The day was pleasant, in that particularly pleasant part of summer time,
which the boys call "vacation," when Tiger and Tom walked slowly down
the street together.
You may think it strange that I mention Tiger first, but I assure you,
Tom would not have been in the least offended by the preference. Indeed,
he would have told you that Tiger was a most wonderful dog, and knew as
much as any two boys, though this might be called extravagant.
Nearly a year ago, on Tom's birthday, Tiger arrived as a present from
Tom's uncle, and as the dog leaped with a dignified bound from the wagon
in which he made his journey, Tom looked for a moment into his great,
wise eyes, and impulsively threw his arms around his shaggy neck.
Tiger was pleased with Tom's bright face, and affectionately licked his
smooth cheeks. So the league of friendship was complete in an hour.
Tom had a pleasant, round face, and you might live with him a week, and
think him one of the noblest, most generous boys you ever knew. But some
day you would probably discover that he had a most violent temper.
You would be frightened to see his face crimson with rage, as he stamped
his feet, shook his little sister, spoke improperly to his mother, and
above all, displeased his great Father in heaven.
Now I am going to tell you of something which happened to Tom, on this
account, which he never forgot to the end of his life.
Tiger and Tom were walking down the street together one pleasant day,
when they met Dick Casey, a schoolfellow of Tom's.
[Illustration]
"O Dick!" cried Tom, "I'm going to father's grain store a little while.
Let's go up in the loft and play."
Dick had just finished his work in his mother's garden, and was ready
for a little amusement. So the two went up in the loft together, and
enjoyed themselves for a long time.
But at last one of those trifling disputes arose, in which little boys
are so apt to indulge. Pretty soon there were angry words, then (Oh, how
sorry I am to say it!) Tom's wicked passions got the mastery of him, and
he beat little Dick severely.
Tiger, who must have been ashamed of his master, pulled hard at his
coat, and whined piteously, but all in vain. At last Tom stopped, from
mere exhaustion.
"There, now!" he cried, "which is right, you or I?"
"I am," sobbed Dick, "and you tell a lie."
Tom's face became crimson, and darting upon Dick, he gave him a sudden
push. Alas! he was near to the open door. Dick screamed, threw up his
arms, and in a moment was gone.
[Illustration]
Tom's heart stood still, and an icy chill crept over him from head to
foot. At first he could not stir; then--he never knew how he got there,
but he found himself standing beside his little friend. Some men were
raising him carefully from the hard sidewalk.
"Is he dead?" almost screamed Tom.
"No," replied one, "we hope not. How did he fall out?"
"He didn't fall," groaned Tom, who never could be so mean as to tell a
lie, "I pushed him out."
"_You_ pushed him, you wicked boy," cried a rough voice. "Do you know
you ought to be sent to jail, and if he dies, maybe you'll be hung."
Tom grew as white as Dick, whom he had followed into the store, and he
heard all that passed as if in a dream.
"Is he badly hurt?" cried some one.
"Only his hands," was the answer. "The rope saved him, he caught hold of
the rope and slipped down; but his hands are dreadfully torn--he has
fainted from pain."
Just then Tom's father came in, and soon understood the case. The look
he gave his unhappy son, so full of sorrow, not unmingled with pity, was
too much for Tom, and he stole out followed by the faithful Tiger.
He wandered to the woods, and threw himself upon the ground. One hour
ago he was a happy boy, and now what a terrible change! What had made
the difference?--Nothing but the indulgence of this wicked, violent
temper.
His mother had often warned him of the fearful consequences. She had
told him that little boys who would not learn to govern themselves, grew
up to be very wicked men, and often became murderers in some moment of
passion.
And now, Tom shuddered to think he was almost a murderer! Nothing but
God's great mercy in putting that rope in Dick's way, had saved him
from carrying that load of sorrow and guilt all the rest of his life.
But poor Dick might die yet--how pale he looked--how strange! Tom fell
upon his knees, and prayed God to spare Dick's life, and from that time
forth, with God's help, he promised that he would strive to conquer his
wicked temper.
Then, as he could no longer bear his terrible suspense, he started for
Widow Casey's cottage. As he appeared at the humble door, Mrs. Casey
angrily ordered him away, saying, "You have made a poor woman trouble
enough for one day." But Dick's feeble voice entreated, "O mother, let
him come in; I was just as bad as he."
Tom gave a cry of joy at hearing these welcome tones, and sprang hastily
in. There sat poor Dick, with his hands bound up, looking very pale, but
Tom thanked God that he was alive.
"I should like to know how I am to live now," sighed Mrs. Casey. "Who
will weed the garden, and carry my vegetables to market? I am afraid we
shall suffer for bread before the summer is over," and she put her apron
to her eyes.
"Mrs. Casey," cried Tom, eagerly, "I will do everything that Dick did. I
will sell the cabbages, potatoes, and beans, and will drive Mr. Brown's
cows to pasture."
Mrs. Casey shook her head incredulously; but Tom bravely kept his word.
