The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-08-31
NOT STOPPING TO THINK.


NOT STOPPING TO THINK.
1t Caused One Boy Many Hcartaches all
Through Life.
Joe was not a bad boy at heart; he
was only thoughtless. This fault in
his character had caused his parents
considerable trouble, and frequently
had he been reproved for his failing,
but without beneficient results. Joe's
sister, Jessie, was his opposite in this
respect. A fall in childhood had in
jured her spine and the helplessness
consequent upon the affection rendered
the child's gentle temper still more mild.
Joe loved his quiet, sweet little Sis
ter. In his happy, boyish heart there
lurked a feeling which would have made
him do anything to obtain whatever
Jessie might ask him for. But, as /
have said, Joe was thoughtless. Many
hasty word which he had used in an
swering his sister had caused her large,
brown eyes to fill with tears. Then
Joe's heart would be filed with re-
morse; he would kiss Jessie, be for
given and forget all about his offense.
The home of the brother and sister
was in one of New York's pretty sub
urbs. Country life had made Joe a
rugged, freckled-faced, sturdy boy of
eleven years, while the smell of the
fields and gentle sunshine had prolonged
the life of his sister, which skillful
physicians had, for four years, said
would last few months at the most,
to thirteen years So much had their
| quiet existence, far from the rush, noise
and hustle of the city, done for the
child that she was now able to walk
about the garden in front of the cot
tage, and tend the roses and other
flowers which her father had planted
there for her.
One afternoon Joe, having learned
his lessons for the following day, was
standing on the veranda watching his
sister taking up a ripped seem in his
coat, the result of rough frolic during
luncheon hour at school, when some of
his companions hailed him from across
the road
"Come on, joe" they cried, "let's
play football!'
Hurry up, jessie" said Joe to his
sister.
"Yes, dear, one moment" she replied
gently
"Oh! you are so Slow" retorted the
boy.
Then icing called again by his friends
he seized the coat and, pulling it out Of
his sister S hands, ran ont into the road
to play. The jerk startled Jessie, and
herself by grasping the veranda rail
In SO doing, however, she wrenched hel
back and had to be carried into the
house and laid in her bed. Joe knew
nothing of this, and continued his game
The following day Jessie died. The
life which the perfume of the fields anG
lowers had kept in her frail little body
went out so easily and quietly that the
watchers fancied that she had only
sunk into refreshing sleep. TIVE,
before her eyes closed upon the scenes
of this earth she whispered: Joe, dear
joe"
They laid her in a little white coffir
in the front parlor, and on the caslSet
lid they placed wreath of flowers
plucked from the bushes she had loved
! to care for. In her hands, which wer,
crossed on her breast she held buncl
of violets. Then Joe was led in t.
see his sister He was quiet and very
pale. His lips trembled and hot tear
filed his eyes and soon rolled down hi
; cheeks. So after sob shook his fran,
] as he looked on all that was mortal %
her he had loved so well. When h,
, was taken from the room by his mothe
he sank into her arms and moaned:
sob, if | had only stopped to think!
, Joe is man now. He is respecte,
citizen of the village and has children
of his own. Yet often and often, as h
looks at the two little curly heads a
r they lie in peaceful slumber upon thei
, cots in the nursery, does his memor,
go back along the years which hav
! passed and he sees another head, still
, dear to him, and he signs: "Oh, if ha,
S only stopped to think"-C. A. Lack
> haussee, in Christian Enquirer.