The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-03
TUE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
JERRY's COURAGE.

Jerry Thomas was naturally timid
Everybody knew that. Thunder made
him tremble and he couldn't help it.
To him the terrific power of an cleo
trio storm was awe-inspiring and mis-
own helplessness was so manifest that
he felt a mere atom in vast sea of
power.
AS he grew older he conquered his
fear by forcing himself to argue in his
own mind: God made the storm. He
made it for a purpose and will direct
it. l have nothing to fear" But
even that would not always prevent
the unreasoning terror that would fill
his heart. When mad dog was re-
ported to be lurking in the neighbor-
hood he was afraid to go for the milk
in the morning and he dreamed of
the creature at night. He never liked
to get near the locomotive at the sta
ton, and if an automobile whizzed too
close to him on the road it made him
feel strangely faint.
The boys at school called him
'Fraid Cat" and more than once he
had been tormented with dangling
caterpillars and worms and mice, of
which only girls are expected to be
afraid
CAS- afraid as Jerry Thomas" was
common expression at school, and
although it made him flush angrily
sometimes, he never fought it out with
his fists as some of the rest would
have done. In his heart he felt-he
hoped-that did great peril mneace
anyone he loved he would prove him
self equal to the emergency. Maybe
he could, even if that somebody was
stranger!
Jerry had got to be eleven years old
and when the long summer vacation
came he felt it no more than right he
should help his mother, who was a
widow and a seamstress. There was
one thing no one had ever accused
Jerry of and that was of being afraid
to work. He could plod even If he
were not brave in the face of terrify-
ing experiences.
He would hoe in their little garden
in the hot sun until his hands we're
blistered. He would get up in the
cold, dark winter mornings and shovel
walks, or run errands patiently all
day while his school mates were shout
ing and playing on the athletic field
past which he had to go.
After he got the job of driving the
grocery wagon and delivering parcels,
he had little time to wonder about
anything for he was busy all day long.
The grocery horse was steady old
fellow He would stand without hitch
ing and never was known to shy at
anything
The last Saturday night the grocer
had raised his pay whole dollar a
week, sayings as he did so, Il can
get plenty of boys for four dollars a
week, but I'm going to give you five
because you haven't made a single
mistake in delivering this week and
several people have spoken about
your promptness in getting their or
ders to them on time. 1t is these at
tentions to details that make boy
worth more, and SO am glad to give
you extra pay!"
And Jerry's eyes glistened with hap
piness when he told his mother. He
was thinking of it now as he drove
down Elm Street. Perhaps that was
his talent If he couldn't be brave
he could be faithful. That might
make up little for his timidity-
cowardice, the boys called it.
Just below Elm Street the railway
suddenly energies from between slop
ing banks and crosses Park Street or
it's way to the station. Jerry always
stood up and looked both ways before
he crossed that track. The boys haG
poked fun at him several times wher
they saw him do it, but Jerry knew
that should the horse be killed or the
wagon injured, he never could replace
it and his mother would have an add
ed burden.
This particular day Ned Brown
| Tom Evans and Rob Sanders had
jumped in to the back of the empty
wagon as it passed the ball field. II
was dinner time and they could ride
down town with Jerry as well as not
AS Jerry came to the railway cross.
ing his first impulse was to drive
straight across the tracks so the boys
should have no chance to poke fun at
him, but in his heart he was afraid
to do so.
He rose to his feet and looked up
the cut. He paid no heed to the
hooking cry from his passengers
Fraid Cat Thomas 'Fraid Thomas
Cat Meow-Meowi"
Around the bend scarcely hundred
rods away was the oncoming engine
Of the IL O'Clock express hour
late and in the cut on the tracks the
twin babies of young Mrs. barrow. the
married daughter of his employer.
Without a moments hesitation he
tossed the reins, calling to Bob San
ders as he leaped over the wheel to
watch the horse.
With all his speed he darted up the
cut, straight in the path OF the great
throbbing locomotive Would he be in
time? Would he be in time? Already
the great mass of moving steel and
iron was making the ground beneath
him tremble. The babies stood stock
still, as if strangely fascinated He
was almost there moment more