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6 (466) THE
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Our Boys
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UPWARD?ONWARD.
Look up and not down,
(For rough is the tide;
Look onward, my brother,
Tis smoother that side.
Look upward to God,
And not down to man;
Look onward to glory,
Time measures a span.
Look upward to Heaven,
'Tis not very far;
Tho* doubt may be whisp'ring,
As yon diBtant star.
The veil is so thin,
The journey so small;
Right upward, right onward,
Brave comrade, that's all.
The field is for strife,
Till daylight is done;
Heart cool and eye steady,
The battle is won.
Upward and onward,
Our watchword shall he,
As long as we're sailing
O'er li'e's troubled sea.
Marlinton, W. Va. ?Anna L. Price.
A BIT OF PINK STRING.
It was only a bit of pink string left in Billy's
pajaina pocket that did all the mischief. Of
course, Billy had been told over and over again
that pa jama pockets were made to hold handkerchiefs
only, and nothing else, but somehow all
sorts of things arc liable to find their way into i
boy's pocket.
Katie did not notice the string when she
jrntrhcrpd thp snilnrl p.lnthps for flip wajxVi MntilrUi
did not notice it when she washed the clothes?
or if she did, she did not mention it. Neither did
she notice the tiny pink stain on many of the
artcles when she hung them on the line, or later,
when she ironed them?or if she did, she did not
mention it. Aunt Amelia did not see the stains
when she sorted out the clean clothes, however
keen her eyes were for missing buttons or tapes,
for tears and rips, and holes to be mended?if
she had, she surely would have mentioned it.
Rut mother?nothing escapes mother! As she
mended and folded and laid away the garments,
her sharp eyes detected here and there a tiny
stain, and when she found one on Billy's pajamn
pocket, she slipped her finger down into the
corner ana punea out tne uttie pmK string,
shook her head sadly?and never mentioned it.
Sabbath morning, as father was dressing, he
stopped suddenly while about to slip a cuff link
into place. "What's this stain on my cuff?" he
inquired of mother. For father was sure to
mention anything like that. "How in the world
could this pink stuff have come on my cuff? Now
I shall have to dress all over again!" and he
grumbled away not so very pleasantly for several
minutes, for it really was most annoying.
Just then, sister Helen came to mother, "O,
dear," she pouted, "see this horrid pink stain on
the sleeve of mv verv best shirt, wsist t An J T
wanted to wear it to church to-day. And it's so
warm in Sabbath school, and I always take my
jacket off;" and she, too, grumbled on, for it
really was annoying.
"Thee my thtocings, muwer," called out Bessie?"my
betht white thtockings," and the little
girl almost cried as she held them up, to show
mother the bright pink stains which had ruined
them.
So it went on right through the family. Aunt
Amelia complained of a pink stain on her white
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SC
and Girls
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apron, and mother's flounced petticoat was a
sight.
Tf Virfltj U l"J fll1* linoof pamili* """" ^ " k?
xu ii uo <? i utuvi upovt lamiij 1UUL1U 111C UI UclKfast
table. The usual Sabbath morning cheer
had given way to pouts and frowns. All because
of those tiny pink stains. Billy alone was uncomplaining,
but as the conversation returned
again and again to the subject of pink stains,
mother noticed that the boy's cheeks were pinker
than any stains she had yet discovered. She
knew well enough that Billy had not failed to
see the bright stain on the pocket of his clean
pajamas, and that his conscience was troubling
him?although he did not mention it.
"I think," said mother very quietly, in the
tone the children knew so well (indeed, anyone
would prefer an out-and-out scolding to that
quiet tone of mother's)?"I think a bit of some
1 e J * '
iiujin |rinrv niusi nave luuiiu ils way mxo me
washing last week, and left its mark on everything
which touched it. Even a bit of pink
string in the washtub might injure the clothing
of an entire family."
"A very good text for a sermon, my dear,"
said father. "A bit of bad language, an unclean
word, be it ever so short, a tiny scrap of
bad temper, or the least morsel of unkind talk
may ruin the morals of a whole family or the
happiness of an entire community."
*'Yes," added mother, "a tiny word or simple
habit may reach the whole year through, leaving
a stain all the way."
"Please may I be excused?" asked Billy,
hastily.?The Christian Advocate.
THE LITTLE MOUNTAIN GIRL.
BY LOLL A.
