Aunt Mary's Suggestion

by T.S. Arthur

　　

---

"John Thomas!" Mr. Belknap spoke in a firm, rather authoritativevoice. It was evident that he anticipated some reluctance on theboy's part, and therefore, assumed, in the outset, a very decidedmanner.John Thomas, a lad between twelve and thirteen years of age, wasseated on the doorstep, reading. A slight movement of the bodyindicated that he heard; but he did not lift his eyes from the book,nor make any verbal response."John Thomas!" This time the voice of Mr. Belknap was loud, sharp,and imperative."Sir," responded the boy, dropping the volume in his lap, andlooking up with a slightly flushed, but sullen face."Did n't you hear me when I first spoke?" said Mr. Belknap, angrily."Yes, sir.""Then, why did n't you answer me? Always respond when you are spokento. I'm tired of this ill-mannerd, disrespectful way of yours."The boy stood up, looking, now, dogged, as well as sullen."Go get your hat and jacket." This was said in a tone of command,accompanied by a side toss of the head, by the way of enforcing theorder."What for?" asked John Thomas, not moving a pace from where hestood."Go and do what I tell you. Get your hat and jacket."The boy moved slowly and with a very reluctant air from the room."Now, don't be all day," Mr. Belknap called after him, "I'm in ahurry. Move briskly."How powerless the father's words died upon the air. The motions ofJohn Thomas were not quickened in the slightest degree. Like asoulless automaton passed he out into the passage and up the stairs;while the impatient Mr. Belknap could with difficulty restrain animpulse to follow after, and hasten the sulky boy's movements withblows. He controlled himself, however, and resumed the perusal ofhis newspaper. Five, ten minutes passed, and John Thomas had not yetappeared to do the errand upon which his father designed to sendhim. Suddenly Mr. Belknap dropped his paper, and going hastily tothe bottom of the stairs, called out:"You John! John Thomas!""Sir!" came a provokingly indifferent voice from one of thechambers."Did n't I tell you to hurry--say?""I can't find my jacket.""You don't want to find it. Where did you lay it when you took itoff last night?""I don't know. I forget.""If you're not down here, with your jacket on, in one minute, I'llwarm your shoulders well for you."Mr. Belknap was quite in earnest in this threat, a fact plainlyenough apparent to John Thomas in the tone of his father's voice.Not just wishing to have matters proceed to this extremity, the boyopened a closet, and, singularly enough, there hung his jacket infull view. At the expiration of the minute, he was standing beforehis disturbed father, with his jacket on, and buttoned up to thechin."Where's your hat?" now asked Mr. Belknap."I don't know, sir.""Well, find it, then.""I've looked everywhere.""Look again. There! What is that on the hat rack, just under mycoat?"The boy answered not, but walked moodily to the rack, and took hishat therefrom."Ready at last. I declare I'm out of all patience with your slowmovements and sulky manner. What do you stand there for, knittingyour brows and pouting your lips? Straighten out your face, sir! Iwon't have a boy of mine put on such a countenance."The lad, thus angrily and insultingly rated, made a feeble effort tothrow a few rays of sunshine into his face. But, the effort diedfruitless. All was too dark, sullen, and rebellious within hisbosom."See here." Mr. Belknap still spoke in that peculiar tone of commandwhich always stifles self-respect in the one to whom it isaddressed."Do you go down to Leslie's and tell him to send me a good clawhammer and three pounds of eightpenny nails. And go quickly."The boy turned off without a word of reply, and was slowly movingaway, when his father said, sharply:"Look here, sir!"John Thomas paused and looked back."Did you hear me?""Yes, sir.""What did I tell you to do?""Go get a claw hammer and three pounds of eightpenny nails.""Very well. Why did n't you indicate, in some way, that you heardme? Have n't I already this morning read you a lecture about thisvery thing? Now, go quickly. I'm in a hurry."For all this impatience and authority on the part of Mr. Belknap,John Thomas moved away at a snail's pace; and as the former in astate of considerable irritability, gazed after the boy, he feltstrongly tempted to call him back, and give him a good flogging inorder that he might clearly comprehend the fact of his being inearnest. But as this flogging was an unpleasant kind of business,and had, on all previous occasions, been succeeded by a repentantand self-accusing state, Mr. Belknap restrained his indignantimpulses."If that stubborn, incorrigible boy returns in half an hour, it willbe a wonder," muttered Mr. Belknap, as he came back into thesitting-room. "I wish I knew what to do with him. There is norespect or obedience in him. I never saw such a boy. He knows thatI'm in a hurry; and yet he goes creeping along like a tortoise, andten chances to one, if he does n't forget his errand altogetherbefore he is halfway to Leslie's. What is to be done with him, AuntMary?"Mr. Belknap turned, as he spoke to an elderly lady, with a mild,open face, and clear blue eyes, from which goodness looked forth asan angel. She was a valued relative, who was paying him a briefvisit.Aunt Mary let her knitting rest in her lap, and turned her mild,thoughtful eyes upon the speaker."What is to be done with that boy, Aunt Mary?" Mr. Belknap repeatedhis words. "I've tried everything with him; but he remainsincorrigible.""Have you tried--"Aunt Mary paused, and seemed half in doubt