St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-02-11


hind that piece Of iron had often pug
zled the child, and the answer that II
covered the opening left in the brick
work. % that straw could be thrust mp
the chimney and lighted to burn it out
without removing the stove, I" conveyed
no meaning TO her perplexcd mind
In her eyes the queer square of iron
covered the entrance TO some enchant-
ed region where little girls must neces-
sarily delight to go.
Accordingly. with all her little
strength. she tugged away 1t the bar
rier. She saw an irregular opening and
caught . CLEAN Of sunlight filter
ing dswn the hue. She sought to
look further; but the iron was too
heavy, and fell from tho tiny fingers
upon the tiny toes with crushing
weight. The stately old grandfather
raised the iron and took the silent child
upon his knee. Kissing her. he said.
kindly:
''lt must have hurt you very much,
my pet"
The little face was all a-qriver with
pain, tears stood in the brave, brown
eyes. and the words faltsred - 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 70 have been seriously hurt:
''that's right! Mothers brave little
girl knows that crying only mals~s 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, emphatically:
II have always loved my daughter.
in-law. but never have admired her
SO much rs to-day. She is teaching her
children to bs heroes! That child will
make her mark in the world, some day.
God bless her!"
The grandsire was right. The child
became q 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
pered by reason and strengthened by
courage, that she was among the f:rst
to enter into hospital service, working
until carried OF by fever almost 1t
tho close of the war.
This noble wo,aan's childish training
in habits Of endurance would have
proved equally useful to her in any vo-
cation. There is not u possible career
in which we arc not called upon to
meet hardships Of one sort or another.
Has one done ones best. striving hon
orably to deserve only commcndation,
and then won but blame or ridicule.
the weakness of yielding TO mortifica-
tioa can but render the matter worse.
ls ono reproved, even harshly. one may
make the adnonition fruitful Of good
results Sickness. misfortune, power.
ty, disillusion. even unacscrved shame
and death itself lose half their terrors
when bravely faced and endured. In
Q measure this lesson can be taught to
the youngest: the oldest cannot afford
to cease from lear ling it. To grow
strong BY suffering one Eust. have
learned to endure hardships with for
titude. Suffering of any sort, not 80
borue, is debilitating, enervating, de-
stcuctivc.
How much Of future strength de-
pends upon early training in the cxer-
else Of true courage. comparatively few
seem to remember. II is so easy to
pity. caress and openly sympathizc
with . sobbing child; SO hard to treat
its hurts-whcther n oral or physical
with . touch rs drm as tender; being
brave, that tho child may also Be
brave. Yet it is rs undoubtedly . duty
to teach fortitude Is it Is to teach truth.
fulness. II 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 na-
lively honest; yet it seems almost inn
possible for such person to retain alb
solutc honesty of word and act; and the
most unhappy Of mortals arc those
who have not the courage TO support
the real truthfuinexs Of their natures.
Helen Evcrtson Smith. in N. Z. Inde.
PENDENT