Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-14

Mrs. Livingstone considered such self
evident statements as the natural con-
versation of children.
II thought I heard voices, she said
Robert still held firmly to his standard
of the truth.
II ran up the steps just as fast as |
possibly could he repeated steadily.
Mrs. Livingstone took him upstairs ara
washed his little hot face and hands She
gave some advice about keeping very
quiet in warm weather, but Robert hardly
heard her. His supper was tasteless in
his mouth. Why, oh. why had he thrown
that stone? What would Rosemary think
of him? After all, grown people knew
best. He would never break loose and
try to form an existence of his own again.
Henceforth life held for him nothing but
a series of family excursions and long,
lo--ely days on his heap of beach sand iii
tie backyard Perhaps. in the morning,
Willy would be waiting for him with 4
stone as big as your head. Even that
would be easier to bear than this. But
perhaps he ought TO tell papa and mamma
all about it like little man. When this
thought assailed him, hope and courage
vanished. He crept over to his mother
and leaned his head against her arm.
Il guess i will so to bed now he muir
INJURED in subdued little voice.
II he had known the success of his ef
fort, his little soul would have been
even more upset. He had never considered
the possibility of hitting Willy: he had not
even seen him as he hurled the stone But
success often crowns our least carefully
considered efforts, ana the stone had
struck Willy on the shoulder, in exactly
the right spot to prevent him from re-
turning the shot. Such aiming had not
been seen in Trendon for these many
years. Willy squirned and twisted, his
hand clapped protectingly over the bruised
spot. The two Bulge boys rose stimuli
taneously from the horse block.
Feel it, they inquired judicially. The
ethics of the case required interest rather
than sympathy. Willy srimaced TO imply
unheard-of sufferings. heroically borne.
Hes a mean SUCKER he began.
Rosemary Bulge lowered her lean anat-
omy from the fence and looked him stern
ly in the eye.
You began it," she said.
The Bulge boys stopped whiting ana
considered this reversal of the situation
open-mouthed. Willy kicked at the gravel
in the road.
It's your own fault. He didn't say a
thing to you. Rosemary finished the
question, and settled her hat firmly over
her forehead.
Rosemary! Rosemary" called Mrs.
Bulge. appearing on the piazza of the
greenhouse with baby in her arms.
Supper will be ready in five minutes"
And the Bulge family streamed joyfully
ri hoo ho of
the days events at the gate.
1.-The little boy next door can throw like
everything! He hit Willy Stevens right
on the
Willy, deserted on the scene of his de-
feat. heard the story of his misdemeanor
and its punishment clearly and candidly
stated. He thrust both hands into his
pockets and turned homeward, getting a
poor consolation By deposting a large
amount of gravel upon his own front
steps.
Meantime the little boy next door lay
on his bed and gazed open-eyed into the
dusk. Over and over again he lived
through that afternoon. Once more he
saw his prospects spread fair before him.
Once more he felt the short-lived madness
in which he had wrecked the possibilities
Vi a lifetime. lie signed deeply, ana lHe
pillow grew hotter and hotter. and less
aid less adapted to his head. Suddenly.
he felt longing to express himself in
prayer. He slipped out of bed and stood
in the center Of the room, searching a
proper oratory. Moved by some dim
biblical suggestions, he scurried over to
the washstand and turned on the faucet
until the bowl was full. Then he kneeled
before 1t.
Dear Lord he began, and then stop
ped. fearing undue familiarity. That was
rather the way to address grandmothers.
Our Father, who art in Heaven. l
want a tall, thin sister and two brothers
l don't mind if they have freckes. l
want"-he hesitated-"I want little
brother and a little sister. too, please, -
wheel in a baby carriage all by myself i
have been very bad. but l didn't know l
was going TO be. II you will, l will stand
still and let Willy Stevens throw a stone
at me, and / will shut my eyes. / can
not wait much longer for my brothers
and sisters. because l feel SO dreadfulIy
And ] think think mamma would ike
them. too. And this ask for Jesus
sake. Amen.
He rose and let the water out Of the
DOW. Ifen ne stole bdck to bed and
drew the sheet up close under his chin.
y cool breeze began to come in at the
window and the darkness stopped pressing
its fingers OH his eyebalIs and grew all
soft and quiet. And in his sleep his
hands and feet twitched slightly, IKE Il
little dogs, who dreams that he is running
very fast
Robert awoke TO an impression of great
events. He had made business arrange
ment with God, and he. at least would
live up to his side of it. He rose with
the desire strong upon him to go out and
meet Willy Stevens and redeem his vow.
Lessons took place as usual, while the
sound of chiidren's voices tantalized him
from the street. Mrs. Livingstone was
fond of teaching. and she considered it a
good plan to keep children's minds occu-
pied. 1t was quarter before II when
she closed the volume Of Reprints From
Great Masters and put 1t away. Robert
came and stood in front of her, his hands
behind his back.
Il think I will go out now he said.
His heart beat hard.
"Out for wala?' she asked
He wondered whether II was wrong not
10 tell her that il was not exactly for 4
walk: but this was not the time 10 tell of
his sin and the great atcaement that there
was TO be. lie hurried out into the hall