—

55

SOBER JOHN.

“Soper Joun,” said Jonas, when they got
all ready for a story the next day, “lived at.
his father’s house, which was about half a_
mile from the village. He had several
brothers and sisters, some older, and some
younger than himself. His father’s house
was large and pleasant, with trees on each
side of it, and a garden behind. Beyond the
garden was a field, and in one part of the
field was a long hill, descending to a small
pond at the bottom. They used to sail
boats upon this pond in summer, and skate
upon it in winter. 5

John was not much of a hand at play.
He preferred staying in the house, reading,
or drawing, or working about something or
other at his desk. He had a little room,
which he had fixed for himself up stairs, —
where his father used to let him have a lit- *
tle fire Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, —
when there was no school, because he pre-