Madeline Leslie

“ One morning, soon after Oscar's visit to Charley, Mrs. Russel was startled by hearing a great noise from the barn-yard; and, rushing to the door, she saw her son chasing the cat among a brood of young chickens, while the poor, frightened hen screeched and ran about trying to protect her little ones under her wings. ”

“ Bryant, Oscar, new boots, and Ida, all mixed up together.
What do you think comforted his mother, as she bent over his couch during that long night? It was that, even in his dreams, Charley did not feel unkindly or unforgiving toward the wicked boy who had injured him.
Once he called out, "Don't, Oscar, don't! I wouldn't hurt you so;" and again he said, "Poor boy! I'm afraid I should grow wicked, too, if I had no kind mother to love me."
Many, many times the lady was obliged to wipe the tears from her eyes when she heard her poor, sick boy talk so kindly of his cruel companion. ”

“ Russel went back into the house. She had told her husband that very morning that she never knew a boy so changed as Oscar was. "Only," she said, "I'm afraid it wont last. If it does, I shall think Mrs. Monson is a witch."
Now she said in her heart, flinging herself into a large rocking-chair, with a sigh,—
"There, it's all over! I knew it would be. He's just as ugly as ever. I wish I hadn't given him the chickens. I thought 'twould kind of encourage him to keep on being good. But now, after all my fuss in feeding the old hen, there he was setting Tom on to kill her. ”

“ After a great deal of trouble and many hard words from both the mother and son, he started away, Mrs. Russel standing in the doorway and telling him to hurry as fast as he could, or the soup would be cold.
But Oscar had no idea of hurrying. He walked on very leisurely for a while, until he saw a squirrel run along the top of the stone wall. Then he set down his pail and chased the poor, frightened creature until it fled for safety into the limb of a large oak-tree. ”

“ He always is when he's still."
She went out, softly, and stood behind the barn door. She could not see him, and was just about to call his name, "Oscar! Oscar!" when she heard his voice.
He was beginning his prayer.
I think no mother was ever more astonished at what she heard. She held her breath to listen. Could it be her wicked boy asking God to help him to be good, and praying for her, too?
She covered her face with her apron, and began to sob. Oscar heard her and ran out.
"O ma!" he cried. "You may lick me, if you want to; but I am sorry I was naughty. O ma! I like trying to be good. ”

“ Two days after this, he was sitting idly in the sun, near a pile of small wood, which his mother had tried to coax him to split, when Mr. Monson's carriage stopped at the door, and Charley jumped out. He had a bandage around his head, and looked very pale.
Oscar trembled. Bad boys are always cowards, because their consciences tell them they have done wrong and deserve punishment. ”

“ He never throws stones now. He has begun to pray to Jesus. His mother is growing good, too. She says she can't believe Oscar is her boy, he is so good at home. He tells mamma every naughty thing that he does, just as I do, you know; and she tells him how to conquer his bad temper, and how to be good, so that people will love and respect him.
"It is now very pleasant weather, and I have made a nice plan; but I cannot do it unless you all consent. It is for Abel to harness the old General into our large wagon, and take us together to a berry pasture, about three miles away. ”

“ The little fellow had a tiny cart, which he was filling with pebbles; but he stopped suddenly when he saw the travellers looking at him.
"What is your name?" asked Mr. Bryant, stopping the horse.
"Charley Monson," answered the child, his cheeks growing very rosy.
"Well, Charley, you are very busy, I see. What are you going to do with your stones?"
"I'm going to help Abel make the walks look pretty."
"Who is Abel?—Your brother?"
"Oh, no, sir!" Charley laughed. "He's our hired man. There he is tipping up the load."
"Can you bring me a tumbler of water, Charley?" asked the lady, pleasantly. ”

“ Oscar stood laughing at the distress, when his mother screamed out,—
"You good-for-nothing boy! Aren't you ashamed of yourself to act so? Here, kitty, kitty, come away. There, she knows enough to let the chickens alone, if you would behave yourself. Come out of that yard, or I'll start right off and tell Mrs. Monson you're a worse boy than ever."
"No you wont tell her any such thing!" yelled Oscar, his face flaming with passion. "You just mind your own business. The chickens are mine; father gave 'em to me."
Mrs. Russel started forward to strike the boy, who stood defiantly before her ”

“ Bryant's visit, when the gentleman received the following note from his little friend,—
"DEAR MR. BRYANT AND MRS. BRYANT AND IDA,—I like the books very much, indeed. I like the parrot volume best, because it is so funny to hear about parrots talking. I think the dog book is a very nice one, too. Mamma read me about the dogs that were dressed up in a party, and I laughed a good deal; but I don't like them so well as I do Gelert, the good dog, that saved the baby from the wolf.
"Oscar Russel comes here most every day. He is getting to be a real nice boy. ”

“ Monson and Charley went to the city for a visit. They often talked about Oscar, and wondered how he was getting on. The lady determined to urge his mother to send him to school regularly, and to form habits of industry in her boy. ”

“ He ran toward the door; but returned in a minute, asking, "Don't you like milk? We've got plenty of nice, fresh milk."
"If your mother can spare me a glass of milk, it would be very refreshing."
"What a lovely boy!" she said, when he had darted into the house.
"It is easy to tell that he has a good mother," Mr. Bryant said, gazing at the neat orchards and nicely tilled fields.
Charley's Mother teaching him the Golden Rule.
In about five minutes Charley appeared again. In one hand he held a pitcher, and in the other a tumbler. ”

“ I think he would be a good boy if he knew anybody loved him."
This was what Mrs. Monson meant when she told Mr. Bryant that she and Charley had a plan. In the next chapter, I shall tell you how the plan succeeded. Now I will only say that Oscar was so frightened at what he had done, and so sure he should get the punishment he deserved, that he dared not go home till it was quite dark, and then he crept along past Mr. Monson's house very slyly, like a thief.
CHAPTER V. GOOD FOR EVIL.
OSCAR was not in the habit of telling his mother what he had done, as good boys and girls always do. ”

“ First, her thoughts went back to the time when God gave her a tiny baby. She loved it, oh, so much! Every day she used to wash and dress the little fellow, asking her Father in heaven to keep him from sin. ”