Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-01-07

happy life to lead, for of course he had
no settled home, no friends in particular,
and but very little money, sometimes not
enough to buy things he really needed.
Besides oil this there was no kind of
business he could engage in except the
very simplest, because he had never learned
how to do things which bring in money to
any amount, and are what we call profit
able. Don't you think he must have felt
very badly when he thought of his boy
hood and his comfortable homo and kind
parents?"
Did he ever have nico home and good
parents?" asked Tommy.
Certainly, just as nice home as you
have, and inst as kind parents
Then why didn't they teach him things
and send linn to SCHOOL," asked Tommy,
his great blue eyes vide open.
"Oh, they did," said mamma. ale was
always carefully dressed In the neatest
clothes, provided with the best of food,
and watched over as tenderly as you are
through his boyish years, and every day he
was sent with his little sister to one of the
finest schools"
Then why didn't he learn and grow up
to be faithful young man, and have
home and some money, and lots of
friends?" asked interested Tommy.
We'll, that is very sad thing to tell
about, answered mamma, speaking very
slowly. But the trouble is, when child
first begins to do what is wrong, especially
when he means and plans to do it, 1t is al
most next to impossible to get back into
the right path again. And the truth is,
that young man when little boy, all at
once made up his mind, after having had a
long, happy vacation, that he wouldn't
study any more nor behave well in school.
So he would start out in the morning nice
ly dressed. well fed, and with his mothers
fond kiss on his check, then he would en-
ter the schoolroom and eat peanuts he had
already shelled, and when tie teacher
WASH looking he would do n great many
things to make the other children laugh,
and finally acted so badly that the teacher
bad to send him home"
Why, Tommy Jenkins" cried Susie,
lnterrupdng her mamma at these familiar
words, those are the very things you said
you meant TO do when you went back to
school!"' Susie's amazement at the out
come of the little story got the better of
her usual habit of shielding Tommy's
faults.
Poor Tommy, His face had been grow
ing very red, his chest was swelling, and
his breath coming very quickly at the last
part of the story; but when his papa slow
~ iohOlcu lIOul Lace, anu
SAID, in a surprised, tone, why, my little
son!" it was almost too much. Down went
Tommy's fair little head into mamma's
lap, and for few minutes the sound of
his crying was all that was heard in the
room.
Susie was all pity and repentance, and
tried her best to tell how sorry she was
that she had told on him" But after a
time Tommys sobs ceased and he became
very quiet. Papa and mamma began talk
ing about some other little matters; then
mamma said it was bedtime. At this,
Tommy raised his head and said, in low,
reso;ute voice:
"lm just going back 10 school Monday
morning to be the best boy there is! l
amt goin to grow up not to have any home
and - friends, or not to know how to do
things real proper. really did mean to be
bad boy for a little while. but if it's SO
hard to It good again, l just amt goin' to
make my papa and mamma shamed and
spoil myself, all for bein' bad"
And Tommy went back to school with
such good resolutions that one day when the
teacher met his mamma he said Tommy was
one of his best scholars, and if he went on
as he had begun he would soon be at the head
of his division.
And papa, who was reading his paper
when mamma told of it that evening, looked
up and said, in way which made Tom
my's eyes shine with pleasure, That's my
own little man. Mrs. Harriet A. Cheercr.