THE OBEDIENT BOY.
I must not tease my father,
For he is very kind;
And everything he says to me
I must directly mind.
MY LITTLE HYMN-BOOK.
A VERY few days after Alfred’s talk with his papa about obeying
immediately, Mr. Penrose met a gentleman who told him about a little son
of his, whose life was probably saved by his quickly obeying his father.
The story was as follows:—
The little boy, and his father and mother, were sailing upon a canal. A
canal is a very deep and wide ditch, full of water, on which boats sail.
Many bridges are built over these canals. Persons have been killed by
not lying down flat upon the deck of the canal-boat in time to prevent
their being struck by the bridges. But grown people generally look out
for them in time to save themselves, when they stand upon the deck of
the boat.
Little Edward had been taken from his parents by some of the passengers,
and carried up to the deck. He was then about six years old. After
awhile his father and mother also went up. As soon as they reached the
deck they saw the boat was going very rapidly toward a bridge; and O how
frightened they were to see their dear little boy standing alone on that
part of the boat which was nearest to it! There was no time to run and
catch him in their arms. The father could only speak to him, and his
mother stood trembling.
Little Edward’s father called very loudly to him, “Edward! lie down!”
and the dear little fellow was so accustomed to obey in a minute that he
dropped down upon the deck as soon as his father spoke to him. In this
way his life was saved. If Edward had stopped to say, “Why must I lie
down, father?” he would probably have been killed. It is promised to
those who keep their Father’s commandments, that they shall have “length
of days, long life, and peace.” Proverbs iii, 2.
This story delighted Alfred, and afterward, when he was bidden to do
anything, his mamma had only to say, “Alfred, remember Edward,” to make
him run very quickly and do what he was told to do.
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