Year: 1874

school friend Sam Bowers.


"Yon are coward, you are afraid to
fight," called out one of the boys.


81 am no coward" said Willie, "but 1
think it is mother manly nor courageous for
boys to fight, just to soc who can stand it
the longest"


It was Saturday, aud the boys had been
put nutting all the morning. There had
they had been very successful, and were
returning with heavily laden baskets.


Sam Bowers was the bully of the
crowd-the boy who did the most fighting
and the least studying OF any at school.
He was great, strong, idle fellow, who,
severely contested battles. had been unan.
simously voted champion.


Willie johnson was well-bult, fine
looking boy. not quite as large as Sam. He
had several times interferred, when some
of the small. T boys were being imposed
sort to blows when he had, he made short
work Of it. He had more friends than Sam,
and they insisted that Willie could whip
Sam easily. if he would but try but Willie
could not be induced to fight simply for
their amusement, aud the boys, finding
the respective powers of Willie and Sam,
picked up their baskets and struggled
along towards the village.


They had gone but short distance,
when they suddenly stopped, for there,
right before them, was u runaway horse.
He was coming at the top of his speed,
dragging light wagon containing gentle
man and little girl. The occupants of the
buggy seemed to have lost all control of
the horse. The gentleman was lying back,
and looked very pale, as though he had
tainted, while the little girl was clinging to
the side of the wagon to prevent herself
from being thrown out.


ap1 hSa marty haIInnah and threw
up their hands to stop the horse, but it
only seem to frighten him the more. AS
soon as the horse was close up to them,
they made hasty retreat from the road.


Willie seemed to take in at a glance
what was the matter, and to know just
what to do. As the horse came pearer,
he rushed up to him, seized him by the
rein, and ran beside him until he had
checked his speed. 1t was some time be-
fore he could get the horse to a quiet walk
and finally stop him altogether, and when
he did, he was quite out of breath and
tired, for it had been long run. At last
he recovered enough to ask the little girl
if she were much hurt.


"I am not hurt at ALL" she answered,
"but I fear my father has had a great
shock, for this is the first time he has been
ont since his sickness"


Willie looked at the pale face of the
gentleman, and felt very sorry for him.
He offered to tie the horse to tree and
go for some water, or to get anything else
that sbe wished. She would not listen
to Willie's leaving her, but asked him if
he would get into the wagon and drive
gladly consented, though he was almost
afraid to sit beside the elegantly dressed
little girl; but she spoke so kindly and
smiled so sweetly, that he could not re-
fuse.


The horse trotted quietly enough under
Willie's management. The gentleman soon
revived, and by the time they reached the
village, he and Willie had had quite a
pleasant conversation.


He bad enauired where Willie lived, and
what he was doing. on the lonely road
where they had met him. The young girl
had also asked him questions about his
school and his sisters, and had made her
father promise TO drive in the direction in
which Willie lived the next time they
went out.


On their way, they passed Sam and his
party, who were quite surprised to see
Willie driving the horse. Sam called out
that the gentleman had better let him
drive ss he know more about horses than
Willie did. But the gentleman said Willie
was the only one of the party that bad had
courage enough to stop the horse when he
was running away, and he felt perfectly
safe with his driving.


When they reached the house where the



taking some reward.


Willie at first declined "for," said he,
"I have done nothing but what should
do for any one."


The gentleman insisted that Willie
should at least accept pay for his basket
and the nuts he had lost. For Willie had
told him that he had intended to sell the
the nuts he bad been gathering. At last,
to please them, Willie said he would take
a small sum, and the gentleman handed
him ore dollar.


Willie thanked him, but said it did not
seem right to take 60 much for 30 slight a
service.


'Why, You probably saved our lives,
and almost at the risk of your own," said
the little girl 'I am sure I shall always
feel under obligations to you"


Willie bowed, and said that he was glad
to have been able to do anything for her,
and that he felt more than repaid by her
thanks.


HRuE 7 intend tn do more than thank