Tt was a spring day?not one of the stormv
kind when the little branches are like rivers and
the roads almost impassable?but a warm spring
day when the buds seem to open all at once, when
the fruit trees are aglow with blossoms, when the
maples look red in the distance, when the catkins
adorn the willows, and the fresh green leaves begin
to peep from the forest trees. The mountains
of East Tennessee are exquisitely lovely in the
spring.
Along a secluded path trudged a little mountain
girl. She did not notice the beauty about
her. The little face almost hidden by the "splint
sunbonnet" looked care-worn and old. In her
hand she held a letter?she was thinking of its
contents and also of the drudgery that awaited
her, and of the loneliness that oppressed her,
and she longed?how she longed to be something,
to do something in the world. But she could not
express the longing, she was too ignorant for
that, poor child!
Two years before her sister, older than she,
had gone to a missionary school in an adjoining
state. There she was learning rapidly. There
she was fast growing into lovely maidenhood
and if spared, would become a useful woman,
well prepared for life's work.
This little orphan girl, Nina, wanted to join
1 her sister, wanted to grow into a useful, helpful
woman, too; wanted to he what the dear Lord
intended her to be. The letter was from her
sister begging her to come.
And did she get her desirest you ask, little
i readers. Yes, there was a little Mission Band to
whom God gave loving hearts and willing hands.
1 They heard of the little mountain girl. They
made and saved many a penny, nickel and dime.
The older people grew interested and some doli
lars were found also, and one happy day little
) U T H [April 24, 1912
Nina, joined her sister at school. A scholarship
was paid for by the children's money and the
little mountain girl "had her chance."
It was a beautiful place to which Nina had
gone. There were loving teachers to show her
the way to Jesus and to feed her starving soul
with truth. There was the day school to feed her
intellect and abundance of wholesome work for
her little hands to perform; and there were
merry girls for company.
That was years ago, little readers. These two
girls are splendid women now, and doing their
life work in a noble way. And shall we not also
pray and work, that many other children from
the mountains may "have a chance?" That in
their spring time they may be gathered into
wholesome, helpful, beautiful places, where they
can grow into good men and women?
Tampa, Clarke County, Tenn.
Among the "Big Smokies," March, 1912.
"A BOY WHO OBEYED ORDEBS.
It was a wet, cold October evening that a boy
trudged wearily into the seaport town of Chatham,
England, with a bundle on his shoulder.
He was covered with mud, and from under the
long black locks that fell on his forehead, two
big eyes stared out at the world, and his thin
cheeks were pinched with cold and wet with rain.
Tie met a sailor as he entered the town outskirts,
and, stopping him, said: "If you please, which
U'JIV tn Uln dftnlro
The sailor directed him, and he went forward
down the narrow streets till he came to the
waterside. There he wandered around for a
time without seeing anyone, for it was supper
time; but presently he came upon an old man,
and asked: "Are those ships out there warships?"
"Aye," replied the man, "they be, sure
enough, lad. Be ye a-goin' to the wars?" And
he grinned.
"Yes; but I don't know how to get on board,"
said the puzzled boy. "Where do the boats
land?"
"Right here," and the old man waved his pipe
at the landing stage before them. "See! yon is
one a-comin' now."
Sure enough, a boat was rowing swiftly in.
Tt drew up to the landing stage and an officer
stepped out. The boy approached the officer,
and, touching his cap, said: "Please, sir, can
you tell me how to get on board the frigate Rai
sonnaoiei"
The officer looked down, and, staring at the
thin, pale face with its big eyes and firm mouth,
replied: "Why, that is my ship. But what do
you want on board of her?"
"Please sir, I want to join. Her commander,
Captain Suckling, is my uncle, and I was to
report to him."
The officer looked again at the boy. "Well,
in that case I can take you aboard when I return.
But you look cold and hungry, my lad. Have
you had supper?"
"iNo, sir; l left home early this morning,
and have not eaten anything since."
"My! Here you have reported to me. I
a lieutenant on hoard, so come on up and have
something to eat with me. "Why didn't you stop
in town as you came?"
"Well, you see, sir/" replied theboy, "I promised
father that I would come straight up to the
ship and report for duty, without stopping m
town, so T couldn't very well."
"Good.boy!" cried the officer. "If you obey
orders as well id the navy, yon should get on
capitally. "What is your name?"
"Horatio Nelson, sir."
And the man, who as a boy, had learned to
obey orderg unflinchingly, later became the great
sea hero of England, Horatio Tx>rd Nelson.?
Boy's World. ,
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