Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1875 — “Can’t Help It.” [ARTICLE]

“Can’t Help It.”

. “My dear,” said Mrs. Barney to her little Johnny, ‘ why are you so careless about your lessons? Your teacher tells me that they are almost always imperfect.” “Mamma, I can’t help it,” was Johnny’s reply, in a cross, impatient tone. “ You mustn’t speak to me in that ■way,” answered his mother, reprovingly. “ Well, I can’t help it! I’m sick of hearing about the old lessons.” “ Can’t help it! Ah, little Johnny, do you know that Can’t-help-it is a monster worse than any you have ever read about in your books of fairies and giants?” “ What do you mean?” asked Johnny, at once interested. “ I mean that if you let Can’t-help-it have his own way, everything beautiful in your life will be spoiled. Can’t-help-it grows stronger and fiercer every time you yield to him; and by and by he will be stronger than you are.” “ But he isn’t a monster that I can see.” “No; you cannot see your soul, and you cannot see the enemies that try to hurt your soul; neither can you see your soul’s true friends.” “ What are my soul’s friends?” “ I-will-help-it is one of them, and a strong, good friend, too.” Johnny’s attention was aroused by the idea of a monster prowling around his Soul, and, as he had a good deal of imagination, the picture he made of him in his mind was not at all pleasant. So, after thinking a long time very seriously, he wqnt to his mother’s side, and said: “ Mamma, I will try to keep off the ugly old giant; but whal shall I do if he pitches right into me ?” “ Call I-will-help-it to drive him off. He is a good giant, and is far stronger than the bad one; but you must,remember that the good giant will wait for you to call him, while the bad one comes of his own accord.” “ That isn’t fair,” said Johnny. “ Isn’t it?” said his mother, smiling. “ Well, if it isn’t fair we must make it fair. Wait till Can’t-help-it is so badly beaten that he doesn’t dare show his head, and then see!” „ , Johnny ran away with a face expressive of great determination. He had a hard lesson to learn in arithmetic, and he said to himself that he would show old Can’t-help-it what a boy could do when he really tried. He was sadly tempted to be idle. Some boys were coasting near by, and he wanted to watch them; the kitten was frisking about with a ball of yarn, and he wanted to play with her; he felt just like making pictures on the blank leaves of his book; but he thought of the giant,and said: “I will! I will!” and went to work with all his might. He learned his lesson perfectly; his teacher praised him; his mother was pleased; and he felt that he had gained one victory over old Can’t-help-it.— Christian at Work,