The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-07

| shut bis eyes and say. real solemn like. Dear
Lord. we thank Thee for this good breakfast:
help ,s TO eat il with thankful hearts, and
may IL give us the strength 70 work out, my
will through the day.' Well. we were all that
surprised that we just sat and stared at him.
and then Ned-that's my eldest, you know
said Hello, six years old. what did you say
that for? that's O new kind Of talk in this
house
81 know It, answered Jim, but Uncle Je-
NINA that's what he always calls Jemima' 8
husband, says ii every mornin'. and there
amt any fghtin' and quarTellin' around their
table. so ! thought | would jest try it at home
and see what it would do for us -.
well. father he looked at me, and / looked
Mt father, but we didn't either OF us say any
thing. an the boys they snickered O little, but
we eat our breakfast rather quiet Ike that
moruin'. The next mornin' the same thing
happened and the next and the next: but on
Saturday mornin' little Jim he looked up at
father. and he says. "a serious Ike as you
please. Papa. it amt the right thing for a Ut
tie fellow like me to be askin' the biessin'
every day. IL is Uncle Jemima that always
does it in +. / want you 70 do 1t this
mOrnjn'."
"'Oh' I couldn't Jim said father, and he
turned rs red as a girl, and the boys they be-
gun 10 laugh. Why not?' says jim. 1 know
you amt a Christian, but God gives you the
MI klG EfA11lts -
Jim didn't mean to be imperdent, though
IL sounded SO. and / looked at father
with some Jacksonville child is right.
father says ]. I guess you had better do
it, So. for the first time IN his life. father
he said the grace In pretty much such words
as Jim had.
well, that mornin' it so happened that I
had slept late. and had made up my fire with
wood. and the rolls were half raw. and the
liver was burned. and the coffee was not fit to
drink. and generally father would have raised
the roof off of the house TO be set down TO
such a meal, but this mornin' hayln' given
thanks for il. he did not feel at liberty 10 find
any fault. 50 be eat his breakfast rs meek as a
lamb. but | says TO myself in my heart. If
father is going TO ask n blessin' on our
meals. it shall be my business TO see that he
has good ones. II is tokin' a mean advantage
of n man 10 ser him down % poor food when
be hasn't the liberty 10 blow ont about it.
$50 that night | set the alarm clock to
strike at ) in the moinin', for l determined to
be up bright and early. What's that you are
dom. Matia,' SAWS father. Well, then [ up
and told him what | had been thinkin' about.
and il seemed 20 quite touch him. Maria.
says he. we have been all wrong for a long
time, but that little Jim has walked up my
conscience. When he said so innocent like
tais mornin'. I know that you are not q
Christian, but God gives you the breakfast all
the same il set me 80 thinking that lie had
been givin' me a good many other things that
] mad never tn ught 10 say thank you for. and
/ have been feelin' mighty Uneasy all day
We'll, father says [. 1t IS never too late
to take the right path. Let us start fresh if
we are middle-aged people
All says he, / have been out OF that
right path so long that | don't know how TO
find it,
We'll says I. the ministers are put into
the churches to tell people how to find 1t.
Tomorrow is Sunday; suppose we 60 10
church. you and |. and see il We can'tind the
way | declare to you that as / spoke the
words ] was amazed like at the sound of my
own voice-it really didn't seem. to be me
speakin'-but rather he answered quite iam =
like again. Very we'll. Maria. We will go
so that's the way it begun. ma'am. and
now we are both church-members III good and
regular standing. and often as ! see little jim
a slngin' of the hymns so earnest-ike. as We
sit in the pew. / think, Of them Scripture
words, And n little child shall lead them.'"-
Parish Visitor.