The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-18
Don't Forget Your Lantern.

ut will be quite dark before you re-
turn, Charley; don't forget your Ian
tern" said mother to her boy, who
was going to spend his half-holiday at
a farm about two miles distant from
his home.
"I'm not afraid of the dark, and
know my way we'll enough" he NUT,
tered. mo, l shan't take the stupid
old lantern ; it will only be in the
way"
or he went and spent merry af-
ternoon with his companions, never
thinking of his mothers words, or
troubling about his journey home.
It was quite dark when he said good
bye to his friends at the farm, and a.
there was no moon, and the night was
very black, they kindly offered to lend
him q lantern. But he was too
proud to accept it, after boasting to his
mother that lie knew his way 80 well;
and declaring:more loudly than ever
that he would know his way blind
fold, and should be half way home
before the lantern was lighted, he ran
down the path along the road, and
across q field. In the corner of the
field was q broken style, which had to
he crossed in order to enter the wood.
Part of the style had rotted away, but
the long nail which had fastened II
still remained, and catching Charley's
Jacket as he climbed it, tripped him
up and threw him suddenly into bed
Of sting nettles in the dry ditch be-
yond. Bruised and smarting terribly,
and greatly mortified, he crept out o.
the ditch and began to make his way
through the wood. There were sew
eral paths, but the widest and most
frequented was his nearest way. Per-
haps it was the pain he was suffering.
or the annoyance he felt, which filled
his mind, and caused him to forget to
take the turning on the right; for, af:
ter walking short distance, he found
the bushes were very close to him OH
either side, and he felt sure that he
had strayed into one of the narrow
pathways which crossed the wood in
every direction.
How he loDged for his lantern! He
wandered ON and OH until he grew
tired and footsore. At last he came to
q more open space, and thinking hc
had reached the right road he pressed
boldly on, but found the ground give
way beneath his feet, and III moment
he was struggling in water. There
was large pool in the midst of the
wood, and into this he had fallen.
Happily it was not very deep, and af-
ter cropping about for something to
which he could cling, he seized hold OF
a tough bough, and by its aid man,
aged to scramble out of the water and
into the pathway. Some minutes
later, bruised and bleeding, with
clothes torn and stained with mud and
weeds, and soaked with water, he
reached the gate of his own homt,
where all the family were assem- mbled,
wondering what had become of him.
"Mother," said the miserable but
penitent boy, "I've been very foolish
but I'll never go without the lantern
again"
Four years passed, and Charley,
grown fine, tall lad, stood again by
the gate saying farewell 10 his mother
hot for u few hours, but for months,
perhaps years. :,
"Don't forget your lantern, my boy'
she said as she placed in his Land II
small Bible. "Let Gods word be u
lamp to your feet and a light to your
path. Whenever you are in doubt as
to the way you should take, let the
light of this book shine upon your
path and the way will be plain"