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John Cooper was a little boy, whose father and mother lived in a cottage
on one side of a village green. He was his parents' only child, so that
he had no brothers nor sisters to play with. But he had a dog of which
he was very fond, and he used sometimes to play with other children on
the green. Tom Jones was one of the boys that played with John Cooper.
One day he asked John Cooper to go for a long walk with him, instead of
going to school. John at first would not consent, but at last he gave
way and went with Tom, taking Carlo with him.
There was a pretty stream of water that ran along one side of the green,
and then passed through a wood in a winding course. In some places it
was rather broad and deep, and in other places it was shallow, and ran
murmuring over the stones at the bottom. Tom said that it would be very
pleasant to go along the stream, sometimes on one side, and sometimes on
the other, far into the wood, and to look for birds' nests. The sun was
shining very brightly, the trees were in full leaf, the grass was thick
and green, sweet flowers were blooming on all sides, butter-flies and
dragon-flies sported in the sunshine, and birds were singing on every
bush and tree. All things seemed to be joyful, and the two boys started
off briskly, with Carlo after them.
But of this party, the only one that was truly happy, was Carlo. He had
nothing to do but to obey his master, and this he had done when John had
called him away from his home. John tried to raise his own spirits, and
ran, and jumped about, and romped with Carlo. But he could not forget
that he had done wrong, that he ought to have been at school, and that
he should grieve his kind parents when they knew what he was now doing.
The thought of this would come into his mind, and kept him from being
happy. As for Tom Jones, he seemed merry enough, though he not only knew
that he was doing wrong himself, but that he had led John into mischief.
He tried to forget this, and laughed and shouted with all his might; but
it was in vain, and he had bitter feelings at the bottom of his heart
all the time.
[Illustration: AFFECTION]
They went on rambling till they had got more than a mile into the wood.
The stream here was wide and deep. On one side of it there grew an old
willow, and in one of the branches of this, they saw a wren's nest. As
Tom was the stronger boy of the two, it was agreed that he should help
John up to the branch, so that he might reach the nest. John got upon
the branch, and he had put out his hand to take hold of the nest, when
the branch broke off, and down he fell into the water. Tom laughed at
this, for he knew that the stream was not deep enough to drown him: but
Carlo rushed in and dragged his master by the clothes towards the bank.
John scrambled out, but he was covered with mud. Tom helped him to take
off his clothes, and clean off the mud and dry them; but with all they
could do, John was still in a sad mess, and as it was now late in the
day, he turned to go home with a heavy heart.
When he reached the cottage, he found his father and mother in great
alarm, as they could not think what had become of him. When they found
out what had taken place, their alarm was changed into grief, on account
of the son whom they loved so much, having done wrong. John himself
cried a great deal, and said that he was more vexed because he had
caused them grief, than he should have been, if they had scolded and
whipped him. His mother told him that she left it to his own heart to
scold him, and that he should go to his bed-room and pray to God on his
knees to forgive him, as she had taught him to pray.
John did as she bade him, and he prayed to God with all his heart.
He then went to sleep with a quiet mind; and when he awoke the next
morning, he prayed again that God would give him strength to do his
duty, and to stand firm when he should be tempted again as he had been
by Tom Jones. He then read a chapter in the Bible to his mother, and
went to school. His master kept him in, and gave him only a piece of
bread and a cup of water for dinner. But he did not suffer nearly so
much from this as he had done from having grieved his dear parents; for
he had before this been brought to repent, and he felt that God, and
his father and mother, had forgiven him.
John Cooper never again grieved his father and mother by doing wrong,
and never forgot the lesson he had learned, when Tom Jones led him
astray, as long as he lived.
[Illustration: SUNDAY MORNING]
When John Cooper became a man, there were bad times, and he could not
get a living at the trade to which he had been brought up: so he went
for a horse-soldier. And before he went, his father and mother gave him
their blessing, and he prayed with all his heart that God would bless
the old people, and preserve them; and said he would let them have as
much of his pay as ever he could.
It was a sad day for him and his parents when he went away. They had
never been parted for so long a time before, and he was now going to
India, from whence he could not return for some years. But they could
not help it; so they all said that it was God's will that they should
part, and it was their duty to bear it as well as they could.
After John was gone, the old people never missed a day but they prayed
to God to keep their son, both in his soul and body, from all evil. They
were very poor, and were now too old to work much; but with what they
got of John's pay, they had enough just to live upon, and above all they
had thankful hearts, which made them happy. Yet they often wished for
John's return; sometimes too they were fearful lest he should be killed
or wounded in the wars; but when they felt thus, they always tried to
put their trust in God.
When John had been away ten years, he came back one day, safe and sound,
as his father and mother were standing at the door of the cottage. You
may judge how they all felt, and how many questions his fond mother
asked him, as to where he had been, and how he had got on.
The next day was Sunday, and both John and his parents were glad of it,
for they wished to go to church to offer up their thanks to God, who had
kept John safe through many dangers, had saved the lives of the old
people, and had now brought them to each other again.
It was a fine bright morning in Spring, just such a one as it had been
nearly twenty years before, when Tom Jones had tempted John Cooper to
keep away from school, and to go into the wood to take birds' nests.
John did not forget that day; and when it came into his mind, he could
not help thinking of the changes that had taken place since.
He went to church, and you may be sure that he and the old man and woman
gave thanks to God with all their hearts, for the mercy he had shewn to
them.
[Illustration: CHARITY]