I knew his grandfather when I was a little girl, and I remember hearing him say that he was naturally quick-tempered; but, although I lived in the same house with him, and saw him under a great variety of circumstances, I never heard him speak a hasty word.  I hope Willie will obtain as perfect control over himself, and, if he lives to manhood, that his friends will be able to say of him what I can say of his grandfather.

Willie was, at one time, playing with some children, and found he was growing angry.  He immediately left them, and sat down on the stairs alone.  Pretty soon they followed him.  He did not feel entirely good-natured, so he again left them, and went into the library.  He shut the door and prayed to his Father in heaven for strength to conquer himself.  He remained there alone till he felt he had obtained the victory.

Willie is not the only little boy who has a quick temper, and I tell this story about him for the sake of the dear children who sometimes get angry.  I hope, like Willie, they will learn to go to God for help, and then, like his, their countenances will be radiant with gladness; and they, too, can say, “How happy I am!”

“An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

“Ever so many beautiful things.”

“There are ever so many beautiful things up in the sky, mother!” said little Eddie, as he sat in his mother’s lap, leaning his head upon her encircling arm.

The clouds had gathered about the horizon, and assumed many beautiful and fantastic shapes.  Some of them were gorgeously coloured with the rays of the departing sun, and were shaded from the most delicate rose to the darkest, richest crimson.  As the sun receded farther and farther behind the green hills, they grew darker and darker, and the imaginative boy had seen fancied ships with their sails spread; steam-vessels with clouds of smoke rolling from their chimneys; mountains piled upon mountains; trees, birds, and many other wondrous things which filled his infant mind with admiration.

Soon the stars twinkled forth, and they awoke a new interest.  At first they appeared one by one, as if timidly venturing to look down upon our beautiful planet, and when fully assured that the king of day had disappeared, they came forth faster and more numerously, till the whole heavens were bespangled with their glittering brightness.  Then their companion, the moon, came slowly up, shining with a soft and mellow light, a new beauty in the “blue wilderness of interminable air.”

Eddie had long gazed silently before he uttered the exclamation, “There are ever so many beautiful things up in the sky!” and I suppose he had many thoughts which it would have been pleasant for his mother to know.  He did not often sit up so late that he could see the stars.