Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-18
I1omth' q Column.
Fruits of Kindness.

through number OF back streets,
and as he turned a corner, he saw
assembled around pump party of
little boys who were playing at mar
bles. On seeing him approaching
they began to pick up their marbles,
and run away as fast as they could.
One little fellow not having seen him
as soon as the rest could not accom-
plish this so soon; and before he had
succeeded in gathering up his marbles
the minister had closed upon him and
placed his hand upon his shoulder.
There they were face to face, the
minister of God and the poor little
ragged boy, who had been caught in
the act of playing marbles on Sun
day morning. And how did the min
lister deal with the boy? That is what
1 want to observe. He might have
said to the boy
"What are you doing here? You
are breaking the Sabbath don't you
deserve to be punished for thus break
ing the command of God?"
But he did nothing Of the kind. He
simply said
"Have you found all your mar
bles ?''
"No," said the little boy. 81 have
not.
"Then," said the minister, 81 will
help you to find them
Whereupon he knelt down and
helped to look for the marbles, and
as he did so, remarked,
Il liked to play at marbles when a
little boy, very much, and | think |
could beat you,' but, he added, 'I
never played marbles on Sunday
The little boys attention was az
rested. He liked his friends face,
and began to wonder who he was.
Then the minister said,
81 am going to place where | |
think you would like to be-will you
come with me?'
Said the boy, "Where do you live?''
"Why, live at such and such
place" was the reply.
"Why that is the minister's house %
exclaimed the boy, as if he did not
suppose that kind man, and the
minister of the gospel, could be the
same person.
''Why," said the man, 81 am the
minister myself, and if you will come
with me [ think | can do YOU some
good"
"My hands are dirty cannot
60"
''Here is pump-why not wash p
~ am so little that | can't wash
and pump at the same time"
eff you'll wash, I'll pump
He at once set to work and pump
ed, and pumped and pumped; and as
he pumped, the little boy washed his
hands and his face, till they were
quite clean, Said the boy,
"My hands are wringing wet, and
l don't know how to dry them
The minister pulled out of his peck
ct clean pocket handkerchief, and ;
offered it to the boy.
''But it is clean"
EYES," was the reply, "but it was I
made to be dirtied."
The little boy dried his face and
hands with the handkerchief, and then
accompanied the minister to the door
of the Sunday school.
Twenty years afterwards the minis
ter was walking in the streets of one
of the large cities of America, when
a tall gentleman tapped him on the
shoulder, and looking into his face, {
said, l
"You don't remember, twenty /
years ago, finding a little boy playing
marbles round pump? Do you re- ;
member that boys being too dirty to
go to school, and your pumping for L
him, and speaking kindly to him, and '
taking him to school? p /
"Or' said the minister, II do re- t
t
"Sir," said the gentleman, II was t
that boy. | rose in business, and be- v
came a leading man. L have attained ]
a good position in society; and on i
seeing you to-day in the street, | felt L
bound to come to you, and tell you 1
that it is to your kindness, and wis ?
dom, and Christian discretion-to L
your having dealt with me lovingly, Il
gently and kindly, at the same time e
that you dealt with me aggressively, e
that | owe. under God, all that | s
have attained, and all that | am the a
present day t.
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