BRAYE BOYS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

BRAYE BOYS.

A STORY FOR THE CHILDREN,

Turku boys wore walking along tho road together talking as they went. time was betwoCH five and six in the evening, It was almost dark though a lit-tlo light still lingered in the western skies. "I should like to bo rich very much" said Fred Solomon in answer to a remark which ouo of the other boys had made, " but I think I would rather be brave." "Wo need not wait for that," said Joseph Turner. "Wo eau bo brave at once beforo we aro grown up." 'Of course wo can," said Herbert Cross. "I am brave already." " Are you, Bortio ? How do you know?' inquired Joseph. " I know myself, of course. Do you think I need ask any ouo to tell uie what I am ?" " No, perhaps not. But if you are bravo of course you have done some brave actions,"

" So I have, no doubt; only I cannot remember them just now." "Bertie is too modest to recollect his own good deeds" said Fred jokingly. "No ; I can remember one thing ; I fomrht with Harry Jones." The other two boys laughed at that. " I cannot see the bravery of fighting, said Fred. " But that was brave though, " saiil Herbert, "because Harry is bigger than L" " Not very much. But an action to be really bravo should be good as well. What good came of your fighting with Jones?" " Plenty. Of course he will know how to leave me alone now that I have taug'nt him- He will know that he cannot do as he pleases with me." " That is one thing,certainly. Look yonder ! What is that coming along the road ?" All the boys stood still a moment. " It is a man," said Joseph. "No it is not," said Fred "it lias not a man's shape, and men do not dre;s all in white, especially in tho winter." " Perhaps it is a ghost," said Joseph," let us go and see." Just then the boys heard a strange sound. "Oh, come back," cried Herbert, taking hold of Fred's arm. "Do not bo foolish," said Joseph, ''I shall go and see what it is. " And I will go with you, "said Fred. "Oh! don't leave me, " said Herbert. " We do not want to leave you, but J always go and see what a thing is when I cannot understand it. You can come with us if you please. " "I dare not! Oh! The object in tho road was seen to be coming toward them, and foolisii Herbert ran as fast as he could back again. " Bravo Bertie is gone, " said Joseph. "I feel rather frightened, " said Fred. " Oh, it is nothing to be alarmed at." " Shall we get over the hedge aud so let it pass us." " No, you need not be frightened, Fred; it will not hurt you. " Fred's heart be it very rapidly, but he went with Joseph. " There! I thought so! It is a horse which has strayed, and is finding its way home again. What a pity Bertie ran back, tie will be more frightened than ever when he finds himself alone, and hears the horse coming. " So he will be. I wish we could overtake him. " It is a had plan to run away from danger • it a lways seems so much greater when we flue from it." "But every body cannot have your calmness and presence of mind." " Why not? We can make ourselves "•o up to an object and look at it if we like. That was my way." "I will try to do the same." " Do, Fred, it will save you from cowardice." "Let us look for brave Bertie." They found him, after a time, trembling and scarcely able to apeak. " If there wore light enough to see, no doubt Bertie looks rather gliost-like," said Fred. "What a pity you ran back," said Joseph. "Shall wo tell tho other boys the story of Bertie's bravery, and how it was frightened away by a white horse?" " Oh, no, do not say anything about.it," saidFrod. "I was nearly as bad, but I will "try to be more brave in the future." •'So willl, "Herbert. "It seems to be so natural for me to be timid, but I will begin to try to be a nobler boy." That very night he had an opportunity. Something awoko him. Ho opened his eye;-', aud found that is was very dark. " What a strange thing that I should wake " 110 thought. And iudeed it was strange, for 110 generally slept souudly. In another minute lie quito understood what had caused him to awake for he beard strange sounds in tho house. "Thieves!" he thought, and the very word made him turn cold. He lay down in bed aud quite buried himself under tho bed clothes. But then he remembered that he had intended to try to be bravo. "And I will, too," he said, as he sprang out of bod. He knew where to find a match, and he struck it, and lit the gas in his room. Then, not without a good deal of trembling, he lit the gas in the passage. When that was done he listened, andlie distinctly heard footsteps. In the morning it was found that some men had attempted to steal some chick ens from an outhouse ; aud Herbert's father told him that he had perhaps frightened them away. Bertie felt rather proud of that. And of course he told his friends, i ( red and Joseph. They congratulated him. " How could you do it ?" said Joseph. "Well," said Herbert, "my hand shook so much that I could scarcely light the gas ; but I do so want to be a bravo boy that I inado myself do it."_ " It. showed srreat presence of mind," said Fred, " and that, is what all brave people must possess." " Yes," said Joseph, " and self-control is as necessary as presence of mind. "Let us form ourselves into a hand of brave boys, shall we ?" said Herbert, "Yes, that will be a good plan; and of course we must cultivate our courage, and then it will grow etrouger." " Aud we. will always ask God to take oare of u«, and show us what to do at the right time, and then wo will not let fear prevent us from doing brave deeds whenever wo havo tho opportunity of doing them." So they did. And I should not wonder if tho lad who kept so quiet and selfcontrollod in a little boat upon a dan serous sea, a few days ago, was one of the band of bravo boys