“I said my prayers too fast, mamma, and I’m afraid I didn’t think them much.”
“There is nothing to make up for that, dear,” said his mother, gravely and sadly; “but the ‘hearty repentance,’ and ‘steadfast purpose’ can follow even that downfall, as I think you know.”
“I’d be in a bad way if I didn’t, mamma, for it does seem to me that I go down just as fast as I get up! Then I was provoked that I came so near being late for breakfast; I was only just in time, you know, for all I’d got up when I was called.”
“But you were in time, dear, and it was not your fault that the button came off your jacket, and delayed you, so that should not have worried you. Well, what came next?”
“Oh mamma, you’ll think I’m only a baby!” and Johnny hid his face in his mother’s neck. “I was vexed because we had flannel cakes for breakfast, instead of buckwheat cakes!”
“But they were such very good flannel cakes. And that new maple syrup would almost have made them seem good, even if they had been poor.”
“I know—it was only because I was in such a bad humor. The next was my book strap; I suppose I did pull too hard, for I felt like pulling something. But it was such a nice strap, when it was new, and such a bother to carry my books in a piece of twine! And the ridiculous things went flying all over the entry—or ’most all over.”
“And a kind little sister flew to the rescue, and was too loving even to know that she was growled at,” answered Mrs. Leslie, “and a dear old mother came forward in the handsomest manner, without even waiting to be asked, and subscribed the price of a new strap for the sufferer.”
“A dear young, lovely, beautiful mother!” and Johnny gave her a hug which made her beg for mercy. Then he went on.
“My hat blew off just as I was passing Jim’s place, and he clapped it on my head about five times as hard as he needed to, but you’ll have to let me tell the other end of that, mamma. It was nearly in the gutter when he caught it, and the gutter was full of dirty water and mud, and I never half thanked him, because I was afraid he was making fun of me. Then I had to run to make up the time I had lost talking to Jim, and I just saved my distance—the bell rang before I was fairly in my seat.”