The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1859-09-15

without looking up. 81 did not expect to
find you here, Tom. How did it happen !?
How came you here % 'Oh, cause they
put me In" answered Tom. I motioned
the turnkey to leave us.
''Didn't you know twas wicked to steal
Tom y said l, sitting down by his side.
ayes, sir; but didn't think much about
that part of it." ''Didn't you learn the
ten commandments in Sabbath School,
Tom p l asked. s'Never went to Sabbath
School" "Never went to Sabbath School !?
Why not, Tom ?" sNobody ever asked
me to go" "Nobody ever asked you p
Well, you ought to have gone, of course"
Didn't 'zactly know how, answered Tom.
'When the Dow boys got their handsome
paper, all pictured, [ wished [ could 90,
but nobody asked me-" 'Don't you 90 to
meeting, Tom Z" No, sir" 'Why, Tom,
you ought to have gone to meeting, then
you would never have come to this vile
place" 'My clothes weren't fit The
meetings you 60 to wouldn't have such
such folks as L be. Good many times |
saw you go in, but was 'fraid to follow :;
they'd turned me out" you've moth
er, Tom, haven't you ?" 'No, sir; she's
been dead ever since l gave up selling
candy; had nobody to make it after she
died" "Any father?" "No sir, he's
been dead always. / live with my cous-
ms folks; but they fight me-" "Poor
boy, why did you never tell me all this
betore!' "You never asked me-" said
Tom, piteously.
When l first knew Tom, he used to
come to the store with clean box well
stocked with molasses candy, and his clean
and tidy appearance was decided recon-
mendation to his wares There was a
frank, prompt, respectful air about the boy
which took my fancy, and he became our
errant boy. He did veil for US, and we
paid him well for his small servises.-
But did our accout end there? Did dol
lars and cents pay all 1 owed him All,
| began to be afraid not
II don't want to stay here" at length
Tom said, bursting into tears; '>it makes
me sick. L feel awfully." 'You see
what comes of associating with such a
of fellows, Tom. They led you into evil
courses" "Well, they liked me-" said
Tom sobbing, "and [ didn't know much
of anybody else since | went to my cous-
ins." ''But you knew it was wicked,
Tom. ayes, sir; but it was meant more
in sport than wickedness We bet who
was spryest'. ''Tell me how it happened. ;"
Tom told his story, a perfectly straight
forward one, [ have no doubt, leaving a
wide margin for those pailiations of the
wrong which the civil law cannot always
fully recognize and allow. There was a
pause. Cant you get me clear, STRIP
asked Tom. "I'll do what / can for you,
my poor fellow" He squeezed my hand
as | arose to 90, and sobbed violently as l
left him.
''The young rogue" said the turnkey,
meeting me in the hall "did you make
much headway with him 2" 81 do mt
know l said, and quickly left. How
much l thought of poor Tom all the day
through. Two or three spoke about him,
and the acay they spoke panied me ex-
ceedingly: "The little scamp" "The
young rascal" and the free use of lam
guage whose harshness and heartlessness
fairly startled me; and yet they were or
dinarily accounted kind-hearted men. But
they were ignorant, as L had been, of the
state of society from which just such a
class of boys naturally springs-an igno-
rance, however, which my conscience
would not allow me to excuse. "The
poor child" said Conscience s.you have
helped make him what he is" L twinged.
/! what had l done?
"You left mdone-you did nothing" "
said Conscience. "You did not pay the
debt of moral obligation which you owed
him God threw him in your way, poor
friendless, uncared-for orphan; and if you
did not know ulo or uhat he was, you
ought to have known. What might not
your advice, your instructions, your warn
ings, have saved him from? What might
not your friendly interest in his SORROWS
and needs have made of him 2"
The next day l went to see Tom again.
took an orange and picture-book to
him. ''The boy says he is sick" said the
turnkey, "and L really believe he is. y
"Well, Tom," L asked, sitting down by
his side, show are you p $50, SO" he
answered with faint smile. [ put the
orange in his hand, and laid the little book
on the coverlid Oh, how | wanted to
talk to Tom about his soul; but | did hot
know where or how to begin Indeed it
was awkward to begin no,o friendly care
for him, neglected all too long; for aught
| knew, neglected till too late. And 1T
was bitter thought to me. While Tom
was sucking his orange, | slipped out and
borrowed Bible of the jai[keeper.-
"Don't you want me to read to you, IomH>
"What's it about" he asked. "1 on
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