The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-10-26
DOING THINGS WELL.
Grandpa's Lesson of Why He Lost Pleas
ant Holiday.

ant Holiday.
Grandpa Davis sat in his easy chair
before the fire apparently much alb
sorbed in his newspaper A close OBJ
server. though, might have noticed that
his attention was not wholly given TO
reports of the stock market or of the
weather Quite frequently he glano ed
over his spectacles to the corner where
his grandson James was engaged in ar-
ranging books on set of shelves.
James seemed not to hurry his work
at all. He carefully took down the
books from their places, avoiding any
rough handling of their binding, wiped
each one thoroughly with cloth, and
put them all back in order.
very well done, James, said grand
pa, when the task was accomplished.
81 am glad to see you so careful and
methodical with your work. You have
got through so quickly that there is
time for short story before dinner"
If there was anything that James
liked particularly, it was to hear grand
pas stories of his own boyhood Ac-
cordingly he speedily established him
self near the armchair near the fire.
when l was boy" said grandpa,
81 was always in hurry. 1t was very
hard for me to take time to do anything
thoroughly. wanted to hasten with
whatever might be doing in order to
get at the next thing. 1t was very,
very poor plan.
81 knew that it was, and so did my
parents. Indeed, they often talked to
me about this failing, and sometimes
called me back to finish the thing that
/ had been doing and had left incom.
plete. Finally had severe lesson,
which went far toward helping me to
overcome my careless habit
SIT was in the winter, and the sleigh
ing was unusually good. 1t had been
arranged that all the boys in our dis
trict school should have ride together.
A large sleigh, with horses and driver,
had been engaged. We were to go ten
miles or more on a Saturday afternoon
to the house of my Uncle Nathaniel,
who had kindly invited us to supper.
He had given me special invitation to
stay over Sabbath, promising to take
me home early Monday morning.
''Of course, was delighted with the
prospect. talked of it for week be-
forehand, and when Saturday morning
came, l could think of nothing else.
Still there were certain things that it
was my duty to attend to, and knew
perfectly well that should not be al
lowed to leave home without having
done them. So went through the form
of attending to them, but not being
really interested in them, did all in a
half-heartcd, negligent way.
" Set your mind on your work my
boy was my fathers repeated iniunc-
ton. Try to think of what you are
doing, James, my mother as many
times said. Yet had to be called SO
often to finish what had left half
done, that was not through with my
tasks when the bell rang for dinner
"I'm sorry, James, said father, but
you'll have to fill the wood-eloset be-
fore you can go. You know that's a
regular part of your Saturdays work,
"'Yes, sir, replied, trying to hurry
with my dinner as with everything
else
"Eat more slowly, James, said my
mother, otherwise your food will do
you no good
so tried to restrain my Impotence
and to eat more deliberately. Yet it
did seem to me that that particular
meal was unnecessarily long. AT
length it was concluded, and then wa:
at liberty to fill the wood-closet, as
should have done in the morning
1t was small closet off the
kitchen. The rule was, that i
should be kept full of wood
regularly piled up. FASTENED to tn,
woodshed, filled my wheelbarrow, ano
was soon throwing the wood helte
SHELTER into the closet. had succeeded
in getting through about half of m.
job in this improper way. when m.
father came along.
"'What's all this, James? What sor
of pile are you making in that closet
You'll have to take the wood out an,
put it back in an orderly manner O
? course, didn't like that decision, but
had to submit to it, nevertheless.
: "The time l might have spent in fin
ishing my task properly, had to spen
in undoing what had been begun.
had the entry filled with a loose hea
of wood when suddenly heard tn
Jingle of sleigh-bells and the hurrahs c
o my schoolmates.
40, mother, can't go!' exclaimed
/. rushing into the sitting-room. I'm nc
= through with my work. and big DO
n though was, my eyes were filled wit
e tears.
a elbow sorry am, said my mother
o gently. She knew, as well as die
i that there would be no appeal from fl
\ theirs decision, and she knew, bette
v than did. how wrong it would be {
. allow me to go, leaving my work ha
). done.
o "'Shall I excuse you to the boys
is she asked.
d eyes, if you please tearfully r.
d piled.
IS Sadly l returned to my task, br
v that time | did it we'll Indeed, | thin
e I've tried to do my work thorough
l. ever since. l am glad you don't nee
v such a lesson, James, There's the dill
ner-bell now" christian Intelligence
If The wicked flee when no man pu
s sueth; but they make better time whe
is somebody is pursuing.-C. II. Parl
~ hurst