The Project Gutenberg eBook, How John Became a Man, by Isabel C. Byrum

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Title: How John Became a Man

Author: Isabel C. Byrum

Release Date: June 3, 2004 [eBook #12493]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

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HOW JOHN BECAME A MAN

Life Story of a Motherless Boy

By

ISABEL C. BYRUM

[Illustration: Learning to Pray]

Author's Preface

In presenting this little volume, the author hopes that it may be useful
in suggesting to the minds of young boys the great wrong there is in
indulging in evil habits.

We read, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," and this is
true concerning most boys who form habits that are harmful both to body
and soul.

The story of John's life is a true one; and his earnest prayer that it
may be the means of helping some boys from Satan's snares and prove a
blessing to them, I trust, will be answered.

Isabel C. Byrum

Year 1917

Contents

Chapter

I The Prairie Pasture
II In the Sod Cellar
III What the Big Chest Contained
IV Early School Days
V The Card Parties
VI Visitors and Pastimes
VII Leaving Home
VIII With the Circus
IX Caught Unawares
X A Child Again
XI How John Became a Man

ILLUSTRATIONS

Learning to Pray
Opening the Chest
A Card Party
Leaving the Old Homestead

CHAPTER I

The Prairie Pasture

Out on the prairie in one of the western states where buffaloes and
wild horses once had roamed at their pleasure and where cacti and
yuccas still thrived and bloomed could be seen a small two-story frame
building. There was nothing strange in this except that the house was
different from the average h