The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-10-23
A GOLD MEDAL.
The Children's Own.

ceived when at school at A. We saw
a boy named Watson, driving a COW
to pasture. In the evening he drove
her back again, we did not know
where, and this was continued several
weeks.
The boys attending the school were
nearly all sons OF wealthy parents,
and some OF them were ounces enough
to look with disdain on a scholar who
had to drive Il COW.
With admirable good nature Wat
son bore all their attempts to annoy
him.
II suppose, Watson said Jackson.
another boy, one day-"1 suppose
your father intends to make a milk
man of yOu?"
"Why not?"' asked Watson.
"Oh, nothing. Only don't leave
much water in the cans after you
rinse them--that's all"
The boys laughed, and Watson. not
in the least mortified, replied: "Never
fear. If ever | am milkman, iii
give you good measure and good milk"
The day after this conversation
there. was public examination. at
which ladies and gentlemen from the
ncighboring towns were present, and
prizes were awarded by the principal
of our school, and both Jackson and
Watson received crcdltable number
for, in respect to scholarship, they
were about equal. After the ccre-
mony Of distribution, the principal re-
marked that there was one prize, con-
slsting OF Il gold medal, which was
rarely awarded, not~so much on ac-
count OF its great cost, as because the
instances were rare which rendered
its bestowal proper. 1t was the prize
OF heroism. The last medal was
awarded about three years ago to a
boy in the first class who rescued
poor girl from drowning.
The principal then said that, with
the permission OF the company. lie
would relate a short anccdOtc.
"Not long since, some boys were
flying kite in the street, just as a
poor lad on horseback rode by on his
way to the mill. The horse took
fright and threw the boy, injuring
him so badly that lie was carried home
and confined some weeks to his bed.
or the boys who had unintentionally
caused the disaster, none followed to
learn the fate Of the wounded lad.
There was one boy, h0wevcr, who wit
messed the accident from "A distance,
who not only went to make inquiries,
but stayed to render service
"ThiS boy soon learned that the
wounded boy was the grandson of a
poor widow, whose sole support con.
sisted IN selling the milk of cow, of
which she was the owner. She was
old and lame, and her grandson, on
whom she depended to drive her cow
to the pasture was now helpless with
his bruises. Never mind. good wo-
man, said the boy; Il will drive the
cow
but his kindness did not stop there.
Money was wanted to get articles
from the apothecary. Il have money
that my mother sent me to buy pair
0r boots with, said he, but l can do
without them for awhile 'Oh no,
said the old woman, | can't consent
to that; but here is pair Of heavy
boots that | bought for Thomas, who
can't wear them. II you would only
buy these, we should get on nicely.
| The boy bought the shoes, clumsy as
they were, and has worn them up to
this time.
swell, when it was discovered by
the other boys at the school that our
scholar was in the habit Of driving a
COW, he was assailed every day with
laughter and ridicule. lis cowhidc
boots in particular were toQde matter
Of mirth. But lie kept onschecrfnlly
and bravcly, day after day, never
stunning observation, driving the
widows COW and wearing his thick
boots. He never explained why he
drove the COW, for he was not inclined
to make q boast Of his charitable mo-
tlves. II was by mere accident that
his Kindness and self-denial was dis.
covered by his teacher.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, l
ask you-was there not true hcroism
in this b0v's cOnduct? Nay. Master