Wreaths of Friendship | Page 7

book carefully
away.
"Try and not forget again, my son. If you treat this book so lightly now,
you may, when you become a man, as lightly esteem its holy truths;
and then you could never live in heaven with the angels. No one goes
to heaven who does not love and reverence the Word of God, which is
holy in every jot and tittle."

HARSH WORDS AND KIND WORDS.
William Baker, and his brother Thomas and sister Ellen, were playing
on the green lawn in front of their mother's door, when a lad named
Henry Green came along the road, and seeing the children enjoying
themselves, opened the gate and came in. He was rather an ill-natured
boy, and generally took more pleasure in teasing and annoying others,
than in being happy with them. When William saw him coming in

through the gate, he called to him and said, in a harsh way,
"You may just clear out, Henry Green, and go about your business! We
don't want you here."
But Henry did not in the least regard what William said. He came
directly forward, and joined in the sport as freely as if he had been
invited instead of repulsed. In a little while he began to pull Ellen about
rudely, and to push Thomas, so as nearly to throw them down upon the
grass.
"Go home, Henry Green! Nobody sent for you! Nobody wants you
here!" said William Baker, in quite an angry tone.
It was of no use, however. William might as well have spoken to the
wind. His words were entirely unheeded by Henry, whose conduct
became ruder and more offensive.
Mrs Baker, who sat at the window, saw and heard all that was passing.
As soon as she could catch the eye of her excited son, she beckoned
him to come to her, which he promptly did.
"Try kind words on him," she said; "you will find them more powerful
than harsh words. You spoke very harshly to Henry when he came in,
and I was sorry to hear it."
"It won't do any good, mother. He's a rude, bad boy, and I wish he
would stay at home. Won't you make him go home?"
"First go and speak to him in a gentler way than you did just now. Try
to subdue him with kindness."
William felt that he had been wrong in letting his angry feelings
express themselves in angry words. So he left his mother and went
down upon the lawn, where Henry was amusing himself by trying to
trip the children with a long stick, as they ran about on the green.
"Henry," he said, cheerfully and pleasantly, "if you were fishing in the

river, and I were to come and throw stones in where your line fell, and
scare away all the fish, would you like it?"
"No, I should not," the lad replied.
"It wouldn't be kind in me?"
"No, of course it wouldn't."
"Well, now, Henry," William tried to smile and to speak very
pleasantly, "we are playing here and trying to enjoy ourselves. Is it
right for you to come and interrupt us by tripping our feet, pulling us
about, and pushing us down? I am sure you will not think so if you
reflect a moment. So don't do it any more, Henry."
"No, I will not," replied Henry, promptly. "I am sorry that I disturbed
you. I didn't think what I was doing. And now I remember, father told
me not to stay, and I must run home."
So Henry Green went quickly away, and the children were left to enjoy
themselves.
"Didn't I tell you that kind words were more powerful than harsh words,
William?" said his mother, after Henry had gone away; "when we
speak harshly to our fellows, we arouse their angry feelings, and then
evil spirits have power over them; but when we speak kindly, we affect
them with gentleness, and good spirits flow into this latter state, and
excite in them better thoughts and intentions. How quickly Henry
changed, when you changed your manner and the character of your
language. Do not forget this, my son. Do not forget, that kind words
have double the power of harsh ones."

[Illustration: THE HERONS AND THE HERRINGS.]

THE HERONS AND THE HERRINGS. A FABLE.

A Heron once came--I can scarcely tell why-- To the court of his
cousins, the fishes, With despatches, so heavy he scarcely could fly,
And his bosom brimfull of good wishes.
He wished the poor Herrings no harm, he said, Though there seemed to
be cause for suspicion; His government wished to convert them, instead,
And this was the end of his mission.
The Herrings replied, and were civil enough, Though a little inclined to
be witty: