Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-06-26
NUnBER SO

ever that was not his name.
But Johns mother had always carried
him to Sunday School or Church, he read
his Bible and said his prayers before
going to bed at night, he always obeyed
bis mother and loved to help her, John
had good manners and in fact was
little man, the country school where he
lived was poor and his father and moth.
er decided to send him away to board
ing school, little trunk was packed
full of nice clothes and everything most
that John would need, a nice bible was
given him and he was asked to read IL
daily, the old farm wagon was driven
out and the trunk placed in IT, John be-
gan to cry when he saw his poor mother
and father weeping as il their hearts
would break, there they stood almost
heart broken, how could they see their
darling boy leave home, what would
they do for company, no one to bring
in stovewood and water, but who was
to look after John2, who would patch
and wash and iron for him2, but that il
not the worst of it, who would b. a
mother to him?, John is to be away ten
months what will mother do2, they could
wait no longer for il was almost train
time and John must not miss the train
so he kissed his mother again and again
and then hurried away the wagoih
1t was the saddest day that ever enter
ed the home, when John reached his des-
tination rough looking teache met him
and directed him to his future home.
John was so sad that he could sce-cely
talk, he felt homesick, he would give
anything on earth just to be back with
mother, but he could not be and he
must be little man. So he made him
self as agreeable as possible and tried
to feel at home, he ate but little supper
yet he tried TO be merry as the rest The
next day school opened with about two
hundred boys all larger than John. It
was a day to classify each boy and John
thought his time would come but it fin
ally did and he was assigned lesson for
the following day.
Every boy had to bring up his lesson
well and this was not burden to John
he wrote letters to his mother and father
and tried to tell them how he was. Oh
how anxious that mother would wait and
look for that little scribbled letter
which John would write her, she feast
ed on them. Most every boy in school
picked at John and called him coward
because he wouldn't fight and quarrel
this went on for long time until John
was known by all the boys as the coward
his mother had taught him that it was
wrong to fight and swear and he never
did.
One day soon after the session had
began most all the boys to gether with
the teachers were standing out in front
of the school building a shrill cry Of
agony was heard just over in the pasture
near by, on looking they saw poor
little negro girl closely, pursued by an
angry bull, teachers and boys all stood
trembling knowing that the poor child
would be soon crush to death, not so
with John when he saw her plight he
darted like bird sprang over the high
fence and hastened to her rescue, what
could he do with such an angry brute as
that?, he had no wepon in his hands and
looked like running into the jaws OF
death, but John was there in a moment
and ran between the little negro and
the brute, drawing the attention of him
to himself and away from the girl, he
was good runner and was fresh SO he
outran the bull to the fence thus saving
Lne lie OF tne Cnll0.
John was no longer called coward
but was a hero of the school, he was hap
pier and won great honors in the school
and made his father and mother rejoice
we need more such boys as John who
wants to obey mother and not always
be fighting and swearing, John is a
great man to-dsy.
Men are being pursued by old satan
ever every day, are we ready to spring
r over the fence of selhshness and run
t shod with the preparation OF the
f Gospel, wearing the breast plate of
t righteOness and welding nightly the
sword of the Spirit to save them, we
t need men of courage, men who are true
to the heart core.