64 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

And then, again, it may be that the fact that Ishmael
did not get along with the mistress of the house was not
entirely his own fault. Sarah was an elderly lady, nearly a
hundred years old; and it does sometimes happen that elderly
people are not always as gentle and forbearing with noisy,
mischievous young people as they might be. Grandmothers
are not all angels, and many grandfathers have a habit of
being very cross with young people for very small causes.
They seem to forget entirely that they were once noisy and.
troublesome.

Moreover, Sarah had a secret prejudice against the boy—
a hidden dislike, for which he was in no way to blame. This.
being the case, it was hard for them to get along pleasantly...
Boys know well enough how prejudice acts, even among them-.
seltes. The way you can forgive, and excuse and overlook
almost anything in the boy you really like is wonderful. But
the boy you do not like—well, it’s very difficult indeed for
him to look, or speak, or do anything right. The more he
tries to please you, the less he will be able to do it. So it
was with Ishmael and Sarah. Ishmael did not try to please,.
and Sarah did not want to be pleased, and so there was con-
stant strife.

 

A boy need not have a very wonderful imagination to
suggest what sort of a life Ishmael would lead his venerable
mistress. When a bright, smart boy starts out to be a thorn
in anybody’s side, he generally succeeds. If, at seven years.
of age, Ishmael was an annoyance to Sarah, what would he
-be at ten, and what at fourteen? Mark, we’ are not justifying
Ishmael’s waywardness. No boy should make himself dis-
agreeable to his friends or relatives. And especially ought
boys to be respectful to their seniors. We are simply trying
to get to the heart of this romantic story.