Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-09-02
JUST FOR FUN.
The Terrible Consequences of a Thought
less Boys Practical Joke.


less Boys Practical Joke.
In beautiful park carefully kept
and only lately thrown open for the
use of children, the visitor often sees,
holding tightly to the hand of her sad
faced mother, a little girl beautiful in
form and feature but no light of intel
lect brightens those blue eyes. Though
getting to be a large girl OF eleven,
Margie is not able to answer a simple
question intelligently Or tell the differ
ence between horse or a cat.
Margie Ray is an imbecile, which
means that her reasoning powers,
or intellect are impaired. lmbecil-
ity is very different from insan-
ity; the former means a. future
devoid of all brightness, hopeless
sameness, all is blank to the va
cant mind. Margie Rays body grows,
her hair is a bright golden, and COM
plexion clear and smooth, and she IS
always gentle and easily controlled,
yet her mother weeps bitter tears over
her little girl, who must grope through
lffe's journey in darkness, and all be-
cause of a big boys fun, which worked
Margie such mischief.
One evening in the winter it was
showing fast and furiously. Margie
was wee toddler Of two years, just
big enough to get papa's slippers and
set them before the CRATE fire, and
carry her small chair close beside his
easy one, just where she could lay her
head on his knee while he told such
''Looful stories," and whistled lovely
tunes for his ''girlie." Mamma Ray
was flying around frying pink slices of
ham, molding cream biscuits and bak-
ing a cake for baby. She didn't see
the big boy of twelve, with sheet
wrapped about him and wearing a
hideous false face, come creeping 81
lently into the room and walk close up
to happy innocent little Margie, who
stood with her rosy face pressed close
to the window pane, softly singing
"papa's tummin to mamma an Mar
Mrs. Ray had just finished sprinkling
currants and sand sugar over Margie's
cake, when shrill screams from baby
frightened her. She caught just one
glimpse of the boy; hurrying to Margie,
she tried to calm her, but the mischief
was done.
Papa Ray came home to find his
daughter in commissions, which lasted at
intervals the entire night, and then
they knew that Margie was in danger
of being sick mentally SO long as she
lived, yet they hoped for better things as
the years brought strength to the body.
Said Mamma Ray: II will deal so
gently with the child, that she may
Five oyor. tbic opI ont Crour II },
'.Do not hope, madame. it is no
use," said the physician. But mother
like, she did hope for light to come to
her Margie, as years rolled on.
bu en Raw ohe aay h oldep
hear sweet music, to look upon beauti-
stories such as little folks like to hear;
Margie's eyes do not sparkle with
pleasure. and her stammering tongue
is silent, she being unable to speak
many words.
The boy who for fun dressed up to
scare Margie has shed bitter tears, of
and after long, severe
struggle, the stricken parents have for
given him, as they hope to be forgiven.
In an agony of tears Mrs. Ray some
times catches the little girl up in, her
arms, saying: I'm SO glad my pre-.
cious one, that there's light and joy for
such as you in Heaven"
Boys often think it great fun to scare
little ones, not dreaming of the hurt
sudden shock often infiicts upon the
organization of the wee ones.
A brave boy will not be so cruel and
craven as to take advantage of the
weak and young. It is poor sort of
fun which causes pain to others. Let
US remember that practical jokes are
often cruel. GUERNSEY, an. Golden
Rule.