HOW BESS MANAGED TOM

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 24, 1881

HOW BESS MANAGED TOM.

Tom's sister Nell was pretty, and being a year older than Tom, wanted to show her authority over him. Tom was rough and awkward, and just at the age when a boy resents all meddling with his "rights." He would put his hands in his pockets, his chair on Nell's dress, and his feet on the window-sill. Of course they often quarreled.

"For pity's sake, Tom, do take your hands out of your pockets!" Nell would say in her most vexing manner.

"What are pockets for, I'd like to know, if not to put one's hands in?" and Tom would whistle and march off.

"Tom, I don't believe you've combed your hair for a week!"

"Well, what's the use? it would be all roughed up again in less than an hour."

"I do wish you would take your great boots off the window-sill!"

"O, don't bother me, I'm reading," Tom would say, and the boots refused to stir an inch, which, of course, was very naughty. And so it would go from morning till night.

But little sister Bess had a different way with somewhat stubborn Tom. Bess seemed to understand that coaxing was better than driving; and sometimes when he sat with both hands plunged in his pockets, Bess, with a book or a picture would nestle down beside him, and almost before he knew it one hand would be patting her curls, while the other turned the leaves or held the pictures. If she chanced to see his feet on the window-sill, she would say;—

"Just try my ottoman, Tom, dear, and see how comfortable it is to the feet;" and though Tom occasionally growled in a good-natured way about its being too low, the boots always came down to its level. Whenever his hair looked very rough, she would steal behind him and smooth it out in a way Tom liked so well that it was a temptation to let it go rough just for the pleasure of having her comb it. Yet, for the next three days at least, he would take special pains to keep every hair in its place, simply to please little Bess.

As they grew older, Bess, in the same quiet, loving way, helped him to grow wise and manly. If she had an interesting book, she always wanted Tom to enjoy it with her; if she were going to call on any of her young friends, Tom was always invited to go with her.

"I can't understand," said lady Nell, "why you should want that boy forever at your elbow! He's rough and awkward as a bear."

"Some bears are as gentle as kittens," said Bess, slipping her arm through his, with a loving hug, while "the bear" felt a great warm glow at his heart, as he walked away with Bess, and determined to be "gentle as a kitten," for her sake.