Did you
ever hear the story of Theodore Parker and the frogs?"
"No," said Sammy; "I should like to."
"When he was a little boy, perhaps less than four years old, he had to
go home alone by a frog-pond where he had seen boys stoning frogs. He
raised his hand to throw a stone at a frog, when he heard a voice say,
'Don't.' He looked all around but could see no one, and he raised his
hand again to stone the frog. Again he heard a voice say, 'Don't.' Still
he could see no one. He was frightened, and running, home to his mother
he told her about it, and asked who it was that said, 'Don't.' She took
him on her knee and told him that it was the voice of God speaking in
his heart, and that if he would always listen to it he would grow up to
be a good man."
"Will you take me fishing this afternoon?" said Sammy, after a long
pause.
"No, I will not," said David with emphasis. "I don't go fishing for fun,
and I have here all that I need."
"May I go swimming with you then?" persisted Sammy.
"Of course you may," said David cordially. "We'll see if we can swim
any better than the frogs. I haven't much hope of it, but we can try."
"All right," said Sammy as he rose to go. He had gone not more than
thirty feet before he stopped.
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