PETER'S MISSIONARY PLEDGE
ETER GRAY lived on a big farm way out
in the beautiful green country, and a nicer
chap you never saw or knew than Peter; but
like most nice boys, Peter had one very bad
habit the habit of promising things that he
couldn't always do. Mother and father Gray
had tried to break him of this habit but to no avail.
Every once in awhile Peter would surprise them by
making another promise that he had no idea of keep
ing, and when he came home from Bible school one
Sunday morning and announced that he had prom
ised to give one dollar earned by his own hands to
the missionary cause, the family just looked at him
in utter amazement.
Presently mother drew him close to her chair and
raising his chin in her hand she looked long and ten
derly into his deep blue eyes.
"Do you realize, Peter," she said earnestly, "what
you've done?"
"Sure, I do," answered Peter, "I've promised a
dollar to the missionary cause this fall."
"Not only that," answered mother, "but you have
promised to earn that dollar with your own hands."
"I know," replied Peter, "but you and father are
always giving me dimes and pennies I'll save them."
"But that won't do," reasoned mother. "Earning
is different from giving; this particular dollar must
be earned. There must be a sacrifice of some kind
connected with the earning of that
dollar.
Peter's face took on a distressed
look, and for a moment he felt as if he
were going to cry, then suddenly he
smiled.
"Well, mother," he said softly, "I see
I've made a mistake, but I'm not a
piker I'll earn that dollar what have
you got for me to do?"
"I'll give you a dime," answered
mother, "to mow the front lawn."
Like a good fellow, Peter got out the
lawn mower and soon had the yard all
dressed up and was much pleased with it
himself.
The next day his brother said, "I'll
give you a nickel if you will shine my
shoes." Peter accepted the offer and in
less than ten minutes he had earned an
other nickel.
Peter worried no longer. Neverthe
less, as time went by the dimes earned
by Peter's hand could be counted on
three fingers, and for the life of him he
didn't see any way of ever gaining the
frther seventy cents and then one day
w
while he was holding his father's fishing pole while
he went to the house, a great idea entered his head
he would catch perch fish and sell them to Mrs. Jones,
who ran the summer boarding house at the cross
roads.
As soon as father returned, Peter put on his hat
and went to interview Mrs. Jones.
"Sure, I'll take all the fish you can catch, Peter,"
said the lady, "but they do tell me that you make
promises that you don't try to keep, so I'll not worry
about having to pay for them until you bring them.
I won't believe you until I see the fish."
Peter felt the hot blood mount his cheeks, but he
turned away without saying a word and went back
home, determined to make good every promise he
had made.
"Father," he said when he again reached the spot
where his father sat fishing, "may I use your fish
pole?"
"All you want to," answered the man.
"That's saying a lot, father," answered Peter,
"for I am going to earn that missionary dollar catch
ing fish."
"Going to be mighty hot work," replied the father,
taking note of the hot board platform that protruded
out into the slow moving stream.
"I know it's going to be hot work," answered the
boy, "but a promise is a promise and I've got to
keep this one, even though it is going to be hot work."
A few days later Peter sat on the
board platform and fished in the same
spot where his father had caught many
previously. After he had fished all day
he packed his basket and started for
home. When Mrs. Jones responded to
the knock at the front door she was
pleasantly surprised with a basket of
squirming fish.
And Peter talk about anybody be
ing surprised ! He was more than that
when kind Mrs. Jones laid a fresh green
back dollar bill in his hand.
"They're not worth that much, Mrs.
Jones," said Peter softly.
"Sure, they are," replied the woman,
"that and more but I just can't spare
more than one dollar for them right
i4
now.
At Bible school the next day Peter
raced down the aisle of the little country
church and laid his dollar in the mis
sionary plate and went back home.
"I'm giad you paid it, Peter."
"Sure, I paid it, and I've promised
another. I know the Lord will show ma
the way to earn it.
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