The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-25


hind that piece of iron had often puz-
zlcd the child, and the answer that it
covered the OPENING left in the brick
work, SO that straw could be thrust up
the chimney and lighted to btrn it out
without removing the stove" conveyed
no meaning to her prrpleScl n.int
lnEer eyes the qaccr square of IRON
corcrci the entrance to some enchant-
CO region where little girls must neccs-
s@riiy delight to so.
Accordingly, with all her little
strength, she tuggcd away at the bar
rlcr. She saw an irregular opening and
caught CLEAN OF sunlight filter
ing down the flue. She sought to
look further; brt the iron was too
heavy, and fell from the tiny fingers
upon this tiny toes with crushing
weight. Tho stately old grandfather
raised the iron and took the silent child
upon his knee. kissing her, he said,
kindly:
1T must have hurt you very much,
my pct"
The little face was all a-quivcr with
pam, tears stood III the brave, brown
eyes, and the words faltcred as they
came:
II dess it's on'y for little vile"
THAT'S right, darling" said the
child's mother, gently removing shoe
and stocking from the little foot now
found to have been seriously hurt;
"that's right! Mothers brave little
girl Knows that crying only makes the
hurt last longer"
The poor baby could not keep the
tears from running down her little
checks pale from the suffering; but she
did refrain from making the least out
cry, or even moan.
After she had been carried away in
her mothers arms, to sleep away the
exhaustion of pain, her grandfather
with tears of pity and admiration in his
eyes, said, cmpha.ically:
Il have always loved my daughter
in-law. but never have admired her
so much as to-day. She is teaching her
children to be heroes! That child will
make her mark in the world, some day.
God bless her!'
The grandsire was right. The child
became woman of marked character
and ability. She was but nineteen at
the outbreak of our civil war, but such
was her ardor and enthusiasm, tenn
courage, that she was among the first
to enter into hospital service, working
until carried off by fever almost at
the close of the war.
This noble woman's childish training
in habits of endurance would have
proved equally useful to her in any vo-
cation. There is not Il possible career
i'll which we are not called upon to
meet hardships of one sort or another.
Has one done ones best, striving hon
orably TO deserve only commendation,
and then won but blame or ridiculc,
the weakness Of yielding to mortifica-
ton can but render the matter worse
Is one reproved, even harshly, one NAV
make the admopition fruitful of good
results. Sickness, misfortune, power.
ty, disillusion, even undeserved shame
and death itself lose half their terrors
when bravely faced and endured. In
a measure this lesson can be taught to
the youngest the oldest cannot afford
to cease from learning it. To grow
strong by suffering one must have
learned to endure hardships with for
titude. Suffering of any sort, not so
borne, is facilitating, enervating, de-
structive.
How much of future strength de-
ponds upon early training in the exer-
else OF true courage, comparatively few
seem to remember. 1t is so easy to
pity. caress and openly sympathizc
with sobbing child; so hard to treat
its hurts-whether m oral or physical
with touch as firm as tepder; being
brave, that the child may also be
brave. Yet it is rs undoubtedly duty
to teach fortitude rs it is to teach truth
fulness. If the mother whose opinions
have been quoted be correct in her
views, truthfulness itself is largely de-
pendent upon courage. A naturally
timid person may, indeed, be also ma
lively honest; yet it seems almost i'm
possible for such a person to retain alb
solute honesty of word and act; and the
most unhappy of mortals are those
who have not the courage to support
the real truthfulness of their natures.
Helen Evertson Smith, in n. Y Indie
pendent