whether it were best togive utterance to what was in her mind."Tried what?" asked Mr. Belknap."May I speak plainly?" said Aunt Mary."To me? Why yes! The plainer the better.""Have you tried a kind, affectionate, unimpassioned manner with theboy? Since I have been here, I notice that you speak to him in acold, indifferent, or authoritative tone. Under such treatment, somenatures, that soften quickly in the sunshine of affection, grow hardand stubborn."The blood mounted to the cheeks and brow of Mr. Belknap."Forgive me, if I have spoken too plainly," said Aunt Mary.Mr. Belknap did not make any response for some time, but sat, withhis eyes upon the floor, in hurried self-examination."No, Aunt Mary, not too plainly," said he, as he looked at her witha sobered face. "I needed that suggestion, and thank you for havingmade it.""Mrs. Howitt has a line which beautifully expresses what I mean,"said Aunt Mary, in her gentle, earnest way. "It is'For love hath readier will than fear.'Ah, if we could all comprehend the wonderful power of love! It isthe fire that melts; while fear only smites, the strokes hardening,or breaking its unsightly fragments. John Thomas has many goodqualities, that ought to be made as active as possible. These, likegoodly flowers growing in a carefully tilled garden, will absorb thelatent vitality in his mind, and thus leave nothing from whichinherent evil tendencies can draw nutrition."Aunt Mary said no more, and Mr. Belknap's thoughts were soon toobusy with a new train of ideas, to leave him in any mood forconversation.Time moved steadily on. Nearly half an hour had elapsed, in whichperiod John Thomas might have gone twice to Leslie's store, andreturned; yet he was still absent. Mr. Belknap was particularly inwant of the hammer and nails, and the delay chafed him veryconsiderably; the more particularly, as it evidenced theindifference of his son in respect to his wishes and commands.Sometimes he would yield to a momentary blinding flush of anger, andresolve to punish the boy severely the moment he could get his handson him. But quickly would come in Aunt Mary's suggestion, and hewould again resolve to try the power of kind words. He was also agood deal strengthened in his purposes, by the fact that Aunt Mary'seyes would be upon him at the return of John Thomas. After hersuggestion, and his acknowledgment of its value, it would hardly dofor him to let passion so rule him as to act in open violation ofwhat was right. To wrong his son by unwise treatment, when heprofessed to desire only his good.The fact is, Mr. Belknap had already made the discovery, that if hewould govern his boy, he must first govern himself. This was not aneasy task. Yet he felt that it must be done."There comes that boy now," said he, as he glanced forth, and sawJohn Thomas coming homeward at a very deliberate pace. There wasmore of impatience in his tone of voice than he wished to betray toAunt Mary, who let her beautiful, angel-like eyes rest for a momentor two, penetratingly, upon him. The balancing power of that lookwas needed; and it performed its work.Soon after, the loitering boy came in. He had a package of nails inhis hand, which he reached, half indifferently, to his father."The hammer!" John started with a half frightened air."Indeed, father, I forgot all about it!" said he, looking up with aflushed countenance, in which genuine regret was plainly visible."I'm sorry," said Mr. Belknap, in a disappointed, but not angry orrebuking voice. "I've been waiting a long time for you to come back,and now I must go to the store without nailing up that trellice foryour mother's honeysuckle and wisteria, as I promised."The boy looked at his father a moment or two with an air ofbewilderment and surprise; then he said, earnestly:"Just wait a little longer. I'll run down to the store and get itfor you in a minute. I'm very sorry that I forgot it.""Run along, then," said Mr. Belknap, kindly.How fleetly the lad bounded away! His father gazed after him with anemotion of surprise, not unmixed with pleasure."Yes--yes," he murmured, half aloud, "Mrs. Howitt never uttered awiser saying. 'For love hath readier will than fear.'"Quicker than even Aunt Mary, whose faith in kind words was verystrong, had expected, John came in with the hammer, a bright glow onhis cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes that strongly contrasted withthe utter want of interest displayed in his manner a little whilebefore."Thank you, my son," said Mr. Belknap, as he took the hammer; "Icould not have asked a prompter service."He spoke very kindly, and in a voice of approval. "And now, John,"he added, with the manner of one who requests, rather than commands,"if you will go over to Frank Wilson's, and tell him to come overand work for two or three days in our garden, you will oblige mevery much. I was going to call there as I went to the store thismorning; but it is too late now.""O, I'll go, father--I'll go," replied the boy, quickly andcheerfully. "I'll run right over at once.""Do, if you please," said Mr. Belknap, now speaking from an impulseof real kindness, for a thorough change had come over his feelings.A grateful look was cast, by John Thomas, into his father's face,and then he was off to do his errand. Mr. Belknap saw, andunderstood the meaning of that look."Yes--yes--yes,--" thus he talked with himself as he took his way tothe store,--"Aunt Mary and Mrs. Howitt are right. Love hath areadier will. I ought to have learned this lesson earlier. Ah! howmuch that is deformed in this self-willed boy, might now be growingin beauty."

---

---