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 RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY; 
 
 5G,Paternostcr-ro\v ; 164, Piccadilly, 
 LONDON. 
 
 
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THE PLATE OE CHEERIES. 
 
 Of all the cherry-trees in our 
 village there was not one like that 
 which grew in Widow White's 
 little garden The children, as 
 
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2 THE PLATE OF CHEEEIES. 
 
 they came out of school, were 
 sure to stop and look at the 
 red-cheeked fruit in the cherry 
 season. But it is a sad thing to 
 tell, that there were some of the 
 school-boys who not only threw 
 stones to knock down the cher- 
 ries, but took a delight in playing 
 some other foolish tricks, which 
 often ended to their own hurt 
 and shame. 
 
 By the side of the cherry- 
 tree at Widow "White's was a 
 large water-butt, placed near the 
 gate which opened into a green, 
 shady lane ; and to this spot 
 some of the bad boys would 
 often slily creep, and then 
 turn the tap, that the water 
 might run to waste, while thev 
 got quickly away. This conduct 
 
THE PLATE OF CHEEKIES. 3 
 
 was the more shameful, as water 
 was scarce in the village, and peo- 
 ple had to bring it from a distant 
 brook. 
 
 Many a time did the poor 
 widow try to overtake the wicked 
 boys, but they were too swift of 
 foot for her to secure. One day, 
 however, just after the school 
 had broken up, three of the boys 
 made their way to the garden- 
 gate. They looked up and down 
 the lane, and over the common. 
 They saw no one at hand, so they 
 slily opened the gate, ai,rl set 
 the water running all over the 
 3ath. They were about to 
 \asten away, when who should 
 turn the corner but "Widow 
 White ; and little John Turner, 
 in his flurry, ran directly against 
 
4 THE PLATE OE CHERRIES. 
 
 her, and was caught in her 
 
 arms. 
 
 John tried hard to get away, 
 but holding him fast by the 
 collar of his jacket, she managed 
 to take him through her kitchen, 
 into her little front parlour. 
 "There now, sit down," said 
 Mrs. "White, almost out of 
 breath : " sit there, I desire you, 
 till I return." She then went 
 out of the room, taking care to 
 lock the door after her. John 
 sat down, and was now left to 
 Lis own thoughts, which were 
 not of a very pleasant kind. 
 
 " How foolish have I been to 
 get into such trouble!" said John. 
 " What will my mother say to 
 me, and what will the school- 
 master do, when he knows what 
 
THE PL^TE OF CHEKBIES. 5 
 
 I have done ? And how the boys 
 will laugh at me for being caught 
 and punished!" 
 
 "While John was thus speak- 
 ing to himself, he heard the 
 steps of Widow White at the 
 door. As the lock was unturned, 
 his eyes at once fell on the 
 hands of the old lady, for he 
 made sure she had gone into 
 the garden for a stick to beat 
 him. But what was his surprise 
 when he saw m her hand a plate 
 f of ripe cherries ! 
 
 "Do you like cherries, mj 
 little boy ?" she said, in hei 
 usual kind manner. John looked 
 at her, and did not know what 
 to answer." Does she mean," 
 thought he, "to give me the 
 cherries first, and the flogging 
 
6 THE PLATE OF CHETHIIES. 
 
 afterwards?" "Come, do not 
 be afraid : see, if you think they 
 are ripe," she continued. John 
 now took one. " There, don't 
 be afraid, take a few more." 
 Widow White then placed the 
 whole plateful on the table, and 
 invited him to take as many as 
 he thought would do him good. 
 
 The boy could not make out 
 what it all meant. But as he 
 saw she did not look angry, he 
 took courage, and ate nearly all 
 the fruit. "Well, John," said 
 she, " are they not fine cherries ?" 
 In a short time he began to 
 think that Widow White was, 
 indeed, a good old woman ; and 
 the more so, when she sat down 
 by his side, and talked to him 
 kindly of the folly and sin of 
 playing hurtful tricks, and of 
 
THE PLATE OF CHEBKIES. 7 
 
 joining bad boys in their evil 
 ways. She told him to ask God 
 for his Holy Spirit, to give him a 
 new heart, that he might be made 
 sorry for his sins, and find mercy 
 for the sake of Jesns Christ the 
 only and ever-blessed Saviour. 
 
 After she had thus spoken to 
 him, she said, " There, John, 
 you may now go home, or your 
 mother will think some harm ha* 
 come to you ; but before you go 
 I wish you to tell me if you w T ili 
 turn the tap any more, anc 
 waste the water from the butt ?" 
 " Oh, no," cried John, as the 
 tears came into his eyes, and 
 his heart beat quickly, "that I 
 never will; and if I see anv 
 other boys about to do it, I will 
 try all I can to stop them." 
 The Widow White's forgiving 
 
8 THE PLATE OF CHERRIES. 
 
 conduct had touched the heart 
 of little John Turner; and it is 
 reported in the village that from 
 that time, the boys never again 
 threw stones at the cherry-tree, 
 nor acted rudely in any way to 
 the kind old woman. A s for John, 
 when he used to meet her, he 
 always made a low bow, looked 
 up in her face with a smile, as 
 the thought would come into 
 his mind of the way in which 
 she led him to repent of his bad 
 conduct by the gift of a plate 
 of ripe, red cherries. 
 
 " BE STOT OVERCOME OE EYIL, 
 BUT OVERCOME EYIL WITH GOOD,' 1 
 
 E/nn. xii. 21. 
 
 Fardon and Son, Pi inters, Paternoster-row. 
 
71 
 
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 Lord, if thou thy grace impart, 
 Poor in spirit, meek in heart, 
 I shall as my Saviour be, 
 Clothed with humility. 
 
 Simple, teachable, and mild, 
 Changed into a little child ; 
 Pleased with all the Lord provides, 
 Wean'd from all the world besides. 
 
 Father, fix my soul on Thee, 
 Everv evil let me flee : 
 Nothing want, beneath, above, 
 Happy in thy care and \ovg. 
 
 Oh that all may seek and find 
 Every good in Jesus join'd ; 
 Him 1st every saint adore, 
 Trust him, praise him, evermore. 
 
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