The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-06-12
LITTLE FOXES.

Denny's Struggles Against Their Entrance
into His Heart.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes
that spoil the vines"
This was the verse on Benny's Sab
bath-school card. 1t was printed in
large blue letters and surrounded with
a wreath of pink roses. Benny admired
the card, and after looking at it for
some time with pleased face, he be-
gan spelling the text But the words
puzzled him. He repeated them twice,
and then carried the card to his mother,
who sat sewing by the sitting-room
window.
"What kind of foxes does this mean,
mamma? Baby foxes like the big one
Uncle Will shot last winter? And
what kind of vines do they spoil?''
Mrs. Knox pushed the short cnrls
away from the questioner's forehead.
1.-THE vines are our hearts, dear, and
the little foxes are the little sins that
creep in-selfishness, ill-temper, dis
obedience-oh, great many such
naughty things And ii one lets these
little foxes get into the heart and stay
there then one will be bad and never
feel happy"
Benny looked straight out Of the win.
dow into the green backyard. He was
thinking quite deeply. although he
seemed to be watching fat Mrs. Duck
who was leading her brood Of downy
dncklings to the shallow puddle which
Yesterdays rain had left in the hollow
by the old pear-tree. She quacked at
every step, and each duckiing quacked
also as the whole ten of them waddled
along behind her in single file, their
tuft-like little tails jerking with the
prospect of enjoyment, and their red
webbed feet spatting softly over the
narrow, muddy trail.
Dear mel" said Benny II should
fink folks needn't let little foxes get
into their hearts. / should find they'd
better look out don't feel as IL there
was any in my heart-not a single one"
Don't you remember little boy who
was very cross only this morning when
his mamma wished him to do some-
thing? Wasn't the fox of ill-tcmper
spelling his vines them"
Bcnny's head dropped little. "Spose
So" Then the yellow curis were tossed
back complacently. ''But that fox is
beaded, mamma He won't trouble me
any more. And I'm going to hook out
just as sharp for the other foxes. They
shan't get ahead of me. Whenever l
see one trying TO spoil my vines shall
drive him right away"
Mrs. Knox smiled little as he re-
turned to his picture-book, and placed
the pretty card between two pages for q
book-mark. How many elder folks hunt
for foxes in tho assured spirit of this lit
tie fivc-year-old!
Presently Lottie came in from school
with rosy. happy face, her hair wind
rumpled and her hat on her arm. just
see, mamma. I've most half pail
of red raspberries. Miss jackson called
to Sue Ashton and me as we were
coming by her house, and gave US each
some. She said she had more picked
than she knew what to do with. Wasn't
she good? I'll pick them over for tea
just rs soon rs l feed the chickens.
Therell be enough for little dishful
apiece. Don't you think SO, mammal"
Mrs. Knox looked into the small
tin lunch-pail and smiled at Lottie's
generosity as she answered that perhaps
there were enough berries so that each
Then Lottie put the pail on the table
beside her bag Of school-books, and hur-
ried out into the backyard to feed the
hungry, chirping chickens and greedy
ducklings which gathered about her.
Benny W as usually eager to help, but
now he seemed too much absorbed in
his picture.book to notice any thing
else.
Mrs. Knox went out into the kitchen
to make some biscuit for tea. Benny
shut his book after . little while and
peeped into the pail. How nice it
would be to have some Of those de-
licious red rasberries to eat with his
biscuit and butter. They would taste
80 good with sugar sprinkled over them.
He was very fond Of raspberries, he told
himself-especially red raspberries. He
didn't know what harm there could be
tasting just one fat berry now. How
juicy they looked.
When Lottie came in, Mrs. Knox wa
startled by hearing her voice raised in
. sudden wall Of protesting disappoint-
ment my berries-Why. Benny Knox!
you've eaten every single one!'
And there was Lottie crying into ne,
empty pail, and Benny looking at her
with red, guilty face from tho opposite
side Of the table.
"Why, BENNY" said the mother.
II didn't mean to-truly, mamma
only meaned to taste one-then fore
could hnk they was al gone"
1.-THE fox of selfshness, Benny!'
"Yes'm," said Benny, swallowing hard
and winking very fast. but I'm drefful
sorry. Don't cry, Lottie, and I'll give
you the ten-cent piece that's in my bank
! Msyn't l, mammal"
His mother assented, and with thu
cline shining in her hand, Lottie's hear
WAS cOmforted.
The next fox showed his head at thu
tea-table. Benny wished for piece o.
cake before no had eaten biscuit and
It was refused him. At this no grew
quite cross, and pouted his lips unit
they stood out like . shelf II shan,
eat this old biscuit anyway" he NUT
| tered.
But although this muttsr WAS . vsr,
low one, his mother heard 1t, and, band
iag over, she whispered In his ear
Look ct foe the littls toG Of M-tsm
psh"