Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-03-16
and I'll ask him Will he see YOU"

and I'll ask him wiil he see YOU"
With faltering steps the father com
piled and when they reached the parlor
he trembIed exceedingly, and leant against
the wall for support, while the butler
opened the door and said,
"Gahan is here, sir, and wants to know
will You lie, him speak TO you fora MIN.
ute."
Tell him to come in," said Mr.. Hew-
son, in solemn tone Of sorrow, very
different rom his ordinary cheerful voice.
Sir" said the steward, advancing,
"they tell me you are going to send my
boy to prison-is i; true q
Too true, indeed, Gahan. The lad
who was reared in my house. whom my
wife watched over in health and nursed
in sickness-whom we loved almost as
# he were our own, has robbed US, and
that not once or twice, but many times.
He is silent ard sul!en too, and refuses
to tell why he stole the money, which
was never withheld from him when he
wanled it. can make nothing Of hun,
and must only give him up to justice IN
the morning"
mo, sir, no. The boy saved your
life; you can't take his
You're raving, Gahan."
"Listen to me, sir, and you won't say
so. You remember this night twenty
years came here with my motherless
child, and yourself and the mistress pitt
ed us, and spoke loving words 10 hm.
We'll for us all you did SO! That night
little you thought II II was banded
with them that Were swoIn TO take your
lie. They were watching you ontside
the window, and | was seut 10 nvelgie
you out, that they might shoot you. a
faint heart had Tor the bloody business,
for you were ever and always a good
master to me bu, vas under an oath
to them that darn'l break, supposlng
they ordered me to shoot my own mo-
,her! Well Ihe hand Of God was over
you, and you wouldn't come with me
l ran GU. to them, and l said, Boys, II
you want to shoot him, you must do IL
through the window, thinking they'd be
afeard Of that; but they weren't--they
were daring fellows, and one Of them
sheltered by the angle Of the window,
ok deadly aim at you. That very mo-
ment You took Billy on your knee, aud
saw his fair head IN line with the mus
ket. | dom, know exactly then what
said or did, but remember ] caught the
mans hand, threw it up, and pointed ,c
the child. Knowing was determined
man, believe they didn't wish to pro
woke me so they watched you for awhile
and when you didn't put HIM down, the,
got daunted, hearing the sound of soldier.
rIduig by the road, and they stole away
through the grove. Most OF that gang
swung on the gallows, but the last o
them died this morning quietly IN his
bed. Up 10 yesterday he used TO make
me give him money--sums OF money &c
buy his silence--and it was for that
made my boy a thief p was wearing
out his very life. Often he went down
on his knees to me and said, Father
Id die myself sooner than ros my mas
ter, but can't see you dlsgraced. Oh
let us fly the country Now sir, have
told you aldo what you like with me-
send me to jail, deserve 1t, but spare my
poor, deluded. innocent boy"
+ 1t would be difficult to describe Mr.
Hewson's feelings, bu, his wiie's first i'm
pulse was to hasten to liberate the pr
soner. With few incoheren, words o.
explanation, she led him into the pres
ence Of his master, who, looking at him
sorrowiuIly but kindly, said,
"William, you have erred deeply, bu
no, so deeply as | supposed. Your ia
ther has told me every thing. forgive
him freely, and you Also"
The young man covered his face witt
his hands. and wept tears more bitter ano
abundant than he had ever shed since
the day when he followed his mother te
the grave. He could say little, but re
knet on the ground, and clasping the
kind hand Of her who had supplied te
him that mothers place, he murmnred,
"WiIl you tell him l would rather die
than sin again"
Old Gahan died two years afterward
truly pen!tent, invoking blessings OH hi!
sou and on his benefactors; and tn.
young mans conduct. now no longe
under evil influence, was SO steady anc
so upright, that his adopted parents fel
that their pious work was rewarded, ant
that, in William Gahan, they had indeed
a son,