For the next few weeks Tom was at his post bright and early, and the
garden was never kept in better order. Every morning Tiger and Tom
stood faithfully in the market place with their baskets, and never gave
up, no matter how warm the day, till the last vegetable was sold, and
the money placed faithfully in Mrs. Casey's hand.
Tom's father often passed through the market, and gave his little son an
encouraging smile, but he did not offer to help him out of his
difficulty, for he knew if Tom struggled on alone, it would be a lesson
he would never forget. Already he was becoming so gentle and patient
that every one noticed the change, and his mother rejoiced over the
sweet fruits of his repentance and self-sacrifice.
After a few weeks, the bandages were removed from Dick's hands, but they
had been unskillfully treated, and were drawn up in very strange shapes.
Mrs. Casey could not conceal her grief. "He will never be the help he
was before," she said to Tom, "he will never be like other boys, and he
wrote such a fine hand; now he can no more make a letter than that
little chicken in the garden."
"If we only had a great city doctor," said a neighbor, "he might have
been all right. Even now his fingers might be helped if you should take
him to New York."
"Oh, I am too poor, _too poor_" said she, and burst into tears.
Tom could not bear it, and again rushed into the woods to think what
could be done, for he had already given them all his quarter's
allowance. All at once a thought flashed into his head, and he started
as if he had been shot. Then he cried in great distress:--
"No, no, anything but that, I can't do _that!_"
Tiger gently licked his hands, and watched him with great concern.
Now came a terrible struggle. Tom paced back and forth, and although he
was a proud boy, he sobbed aloud. Tiger whined, licked Tom's face,
rushed off into dark corners, and barked savagely at some imaginary
enemy, and then came back, and putting his paws on his young master's
knees, wagged his tail in anxious sympathy.
[Illustration]
At last Tom took his hands from his pale, tear stained face, and looking
into the dog's great, honest eyes, he cried with a queer shake in his
voice:--
"Tiger, old fellow! dear old dog, could you ever forgive me if I sold
you?"
Then came another burst of sorrow, and Tom rose hastily, as if afraid to
trust himself, and almost ran out of the woods. Over the fields he
raced, with Tiger close at his heels, nor rested a moment till he stood
at Major White's door, nearly two miles away.
"Do you still want Tiger, sir?"
"Why yes," said the old man in great surprise, "but it can't be
possible that you want to sell him, do you, my boy?" and the kind old
gentleman gave Tom a quick, questioning glance.
"Yes, please," gasped Tom, not daring to look at his old companion.
The exchange was quickly made, and the ten dollars in Tom's hand. Tiger
was beguiled into a barn, the door hastily shut, and Tom was hurrying
off, when he turned and cried in a choking voice:--
"You will be kind to him, Major White, won't you? Don't whip him, I
never did, and he's the best dog--"
"No, no, child," said Major White, kindly; "I'll treat him like a
prince, and if you ever want to buy him back, you shall have him."
Tom managed to falter "Thank you," and almost flew out of hearing of
Tiger's eager scratching on the barn door.
I am making my story too long, and can only tell you in a few words that
Tom's sacrifice was accepted. A friend took little Dick to the city free
of expense, and Tom's money paid for the necessary operation.
The poor, crooked fingers were very much improved, and were soon almost
as good as ever. And the whole village loved Tom for his brave,
self-sacrificing spirit, and the noble atonement he had made for his
moment of passion.
A few days after Dick's return came Tom's birthday, but he did not feel
in his usual spirits. In spite of his delight in Dick's recovery, he had
so mourned over the matter, and had taken Tiger's loss so much to heart,
that he had grown quite pale and thin. So as he was allowed to spend the
day as he pleased, he took his books and went to his favorite haunt in
the woods. He lay down under the shade of a wide-spreading maple, and
buried his face in his hands:--
"How different from my last birthday," thought Tom. "Then Tiger had just
come, and I was so happy, though I didn't like him half as well as I do
now."
Tom sighed heavily; then added more cheerfully, "Well, I hope some
things are better than they were last year. I hope I have begun to
conquer myself, and with God's help I will never give up trying while I
live. But O how much sorrow and misery I have made for myself as well as
for others, by only once giving way to my wicked, foolish temper. And
not only that, but," added Tom, with a sigh, "I can never forget that I
might have been a murderer, had it not been for the mercy of God. Now if
I could only earn money enough to buy back dear old Tiger."
While Tom was busied with these thoughts, he heard a hasty, familiar
trot, a quick bark of joy, and the brave old dog sprang into Tom's arms.
"Tiger, old fellow," cried Tom, trying to look fierce, though he could
scarcely keep down the tears, "how came you to run away, sir?"
Tiger responded by picking up a letter he had dropped in his first joy,
and laying it in Tom's hand:--
"MY DEAR CHILD: Tiger is pining, and I must give him a change of air. I
wish him to have a good master, and knowing that the best ones are those
who have learned to govern _themselves_, I send him to you. Will you
take care of him and oblige