have |
found a way to help myself. l just |
don't speak one word when am mad,
but come right up here before do any |
thing, and unwind this Irvine and wind |
1t all up again; by the time get it all |
unwound. I'm not very angry, and it |
is such stupid work winding it up
again, but DO it every time. and l
guess | shall learn soon not to get mad |
at all, when l have to do such job of |
work every time"
Ned Dixon is man now. and his
letters come addressed to Hon. Edward
Dixon. His mother loves to tell her
grandchildren how their father learned
TO conquer his temper and rule his
spirit. They find it hard to believe
that papa ever had a quick temper; no