St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-03-25

and combine sound intellect will
pleasure in your matter of reading.
know that in the day time your bust
ness keeps your mind occupied. 1t is
that your erenings may be morally anC
prOtitaLly spent that your mother
earnestly prays."
The angel came at the right mo,
ment. Oliver read these two para,
graphs over a second time, and then
fell to weeping. He knew that he was
to his mother as the apple of her eye
--as the very joy-fount Of her soul.
Had he done as he promised her he
would do! Had he done as his own
good sense told him he should have
done ? No. He knew that beyond
the boul.d of right, the single step is
wrong. He folded the letter carefully
up and put it away, and then pressed
his hand upon his brow. He stood SO
few moments and finally he turned
his eyes homeward.
MOTHER" he said, in a deep, heart.
sent tone, " L uut betray thy conidenc.
Rerer again."
Albert Ryder awoke on that same
morning with a headache, too. But
alas he had All evil adviser with him
One glass Of brandy, A, and you'll
be all right !"
So Albert took the glass of brandy,
and under its stimulating influence he
felt physically better.
On the next evening Albert came
around to Rushton's store and asked
Oliver to so to the theatre with him.
But Oliver said he had an engage
mcnt he could not break.
And so evening after evening Al
bert came after his friend-now for
the thcater-now for a stroll up Broad
way--now for whist-party-or, may
hap, for a game of billiards-and al
ways it was the same answer, g am
engaged"
Look yc, Oliver :" cried Albert
as he came one evening for his friend
to go and see a new circus company,
what do you mean? What are all
these engagements? Amt there a fe-
Iidi' III ti'C luISt'ou
Yes, Albert must acknowledge
that there is"
Aha-rve found you, have l? A
female, Ell? Oh, Oliver, didn't think
that of you. But who is she: Conc
t--nrt witt II who is she ?"
d" Ny Hother, Albert J"
Ell your mother2' repeated the
giddy youth, with sudden softness
of tone, " didn't know she was in the
city"
Nor is she, Al. But her noble,
praycriul love is with me: and my
sacred promise is with her "
" But you used to go with us, Ol,
you were not thus month ago
Because | did not realize how sure,
ly was falling away from my prom.
ise,' replied Oliver, promptly. " You
remember the last evening we spent
together. On the next morning | had
Il headache"
50 did |, Oh but soon got ov,
Ell it"
And so did get over mine-and
over my heart-achc, too. saw then
Albert, that | was not safe while
spending my evenings abroad. | saw
how | was departing from the pre-
cepts of one who lives only for the
good Of her children. No, Albert
| cannot go with you any more.
have looked at the matter in all its
bearings, and know there is no safe
ty for us in spending our evenings
abroad. The influences of life are
confined to the home circle, and Ger
tain social assemblies of good people
They are not found in the streets, and
much less are they found in those sa
looms which we have sometimes visi
ted. No. Let us break from them
Come to my room. My mother has
sent me money and l have bought
some valuable books. Come to my
room, and we'll read them to eacl
other. Come"
:" No, no, Oliver-not now. Come
you with me. Come this once
All, this once. is a dangerous step
Al. One step from the edge of a prec
ipice is death One step from the
path of Right is Wrong, No,-if you
will come with me, we will pass oul
evenings together. Think, Albert, be-
fore you make up your mind. You
know your mother loves you as well
as my mother loves me and she
would be equally sad to know that
YOU had fallen--
" Pshaw! Don't be fool, Oliver
Do you suppose | have no eyes
Don't you suppose | know what is safe
and what isn't you suppose I'm so
ing to be shut up in store all day
and then shut myself up in house
all night ? No, not by long chalk
how | tell you!"
You misunderstood me, Albert
| don't shut myself up all night.
frequently go to lectures and then
for exercise | walk down to the Bat
terry every morning before the store is
opened"
"Pooh That's the time when |
want to sleep. But you won't SO
with me, them"
"No-l cannot"
"Wcll, then | must find somebody
else. And mind you--one Of these
days we'll see if you won't change
your mind"
"lf | find am wrong. most Ger
tainly SHALL" was divers reply, as
his companion turned away.
The two youths had supposed that
their conversation was heard only to
themselves, but they were mistaken,
in this. They had stood by the door
of the counting room, and Mr.. Rush
ton was within, though he had not
yet lighted the gas. He had just star
ted up for that purpose when the first
request of Albert Ryder was made.
4 natural desire to hear what would
be his young clerks reply induced
him to listen. So he heard the whole
. and was not sorry