An Old Truth in a New Dress.

Evening Star, Issue 7406, 29 December 1887, Page 3

An Old Truth in a New Dress.

Little Bertie Blynn had just finished his dinner. He was in the cozy library, keeping still for a few minutes after eating, according to his mother’s rule. She got it from the family doctor, and a good rule it is. Bertie was sitting in his own rockingchair before the pleasant grate fire. He had in his hand two fine apples—a rich red and a green. His father was at a window reading a newspaper. Presently lie heard the child say: “Thank you, little master,” Dropping his paper, he said : “ I thought wa were alone Bertie, Who was here just now?” “Nobody, papa, only you and I.” “ Didn’t you say just now, ‘ Thank you, little master ?”

The child did not answer at first, but laughed a shy laugh. Soon he said : “ I’m afraid you’ll laugh at me if I tell you, papa.” “ Well, you have just laughed, and why mayn’t I?” “But I mean you’ll make fun of me.” “No, I won’t make fun of you; but perhaps I’ll have fun with you. That will help us digest our roast beef.” “ I'll tell you about it, papa. I had eaten my red apple, and wanted to eat the green one, too. Just then I remembered something I learned in school about eating, and thought one big apple was enough. My stomach will be glad if I don’t give it the green one to grind. It seemed for a moment just as if it said to me : ‘ Thank you, little master ’; but I know I said it myself.” “Bertie, what is it Miss M'Laven has been teaching about eating ?” “ She told us to be careful not to give our stomachs too much food to grind. If we do, she says, it will make bad blood, that will run into our brains and make them dull and stupid, so that we can’t get our lessons well, and perhaps give us headaches too. If we give our stomachs just enough work to do, they will give us pure lively blood, that will make us feel bright and cheerful in school. Miss M'Laren says that sometimes when she cats too much of something that she likes very much it seems almost as if ' her stomach moaned and complained ; but when she denies herself, and doesn’t eat too much, it seems as if it were thankful and glad,” “That’s as good preaching as the minister’s, Bertie. What more did Miss M'Laren tell yon about this matter 1 ” She taught ua a verse one day about keeping the soul on top. That wasn’t just the words, but it’s what it meant.”

At this papa’s paper went suddenly right up before his face. When in a minute it dropped down, there wasn’t any laugh on his face, as he said " Weren’t these the words: ‘ I keep my body under ’? ” “ Oh, yes ! that was it; but it means just the same. If I keep my body under, of course my soul is on top.” “Of course it is, my boy. Keep your soul on top, and you’ll belong to the grandest stylo of man that walks the earth.”

A law went into effect on the Ist inst. in Massachusetts relating to the employment of minors. It imposed a fine of twenty to fifty dollars for employing, except during the vacation of the public sohoo)s, a minor under fourteen years of age who cannot read and write in the English language.