The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-23
A LITTLE CHILD.


Ys5rr .g,t ,Anco Army. -. -hA
At our State convention last year
little, Willie Hatch, four. years Old.
was made an honorary member OF the
convention, and donned the white
ribbon. Before the meeting closed he
said: "rve got to work for Temper-
ance, too mamma, for ! raised my.
hand when the others did!' II
Recently attended the soldiers re-
union at the Weirs, where. / went to
look after the distribution of Temper..
ance literature. Il found Willie's
mother there, and at once put the lit
erature in her hands to distribute
among the soldiers and others who
thronged the encampmept Having a
few hours before the train should
come that would carry me to- other
duties, Istarted out to make a tour Of
the grounds with Mrs. Hatch.
As we took the leaflets and tracts
for distribution Willie sa'd:
mamma, let me give them to :he
men. It occurred to US that the
little child, yet in dresses, might
reach the heart Of manhood better
than we could, and we gave, over our
literature to his tiny hands, while we
assumed the responsibilities of .'rear
guard" to our brave little soldier.
| Faithfully he offered his goods to
every man he met, and not once was
1 he repulsed. Curiosity; if nothing
else, compelled the men to reach down
| and take whatever those little hands
were Offering them among the crowds
of hucksters, peddlers and advertising
agents that thronged the grounds.
Presently man said, as he took a
leaAet without looking at it: "And
who are you working for, my little
fellowp" It' t"F }'
What was our establishment to hear
the sweet. clear voice Of the child, as
he looked up into the face of the man,
answer: Elm working for Auntie
Knox and the Lordr' -
Dear little Willie! He taught US @
lesson then and there. by his artless
; words, and we began to realize, as
: never before, that we were ''co-labor
: ers together with God" The stranger
knew nothing of the. first name, 81
3 familiar to the child from a thre'
years residence in the same town, OF
the same street, but he reverentl.
i took the printed page when he hear'
o the name of Him who came to seel
. and save the lost, and who shall sa
. what influences may grow therefrom
n A little later and another man too
n leahet, glanced at it, stood hesitat
n ingly, then, passing dime into tn
y child's hand, said: ".See here, littl
5 boy, I was just going to take tha
9 money and buy me drink, but | won
N do it. You take it and go and buy 70
r whip, shall be better off withol
it," and with a sober face the ma
n turned away. and we knew that h
20 heart had been touched.
u Still another, as he took the leaat
le assigned to him, inquired: "What
"a this. anyway" To which Willie r
Oh plied ut tells you SO yeu won't {
o. wrong, and so you'll be better!'
IN Thus one and another received
s. warning that he needed, and many
u one stopped to look a second time in
Is the pure, sweet face Of the little mi
" sionary that was working better th'
70 he knew. 'A''
In As for myself, when the train VIII
a tied in, and Willie, looking up, viii
no pered to me: II want to kiss you b
IN fore you CO." could only think VIII
Ut another once said: Il love God al
e. little children. Mrs. N. H. Knox,
"a Union Signal.