Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-19
Children Obey Your
Parents; 4 Sermon by
Jack -in-th ulpit
(By Kate Hudson.)

taking her after dinner nap, and Billie
and Bette were meandering through
the cool and shady woods in search of a
spot In which-as per directions-to
sit still awhile, without getting all het
up a-running and a-romping," when
they came across slim white birch
with a sturdy jack in the Pulpit
straightly outstanding at the foot Of it.
Let's us sit down right here" pro-
posed Bette. across the way from
that lovely tree My sakes! how many
leaves do you s'pose it's got on it,"
Millions Of EN-" promptly respond
ed Billie, adding. after a second look,
Why guess there must be's much as
two hundred leaves on it,"
Lets count EN-" cried Bette, fixing
pair Of dancing brown eyes on the
shimmering, quivering foliage, and i'm.
mediately started in. "One two, seven,
thirtynine. forty
Fifty three, fifty-five," droned Bill
lie; but before he could reach sixty the
Jack in-the-Pulpit before mentioned
raised a thin high voice and went on:
"Fifty-nine sixty. sixty-one, sixty-t two;
and that remainds me all you dear chill
dren Of the wild wood-all you beetles,
bees: you birds and butterflies; and
you two human children, also, who
who have strayed in to help us keep
Sunday. of sixty-three most excellent
reasons for obedience, which obedience,
as you most likely know, is the unhes-
itating doing what you're told the min
ute you're told by those who know best
what" Is good for you. Obedience to
parents, teachers, and the law is what
that we may all Of us-whether we
dwell in nest or burrow, In every cob
web, cocoon, or manbuilt small brown
cottage on the edge Of these woods
develop into straight and healthy, good
and useful grown-ups. ,..ss..r
Let us therefore, dear children, obey
our kind. wise elders and the voice Of
the Lord our God, that it may as the
Prophet tells us, be we'll with u.s.
Whereas. il we are not obedient it may
go with us as did, the other day, with
a dear little Fish l used to know.
This small Fish lived not far from
here in little salt sea creek that sends
its blue waves a-lapping up on a sandy
covers with dancing ripples, and every
ebb leaves fall Of soon-dry tiny pond
let's; In which, while they last, the viii
age children paddle, puddle, and sail
their chip and paper boats.
This blue creek is quite as brimful
Of happy. busy crea lures as are our
own green woods; and among all these
big and little flnny fellows there's no
one better known nor. more highly re-
spected than Mrs. Killie-F'ish and her
large family. All day long the Killie,
like their ell crah and shalIAch
bors,: work and play in the deeper mid {.
creek: but every once in while, when
hot, bright weather and
specially high tides call the boys and
girls down to the water and ina wad-
ing. Mrs. Killie- Fish will take her
small fry up on the tide into the foot
deep shadows for a game of catch
who lean with Ned, Nellie, Tom
and Flora, and all the rest of them.
And then such splashings, and such
stampings with sun-tanned hands and
feet. and such fun! with easy honors
to the Killfes, Of which not one has
ever yet been caught! -s..
Now, Mrs. Killie- FISH though the
most indulgent Of mothers, expects her
children to mind what she says: for
how could I possibly she very SEN
sibly asks, raise my enormous family
If they couldn't be depended upon to
come and 60 and do exactly as they're
And so each time before she
she. reminds them that
they must keep In the creek and out Of
the little beach puddles; that they
must keep within sight and hearing Of
her, and that they must always i'm
come a-swimming after her
when told to. And all of them always
mind. and none Of them ever even asks
But why mother? All Of them, that is,
but little Flip. and that's why some-
thing so dreadful happened to him 90
day.
1T was hot and 1t was sunny and 80,
of course, the beach was swarming
among and in and out between them
swan Mrs. Killie- Fish and all her lit
tie Killies. Keep close as can be to me,
children she told them, and don't
stray into those little -for-five- min
utes puddles'; and all her sons and
daughters obeyed her; all, that is, but
adventurous. <inquisitive
little Flip. He Jagged behind
and wanted to know Why can't we,
you" Because say So said Mrs. Kill
lie Fish. heading for deep water across
the rapidly receding tide with all her
many, many children swimming after
her; all. that is, but Flip. who, straying
OFF among eel grass, pickle weed, and
pebbles, soon found himself going
round and round in a small (and, alas!
rapidly growing smaller) pool What
fun!' he giggled; this surely must be
one of those merry-go- rounds one
hears so much about But when in q
very little while the puddle had soak
ed entirely into the sand, he laughed
no more. poor foolish little fish! but
lay high and dry upon the gray sands
painting and gasping for the breath that
was beginning to fail him.
Nov, if little Sallie Sanders had not
happened to catch sight Of him, or II
Sallie hadn't been just the very softest
hearted of small girls, this sermon and
poor Flip would have come to an end
together. But as Sallie did happen
along and was so merciful, she picked
Flip up very tenderly and, wading into
deep creek water, dropped him into
safety in two feet and half Of surf:
and just as soon as he got back hi
Of breath he swan like streak to-
ward home and his mother; and it's
safe to say that ever since then he's
the best and most obedient member nj
Mrs. Killie-Ffsh's big fish, family"
A5 ssss ~ n Ss ssssss N az 81.