The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-07
Our &ops ano Girls.
A Tale of Tommy.

Tommy is only three years old. He is
to great extent reputable and we'll
conducted citizen, his chief moral weak
ness being Gas with many older and
wiser people, a passion for the forbid
den. Never mind what. only let some
particular course of action or manner of
speech become vetoed by the powers
above him and Tommy rests not day
or night till he has performed that ac-
ton or spoken that speech The other
night he was being prepared for his
little cot, and while his mother was but
toning his small night-shirt his father
passed through the nursery into an adj
joining room. He laid his hat down on
chair, saying to his wife, Don't let
that youngster sit in my hat, Mary"
That was enough; as the words
struck Tommy's ear an expression of
alert attention, mingled with dawning
determination, crept into his round
eyes. Want to sit down in papa's
hat" he presently announced, calmly
"No, Tommy" his mother said;
"you heard what papa said. If you
touch that hat / shall whip you WELL"
Tommy spoke not. Napoeonic de-
termination does not waste words: il
acts. But the moment be was released
from his mothers hands he marched
across the room and firmly sat down in
the hat. Then Tommy's mother full
filed her part of the contract, and he
was placed in his little cot o PRAYER
less, supperess, sobbing little outcast.
When his father returned the case
was explained to him, with the con-
Guiding words, "Tommv is a naughty
boy, so he doesn't want to say prayers
tonight"
Instantly the sobs lessened in vol
ume, while the sufferer gave his atten-
ton to this statement of the case. He
didn't want to say his prayers, didn't
he? That was all they knew about it..
Presently fresh burst of grief from
the cot, mingled with the information,
"Tommy wants to say prayers"
Now Tommy's mother believes de-
voutly in the efficacy of prayer, and
although she had schooled herself to
adamantine frmness as to the supper
part of the punishment, she was wait
ing around the nursery, and folding all
the tiny clothes many times over, to
give Tommy's hardened soul chance
to reach this very point in its evolution.
She went to the cot and lifted him out.
He knelt upon her lap, and folded his
fat little hands. He was still heaving
with the sobs of grief and establishment
at finding that whipping hurts" and
to give him time to recover, his mother
reasoned with him on the enormity of
his crime.
"Does Tommy want to ask God to
forgive him, and make him good
boy?" she asked, when at length he
grew calmer.
Ess," he gulped.
"Then say your prayers, like nice
little boy," she advised.
Then he attacked the throne of grace
with another gulp, and the following
form of petition: " please, God, make
Tommy good boy, and bless papa and
mamma, and don't let him sit in papa's
hat, and let piece of bread and milk
come to Tommy in the night, sake.
Amen" A mixture of devotion and
diplomacy that reached one nearer, at
least, with great 6irectness, so that
whether he was made a good boy or
not l do not know, but am quite sure
that " a piece of bread and milk " came
to him in the night. L'Estrdnge
in Horper'S Young People.