St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-10-25
sTRAIGHTENING OUT FURROW

STRAIGHTENING OUT BURROWS.
Boys he said, "I'ye been trying ev-
cry day OF my life for the last two years
to straighten out furrows-and can't
do it,"
One boy turned his head in surprise
toward the captains neatly kept place.
"Oh don't mean that kind. lad.
don't mean land burrows, continued the
captain, so soberly that the attention of
the boys became GREATNESS as he went on:
when was a lad about the age of
you boys, was what they called a hard
case not exactly bad or vicious, but
wayward and wild. Well, my dear old
mother used to coax, pray and punish
my father was dead, making it all the
harder for her-but she never got impa-
tient. How in the world she bore with
my stubborn, vexing ways so patiently
will always be TO me one of the mysre-
ries of lite. knew it was troubling her,
knew it was changing her pretty face,
making it look anxious and old After
awhile, firing Of all restraint, | ran
away, went off to sea-and a rough time
! had Oft at first. Still liked the wa
ter and liked iourneying around from
place to place. Then settled down to
business in foreign land, and soon be-
came prosperous, and now began to
send her something besides empty letters.
And such beautiful letters as she always
wrote me during those years of absence
At length | noticed how longing they
grew-longing for the presence of the son
who used to try her so, and it awoke a
corresponding longing in my own heart
to go back to the dear, waiting soul.
80 when | could stand it no longer, l
came back, and such a welcome, and
such a surprise! My mother is not
very old lady, boys, but the first thing l
noticed was the whiteness of her hair
and the deep burrows on her brow, and
knew had helped to blanch that hair
to its snowy whiteness and had drawn
those lines in that smooth forehead. And
those are the burrows I've been trying
to straighten out.
But last night, while mother was
sleeping in her chair sat thinking it all
over and looked to see what progress
had made
"Ier face was very peaceful and the
expression contentcd as possible, but the
burrows were still there. | hadn't sue
cecded in Strengthening them out-and-
vcr-shall-never,
"When they lay my mother-my fair
old sweetheart-in her casket, there will
be burrows in her brow; and think it a
wholesome lesson to teach you, that the
neglect you offer your parents council
now and the trouble you cause them,
will abide, my lads, it will abide''
"But, " broke in Freddie Hollis, with
great troubled eyes Il should think il
you're so kind and good now, it needn't
matter SO much :"
"Ah, Freddie, my boy said the quay
cry voice OF the strong man, 'youcannot
undo the past. You may do much to
atone for it, do much to make the rough
path smooth, but YOU can't straighten
out the old burrows my laddies, remem-
Der that !"
Guess III go and chop some wood
mother spoke Of; Id most forgotten,
said lively Jimmie Hollis, in a strangely
quiet tone for him.
Eyes, and I've got some errands to
do" suddenly remembered Billy Bowles.
"Touchcd and taken, said the kindly
captain to himself, as the boys tramped
off, keeping step in a thoughtful, soldier
like way.
And Mrs. Bowcs declared a fortnight
afterward that Billy was "really getting
to he a comfort ~
Then Mrs. Hollis, meeting the captain
about that time, remarked that Jimmy
always meant to be a good boy, but he
was actually being one.
Guess your stories they like to hear
so much have morals to them now and
then" added the gratied mother, with
smile.
As Mrs. Hollis passed, Captain Sam,
with folded arms and head bent down,
said softly to himself -
well, shall be thankful enough ii
word of mine will help the dear boys to
keep the burrows away from their moth
ers' brows; for once there, it is diff
cult task Strengthening out the burrows
1.-THE Life Boat