The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-10-21
FOR CHILDREN.
BE GOOD WIEN YOUNG.
The Way it Works.


Youths Advocate.
Do you see those little boys out there
by the roadside? They are naughty
little boys, and are doing. naughty
trick. See, they have tied little dog
with rope to one of the stay wires OF
a telegraph pole, and are throwing
stones'at him to see him jump back
and forth How cruel! Good boys
would never do such thing, never
Hear the dogs plteous barking as he
leaps from side to side TO avoid the
stones thrown at him; These boys
think it fun, but they will see their
mistake some day. How do you sup
pose they would like to be in the dogs
place? Well, that is just what will
happen to them one of these days
See those boys there running away
from the mllkman's wagon. He had
left it at the gate just lcng enough to
bring us In some milk and these little
boys, who spend most of their time
running about the streets of Tokyo,
came up and were meddling with 1t,
with the intention, half suspect, OF
drinking some of the milk if they got
a chance. The milkman happened to
see them. though, and now they are
scampering away, thinking only of
escaping present punishment ; but their
deed will overtake them some day,
never fear, and they will not then be
able to run away from it, either.
That little girl who sits there on the
front seat Is not very kind-hearted
little girl she IS selfish, and wants
things all to herself. She doesn't want
the little girl sitting beside her to look
on the same book with her. I have
gone to her several times to show her
how she should hold the book between
them,. so that both can look on and
sing but she doesn't like this, and
snatches the book away and turns her
back. Don't you think this is awfully
naughty? Little girls in Japan are for
the world just like little girls in
America some of them are not always
good. What do you think they will be
like when they are grown up? ] will
tell you in another paragraph.
See that police station just there at
the corner OF our yard? Look what a
crowd have gathered there See the
two policemen standing there in their
white clothes, and with their glittering,
long swords dangling at their hips !!
Immediately before them stand two
people, as you see, man and a woman.
Who are they? The man is that little
boy who tied the dog, and then peIted
him with stones for sport; the woman
is that little girl who would not let her
little friend sing with her from the
same book. You see I told you little
while gone they would not always be
able to run away from their naughty
tricks-like the boys did from the milk
wagon. They are overtaken at last.
and their fun is turned into mourning.
See the poor man with his wan eyes,
worn expression, and standing hair.
The retribution for Furnishing that
little dog and a thousand other such
naughty tricks when he was boy now
weigh like lead upon him. He and
his wife don't get on we'll they fuss
and fight. He has come to the police
man for relief but, ah, poor man, he
has sought relief from the wrong source.
The trouble does not lie with the po-
liceman to settle; there is something
wrong inside of the man and woman.
It has grown to be monster, and leads
them whithersoeyer it will. Some
times it sets them to fighting, again it
makes them steal, and at other times
play false to each other. See the tears
trickling down the woman's face, as
she wipes them away with her apron
and tells her side of the story. It is
awfully hard Tor her to tell 1t straight
yon know che is not accustomed to
that sort of talk-stralght talk, l mean
Now the poor little babe that she is
iostling up and down on her back be
gins to cry. 1t is getting its first les
sons to walk in the ways of its father
and mother. It is hard for stream to
rise above its fountain, you know but
he that connects himself with the true
Fountain shall rise higher and higher
unto the perfect day. 1t is very danger
Gus not to be good when you are
! 1ouno T. M M'CALEB