Year: 1868

contest, "This time you must say G." at
is an ugly old letter, and amt ever going
to try to say 1t again" said Willy, repeat
ing the alphabet very rapidly from begin.
ming to end without the @. Like A wise
mother, she did not open at once on a
struggle; but said, pleasantly, "Ah you
did not get 1t in tEs time. Try again go
more slowly, and we will have it" It
was all in vain and it soon began TO look
more like real obstinacy on Willys part
than anything she had ever seen in him
She has often told me how she hesitated
before entering on the campaign. az al
ways knew" she said, "that Willy's first
real fight with himself would be no matter
OF few hours; and il was particularly
inconvenient time for me, just then, to
give up day to 1t. But it seemed, on
the whole, best not to put It off"
So che said I" Now, Willy, you can't
get along without the letter g. The
| longer you put off saying It the harder it
will be for you to say 1t at last and we
will have it settled now once for all, You
are never going to let a little bit of letter
like that be stronger than Willy. We will
not go out of this room till you have said
it"


Unfortunately, WHY'S will had already
taken its stand. However, the mother
made no authoritative demand that he
should pronounce the letter as matter
OF obedience to her. Because it was a
thing intrinsically necessary for him to
do, she would see, at any cost to herself
or to him, that he did it but he must do,
It voluntarily, and she would wait till he
did.


The morning wore on. She busted her.
self with other matters, and left Willy to
himself now and then asking, with a
SMILE Well, isn't my little boy stronger
than that ugly old letter ?"
Willy was sulky. He understood in that
early stage all that was involved. Dinner
time came.


Aren't you going to dinner, mamma p"
"Oh no dear; not unless you say G,
so that you can go, too. Mamma will stay
by her little boy until he is out of this
trouble" '..8. .t-


The dinner was brought up, and they
ate it together. She was cheerful and
kind, but go serious that he felt the con-
slant pressure of her pain.


The afternoon dragged slowly on to
night. Willy cried now and then, and she
took him in her lap, and said; "Dear,
you will be happy as soon as you say
that letter, and mamma will be happy too,





you do"


"ohi mamma, why don't you make me
say itH"
lThis he said several times before the
affair was over.)
because, dear, you must make your
self say it. am helping you make your
self say it, for shall not let you 60 out of
this room, nor go out myself, till you do
say it, but that is all shall do to help
you. am listening all the time, and If
you say it in ever so little whisper,
shall hear you. That is all mamma can
| do for you"
Bedtime came. Willy went to bed un.
kissed and sad. The next morning, when
Willy's mother opened her eyes, she saw
| Willy sitting up in his crib, and looking
at her steadfastly. As soon as he saw that
she was awake, he exclaimed; Mamma
can't say it. You're naughty mamma
and you don't love me-" Her heart sank
within her; but she patiently went again
and again over yesterdays ground. Willy
cried. He ate very little breakfast. He
stood at the window in listless attitude
of discouraged misery, which she said cut
her to the heart. Once in a while he
would ask for some plaything which he did
not usually have. She gave him whatever
he asked for; but he could not play. She
kept up an appearance of being busy with
her sewing, but she was far more unhap-
py than Willy.


Dinner was brought to them. Willy
said: Mamma, this amt bit good din
ner."


She replied: Yes, it is, darling; Just
as good as we ever have. 1t is only be.
cause we are eating it alone And poor
papa is sad, too, taking his all alone down
stairs"


At this Willy burst out into an hysteri-
cal fit of crying and sobbing.


shall never see my papa again in this
world" er.a0a


Then his mother broke down, too, and
cried as hard as he did but she said; "Oh /
yes, you will, dear. think you will say
that letter before tea-time, and we will
have nice evening downstairs together" I"


can't say 1t. try all the time, and
l can't say it; and, If you keep me here
till die, shsn't ever say it."


The second night settled down dark and
gloomy, and Willy cried himself to sleep.
His mother was i'll from anxiety and con-
finement; but she never faltered. She
told me she resolved that night that, if it
were necessary, she would stay in that
room with Willy month. The next
morning she said to him, more seriously
than before; Now, Willy, you are not
only foolish little boy, you are unkind
you are making everybody unhappy.
Mamma is very eorry for you, but she Is
also very much displeased with you.
Mamma will stay here with you till you
| say that letter, If 1t is for the rest of your
| life; but mamma will not talk with you
as she did yesterday She tried all day
yesterday to help you, and you would not
help Xourselfi to-day you must do it all
alone"


Mamma, are you sure shall ever say
it 2" asked Willy.


Yes, dear; perfectly sure. You will
say 1t some day or other"


"Do you think shall say it o.day?"
II can't tell. You are not 80 strong a
little boy as thought. l believed you
would say it yesterday. / am afraid you
have some hard work before YOU"
| Willy begged her to go down and leave
him alone. Then he begged her to shut
him up In the closet, and "see If that
wouldn't make him good" Every few
minutes he would come and stand before
her, ana say very earnestly "Are you
sure shall say it,"


He looked very pale, almost as if he
had had fit of illness. No wonder. Il
was the battle Of life fought at the age of
four. -


1t was late in the afternoon of this the
third day. Willy had been sitting in his
little chair, looking steadily at the floor.
for so long time that his mother was al.
most frightened. But she hesitated to
speak to him, for she felt that the crisis
had come. Suddenly he sprang up, walk
ed toward her with all the deliberate firm.
ness of man in his whole bearing. She
says there was something in his face which
she has never seen since, and does not ex-
pect.to see till he is thirty years old.


Mamma |" said he. ~


Wen, dear - said his mother, nam-
bling so she could hardly speak.


Mamma, he repeated, in loud, sharp
tone; "Gl Gi CT CIR And then he
burst into fit Of crying, which she had
hard work 70 sfaY IL WAS over