Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1891 — CHILDREN’S COLUMN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHILDREN’S COLUMN.

A DEPARTMENT FOR LITTLE BOYS AND QIRLS. Bomatliing that Will Interest the Juvenile Members of Every Household Quaint Actions and Krl(ht Sayings of Cut# Children. A True Story for the Children. I wonder if the children who read this know what a dreadful thing it is not to have any water to drink? If you do not, sometime when you are working or playing hard and think you would like a drink of water, just try and go without it, and see how thirsty you will be, and every time you think of water you will seem to grow thirstier. Do you know that a great many years ago the doctors used to think if any one had a fever they must not have a drink? Just think how the poor little children had to suffer with the fever burning in their veins and no water to drink. Besides they did not bathe them with something cooling to allay the fever. About seventy years ago, away among the green hills of Vermont, a little bov of three years lay sick of fever. He was very sick, and the doctor looked very grave. Poor little Jesse! How his mother’s heart ached as she bent over the little wasting form of her baby and listened to his continual cry, “water, water,” and dared not give bim any.

You may be sure that her tears often fell on the little hot face. Every day he grew worse until at last his pitiful cry for water ceased, the little parched tongue could no longer move. The Doctor bent over him long and sadly (for he was a father ), then turned to the parents and said, “I can do no more; your baby must die.” A few moments after, some one carried a glass of water to one of the friends gathered around the little bed. Little Jesse could not speak, but his eyes followed the water as long as it was in his sight. The poor mother could bear it no longer. Speaking to the Doctor, she said: “If baby cannot live may I give him some water; he wants it to.” “Nothing will hurt him now,” was the reply; “give him anything he wants.” Quickly the cool water was placed to his parched lins, and although almost past the power to swallow, he drank eagerly and each swallow with more ease; then with a sigh of satisfaction the weary eyes closed—not in death, but in sleep, sweet, blessed sleep. The hot, dry skin grew moist, then the quick, panting breath grew slower and more regular, and they knew that little Jesse was saved, saved by the pure sparkling water, that we thiuk so little about when we have plenty of it; but what a blessing it is when we are wearv and thirsty! I think little Jesse still lives among the green hills of Vermont, where the ■water is so pure and sweet, but he is an old mai now and perhaps little Srandchildren are growing up around im and learning to love the green, rugged hills with their gushing springs, and to hate the poison whisky that the dear old Green Mountain State has driven out. It is very hard to have a fever and not be allowed to quench our thirst with water, but it is worse to be taught to thirst for that which will be a life-long curse to both body and soul. Dear boys and girls, I hope you are all temperance workers and will never learn the cruel whisky thirst, and that you will grow up brave farmer men and women, always working for the right, brave children of the King.— Biss fern Rural.

A Quaint and Curious Toy. The grotesque little brownies which Lewis Carrol called into existence bv the use of his facile pen and pencil may be made to materialize if one have defo fingers and a knack of shaping things. There is needed but a few scraps of brown satin, a piece of stockinet of the same color and some covered bonnet-wire. The round, pot-bellied body is covered with the stockinet; the legs and arms are made of wire: the upturned feet are encased in tiny brown kid shoes, long and pointed at the toes; the jacket is brown satin, and fastened at the chin with tiny gilt buttons. The head is covered with chamois leather, the wide mouth and big ears are painted in water-color; pointed

leather ears are fastened to the sides of the head, which is adorned with a little jelly-bag cap. A small bell that tinkles whenever the creature moves is tied about the neck. When the brownie is finished he may be fastened to three or four pinked-out leaves of felt for a pen-wiper or he can be set upon a solid paper-weight, where he looks very funny with one hand raised to his head as if in salute. Fred and Joe. Fred and Joe are boys of the same age. Both have their way to make in the world. This is the way Joe does: When work is before him he waits as

long as 1m can; he hates so to toneh it. Then be does not half do it. He is almost sure to stop before it is done. He does not care if fault is fbnnd. He says, "I can’t help it,” or *1 don’t care.” Fred’s way is not the same. He goes straight to his work and does it as soon as he can and as well as he can. He never Blights his work for play, though he loves play as well as Joe does. If he does not know how to do a piece of work well, he asks some one who does know, and then he takes care'to remember. He says: “I never want to be ash med of my work.” Which boy, do you think, will make a man to be trusted ?

BROWNIE.