The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-12-28
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| DID you think l wanted to borrow
from your"
mo, sir" replied the little boy,
hanging his head.
did ever tell you long stories ex.
cept at your earnest and insistent so.
licitation?"
mo, sir"
"Then why avoid mel" asked the
old gentleman, reproachfully. II
didn't think it of you, Johnny. never
thought you would run and hide from
your fond old grandfather unless you
had been doing something that you
ought not to do and were ashamed to
look me in the face. It couldn't be
that, could it,"
mo, sir" answered the little boy.
you're too we'll behaved for that
aren't you? If you ever feel tempted
to do wrong you would say to your
self, oh, no, I mustn't do that, as I
shall be unable to look my kind
grandpapa in the face without the
blush of shame mantling my cheek.
wouldn't your
Eyes, sir"
II think hear you saying it," said
the nice old gentleman. whats all
this on your coat?"
II got in the mud stammered the
little boy.
II inferred as much. reasoned that
either you got in the mud or the mud
got on you. What did you get in the
mud for? Been reading health mag
azine article? Well, well! A nice
pickle you're in. What made your lip
swell, Ell? Mosquito bit it? No?
Well, thought it was little late in
the season for mosquitoes. Maybe it
was humble bee. 1 know when
was little boy and got stung by a
humble bee I'd put mud on the swell
ing. I expect that was what you were
doing and made mistake and daubed
up the back of your coat instead Of
your lip. People make funny mis-
takes sometimes-even grown people.
Still, I don't quite understand, John
ny, why you tried to hide from me-"
1T wasn't humble bee," volun-
teered the little boy.
1T wasn't? Bless me! Well, if it
wasn't humble bee and you weren't
chopping kindling and you didn't fall
down and step on your lip or run into
a lamp post or the edge of door or
go to a baseball game and stop a hot
fly, I can't imagine how you did it.
Eth? What's that you said?'
"Nothin'," replied the little boy.
perhaps that would be your wisest
course under certain circumstances"
remarked the old gentleman. IF you
were grown up and had nice flowing
whiskers and trunk railway hanging
out of your vest pocket and a news
paper reporter asked you how you
got it wouldn't blame you for saying
nothing. Of course you might have
offended another little boy and he
might have hit you in the mouth and
rolled you in the mud. You did fight
with another little boy once, If you'll
remember, but then you promised
your mother that you wouldn't do it
again. Of course if you just let him
hit you and roll you in the mud it
wasn't, strictly speaking, fighting"
"You bet I didn't" said the little
boy. "You ought to see him.
The nice old gentleman made Pc
culiar noise ending in a clearing of
the throat. "Then you broke your
promise" he said. That's very sad,
Johnny I supposed that you would
go through life meek and unresisting
after making that promise. Your dear
mother will be grieved. shouldn't
wonder if you got what"
81 couldn't help it, protested the
little boy, with just suspicion of a
whimper. ''He called me names and
pushed me n then just pushed him
little an"
And you didn't think about your
promise, eh?"
81 thought about it at first"
I'll tell you one thing, Johnny
said the nice old gentleman. Il never
break a promise, never. You never
should, either. You want to be are
full how you make EN-. | always say,
I'll do thus and so, if I don't change
my mind or 7 won't do this or that
unless | feel different about 1t later
on That's the best way to make
promises. You remember that the
next time your mother wants you to
promise her anything. Now, l think
if we go into this barber shop can
get the kind colored gentleman to
take most of that mud off and we can
wash your face and perhaps mother
won't notice it."
II guess I'll tell her" said the little
boy, bravely. I'll tell her that I
broke my promise an I'm sorry, but
I won't do it again unless l change
my mind"
Johnny" said the old gentleman,
you're all right" :,
IF l don't, Georges mother will