Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-06-05
LITTLE FOXES.
Benny's Struggles Against Their Entrance
into His Heart.

into His Heart.
Take rs 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 il for
some time with a pleased face, he be-
gan spelling the text. But the words
puzzled MIN. 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 Win shot last winter? And
what kind of vines do they spoil?"
Mrs. Knox pushed the short curls
away from the questioner's forehead.
The vines are our hearts, dear, and
the little foxes are the little sins that
creep in-selfshness, ill-temper dis
obedience-oh. great many such
naughty things And if one let's 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
ducklings to the shallow puddle which
Yesterdays rain had left in the hollow
by the old pear-tree. She quacked at
every step, and each duckling 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 mer' said Benny Il should
fink folks needn't let little foxes get
into their hearts. | should find they'd
better look out don't feel as if there
was any in my heart-not a single one"
Don't you remember little boylwho
was very cross only this morning when
his mamma wished him to do some
thing? Wasn't the fox of ill-temper
spelling his vines then?'
Benny head dropped little. "'Spose
So" Then the yellow curis we're tossed
back complacently. but that fox is
beaded, mamma. He won't trouble me
any more. And I'm going to look out
just as sharp for the other foxes They
shan't get ahead of me. Whenever /
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 a
book mark How many elder folks hunt
for foxes in the assured spirit of this lit
tie fve-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 a half a 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 as soon as ] feed the chickens.
There'll 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
Lnere were enough berries so mat each
might have a scant sauce-dish full.
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 as usually eager to help, but
now he seemed too much absorbed in
mis- 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 a little while and
peeped into the pail. How nice it
would be to have some Of those de-
hcious red rasberries to eat with his
biscuit and butter. They would taste
so 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 was
startled by hearing her voice raised IN