The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-02-18
JOHNNIE AND THE BRICKS.

M. Il. SANFORD, in Golden Days.
JOHNNIE AND THE BRICKS.
An Illustration Of the Evil Influence Of
Wrong Doing.
Johnnie, a small boy living in the coun-
try, was one day playing with lot OF
bricks as his uncle came along This
uncle was great friend of the boy and
ready to help in any frolic that was not
improper.
"What are you doing, Johnnie?" asked
the uncle, after standing awhile to look
at the boy.
Building house; that is what I'm
trying to do. Did you ever build houses
Of bricks when you was boy?" asked
the little fellow. .i
Every likely" was the answer,
though forget about it, it is SO long
ago. But was thinking if you could
learn lesson from those bricks"
"A lesson from bricks?" asked the boy
In surprise; show can I? Bricks can't
talk"
Books can not either, but you learn
lessons from them" \
ooh, but they have reading; that
talks"
"But pictures teach lessons without a
line of reaaing."
"Uncle, wish that you would teach
me lesson from the bricks. Will you?
would like to see what they say"
Every well" said the uncle. "Just
set the bricks up each on it's end, a little
distance apart, and all in line.'
''How many shall I set up?" asked John
ME after he had placed about twenty on
end.
"That will do" replied the uncle,
looking at the long row. "Now, do you
wish these bricks to teach you lesson?"
"Yes, SIR" replied the boy, eagerly.
"What shall do?"
"Come here to the end of the row and
push the first brick over against the
next one"
"What shall l do then?" asked the
boy, hesitating.
Nothing, until you have seen what
the bricks do"
Shall push now?"
eyes, right away. Push only the
first one.
The first brick was pushed against
the next, and then the boy stood up
looking on. The first brick pus he'd the
next over, and that in turn the next,
cad that the next until the whole row
was down.
There! They are all down! Every
one Is over" shouted the boy. "See,
uncle! All have tumbled!"
THAT Is So" said the uncle. Snow
can you learn a lesson from those
bricks ?"
"What lesson? I don't see any to
learn. only pushed one down and all
the rest fell of themselves"
ibid they fall of themselves, or did
each push its neighbor, after you start
ed the first one?"
'Oh, see now, uncle, what you
mean. If we give one brick push it
will push another, and that another,
and 50 all will go down."
Eyes, Johnnie, and so it is with PEG
pie. Give one q start downward, and
he will take another down with him,
and he another. But when did the
bricks stop falling2"
"When all were down."
Eyes; and so it is with people. Start
one IN the downward way and he will
take another along, and he another,
and they will keep falling as long as
there is one to fall. We start people in
the way of evil habits or other sin, and
they start others, and SO, if nothing
prevent, all might go down until the
last had fallen"
"Uncle, never thought Of that. But
Il Il 10. One boy learns to cheat, or lie,
or steal, and another learns from him.
and another from that one; and so II
goes on until q whole lot of boys cheat
or lie, or steal. 1t is awful, but I never
thought Of it before. The bricks have
taught me . lesson"
There is another lesson you MAY
learn from them; 60 down to the end o.
the row and push back the last one thai
fell. VIII il make the others stand up?'
mo, sir" said Johnnie, after trying
to make the last one in the row stand
on end. II can't even make one stant
unless l take it away from the others
They keep pushing it down all tn,
| time"
"Well, there are two more lessons
To tumble all down you need but star
the first one; but you can not make then
all stand again by pushing one III
straight You can not even make tina
one stand up until you take it ava,
, from those that went down with it.
. THUS, you may start large numbe
of people in the downward way, by Civ
ing the first one push; but you cal
not bring them all back by helping VI
one. Each one must be helped back b,
. special effort. Nor can you feel sure o
making him stand safely until removes
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