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  STRIVE AND THRIVE.




  [Illustration]

  STRIVE AND THRIVE;

  OR,

  STORIES FOR THE EXAMPLE AND ENCOURAGEMENT
  OF THE YOUNG.

  [Illustration]

  LONDON:

  T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
  EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.
  1875.




  Contents.


  COURAGE AND PRESENCE OF MIND,       7

  THE BOY WHO TOLD THE TRUTH,        24

  TRY AGAIN,                         43

  LEARN TO SAY "NO,"                 62

  LITTLE CHARLIE'S WILL,             80

  THE STUDENT AND APPRENTICE,        97




[Illustration: HE THAT WALKETH UPRIGHTLY WALKETH SURELY.]




Courage and Presence of Mind.


George Williams and Edward Jones, two boys living near together,
obtained their parents' consent one Saturday to go to the mill-pond and
skate. There had been some pretty cold weather, and as the ice had
formed rapidly, Mr. Jones and Mr. Williams supposed that the surface of
the mill-pond was as hard as the floor, and that therefore their boys
would be entirely free from danger.

Away ran the two boys, with their skates hung round their necks, and
their thoughts intent upon the pleasure they were to have on the
mill-pond. On reaching the top of a hill which overlooked the pond,
they saw Henry Lee, a school companion, gliding along over the smooth
surface of the ice as swiftly as a bird on the wing. Eager to join him,
they ran shouting down the hill, and were soon occupied in strapping on
their skates. But ere this was completed, the two lads were alarmed by a
cry of terror from Henry; and on looking up, they saw that he had broken
through the ice, and was struggling in the water.

At this, Edward Jones became so frightened, that he threw off his skates
and started back, screaming, toward home; but George Williams, with more
presence of mind and courage, seized a long pole that lay upon the
shore, and went as quickly as possible to the assistance of the drowning
boy. Henry had broken into what is called an "air hole," where the ice
is very thin; and as at every attempt he made to extricate himself the
ice broke with the weight of his body, he was in great danger of losing
his life unless speedy assistance came. If he remained still and held
on to the edges of the ice, he could keep himself up; but then the water
was so cold, that in a little while he would get benumbed, and lose all
power to sustain himself. Before, therefore, the frightened Edward Jones
could alarm his friends and bring assistance, he would, in all
probability, have been lost under the ice.

As we have said, George Williams, who was much more courageous than
Edward, caught up a pole, and ran as speedily as possible to the place
where Henry was struggling in the water.

"Do not be frightened, Henry," he called; "do not be frightened--I am
coming, and will get you out."

At this Henry ceased his violent efforts to extricate himself, and
remained quiet until George came up as near as it was prudent to come,
and laid his pole across the broken place, so that each end of it rested
upon solid ice.

"Now hold on to that," said he, coolly.

You may be certain the poor lad in the water did not wait to be asked
twice to do as he was told. With both hands he grasped the stick. Then
George lay down at full length, and keeping one hand for support on the
pole, crept up so close to the broken place in the ice, that he could
grasp one of Henry's hands.

"Easy--easy," said he, in a calm encouraging voice, as the boy in the
water caught his arm eagerly, and was in danger of dragging him in also.
This gave Henry more confidence, and restored, in some measure, his
presence of mind. After this, it took but a moment for George Williams
to pull Henry out, and get him beyond all danger.

The two boys were more than half-way home, when they met a number of
men, whom Edward Jones had alarmed by his cries for help, running at
full speed to rescue the drowning lad. The praise they bestowed upon
George for his courageous conduct was very pleasant to him, but not half
so pleasant as the reflection that he had saved the life of his young
playmate.

On the evening after this occurrence, Mr. Jones, the father of Edward,
took his son into his room, and when they were alone, said to him,--

"How comes it, my boy, that you did not, like George Williams, go
immediately to the aid of Henry Lee when you saw him break through the
ice?"

"I was so frightened," replied the boy, "that I did not know what I was
doing."

"And this fright would have cost Henry his life, if there had not been
another boy near to save him."

Edward looked very serious, and his eyes were cast upon the floor.

"I am very sorry," he said; "but I could not help it."

"Do not say that, my son," replied Mr. Jones. "This timidity--or, I
