Grandpa's Fight.


"WHAT can be the trouble now? Something,

I' m sure, or these little feet would

never walk so slowly," said grandpa, as Mary

came into the kitchen, where he sat by the

fire, one cold morning in December.

"Tears too," he said, putting his hand to

her face, as she laid her hand on his shoulder.

"Grandpa's eyes can't see his pet's tears,

but he can feel them."

"Grandpa shouldn't feel my tears, then

he wouldn't know I have any. But I can't

help their coming," she said, as they burst out

afresh. "Dickey's dead, and that ugly Tom

Jones killed him, I'm sure."

"Why sure?" said grandpa.

"Because he said he would, the other day,

when Dick killed one of his doves. I told

him I was sorry, and wanted to pay him

for it, but he wouldn't let me. If I was a

big boy, instead of a little girl, I'd kill Carlo,

or do something to him. I'd pay him somehow;" 

and her usually pleasant face looked

almost fierce.

"So would I," said grandpa. "And let me

tell you what a fight I had once, to pay a boy."

"You know I was in a good many battles,

when I was a young man," he continued,

"and lost both eyes and got a wooden leg by

the means; but I believe I never had quite

so hard a fight, as when I resolved to pay Jim

Ellis for tearing my kite to pieces, when I

was but twelve years old.

"Now I had two professed friends near

me at that time, one named Conscience and

the other Revenge; and as soon as I found out

what Jim had done, they began advising me.

"'Knock him over,' said Revenge.

"'Do unto others as ye would they should

do unto you,' said Conscience.’”

That rule will do very well for Jim,

but not for you,' said Revenge, 'I'd pay

the hateful fellow some way. He deserves a

good whipping.'

"'Love your enemies, and if they hunger,

feed them, and if they thirst, give them drink;

that will pay him,' whispered Conscience.’

‘Yes, that will pay him well,' I said.

I’ll do as Conscience tells me;' and then I

tried to drive Revenge away.

"But the bad fellow wouldn't go, and kept

telling me I was a fool and a coward, not to

be revenged on him, and tried very hard to

force me to do as he wished.

"But my good Conscience stood by and

helped me fight him off. And a desperate

fight it was. He was determined to conquer

me, and I was equally resolved to conquer him

But it wasn't fair play. He was a big fellow,

and more than a match for Conscience

and me together.

"At last another friend, named Prayer

came to help me.  The instant Revenge

saw him, he began to tremble, and after a

few feeble blows, ran away out of sight

and had it not been for the scratches and

bruises he had given me, I should have for

gotten there ever was such a fellow, I was so

happy in being free from him."

"Wait a minute that isn't all," he said, as

Mary began to speak. "Just the instant Revenge

let go of me, I went to my desk in the

school-room, and taking out a top that Jim

Ellis was very fond of playing with, and I

knew he had long wished to own one like,

put it in his desk. It was his birthday, so I

wrote on a slip of paper, 'Will Jim Ellis please

accept this as a birthday gift from his friend

Charley?' Jim never tore my kite after that

nor was he anything but a true friend."

"I guess Revenge has run away from me,'

said Mary, her face looking quite like herself

again. "Maybe he doesn't like to hear such

stories about himself."

"You won't have Carlo killed?" said

grandpa.

"I guess not; and I think, grandpa, I can

spare Tom one of my fuchsias, after all; he

wants one so much, and is so fond of flowers.

I guess I'll give it to him Christmas."

"Right, my little girl; and remember if

ever that ugly fellow, Revenge, troubles you

again, Prayer will certainly help you to conquer

him." 





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