The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-01-09
AS You Have Opportunity ,
ar +. 5. ARrHuR.


"Do you want boy. sir !"
Without lifting his eyes from the paper,
Mr.. FREEZER answered. "Nol' to the 'appli.
cant, and in rather a rough way.
Before the lad reached the street. con.
science had compelled the merchant to lis.
ten to arebuking sentence.
"You might fave spoken kindly to the
poor boy, At least said conscience; "Thi.
I Iis an opportunity
Nc. Eszisr.Ass Che paeQt q Z Rom u hill
hands, and turned to look at the lad. He
was small-no' twelve years old, to appear
ance-poorIy a,tired, but clean. The mer.
chant tapped against one OF the windows In
the counting room, and the boy glanced
back over his shoulder. A Sign from the
merchant caused him to return.
"What did you say, just now 2"
"Do you want boy, sir 7" the lad repeat.
ed the words he had spoken, hesitotingIy, i
few moments before.
Mr.. Fr zier looked at him with a suddenly
awakened interest. He had a fair, grist
face, dark brown eyes and hair, and though
slender snd delicate in appearances, stood
erect, snd with maniness of aspect thai
showed him to be already conscious OF duty
in the wcr!d. But there did not seem to b.
much of that stuff 10 him that is needed tol
the battle of lie.
"Toka a chqir," said Mr.. Frazier, IN il
voluntary respect for the lad getting posses
eion OF his mnd.
The boy sat down, with his large, clear
eyes fixed on the merchants face.
"Hyw old are yeu 7"
81 was twelve, sir, last mon'h," replied
the boy.
"Whot splendid eyes !" sqid the morch NJ
to himself "And have seen them he'nre
SOFT, DIRK and lustrous as a worn us Z"
Away btck ia the past t5e thoughts o
Mr Frbzi,r want, bprae on the light OF thuS'
beautiful eyes and for some moments IL
forgot the present in the post. But wheI
he came back into he present osnin, he hat
softer heart towards the stranger lad.
"You ehoud 20 to school for year o.
two longer he snid.
81 must help my mother" replied the lad
sis your mother very poor o.
eyes sir and she is sick"
The lads voice shook little, and his sof
woman's eyes grew brighter in the tears thu
filed them. Mr.. Fr@zier had already for
gotten The point Of interest in the news at
ter " fich bic mind was searching, when tn
boy interrupted him.
"Idon't want lad myself" said Mr. Fra
yier, "but moyba might speak a good wor
for you, and that would he p you, you know
| lhihk you would make an honesti usafu
lad. Bot you are not strong"
"Oh, yes, sir, I'm strong !" and the DO
stood UP in. a brave spirit.
The merchant looked at him with s,eadi
increasing interest
"Wh"t is your name :" hs asked.
"Charies Leonard. sir"
There WAS an instant change ia the mer
chsnt's manner sud he turned his 'aae s
r away that the boys eyes could not Sc
Its exore ession. For long time he sat st
and silent--se long that the boy wondered
"Is your father living g. Mr.. Frazier d
not look at the boy, but still kept his fac
eway. His voice was low and not yer
even.
"No, sir He died four years ago."
"Where :" The voice was quicker an
frmer.
"In London, sir"
"How long since yeu came to America
"Two years."
"H"ve you been in this city ever since
"No, sir. We cspe here with my unc
: o year ago. But be died month alter 0,
{ arrival" >
"What was your uncle's name -
! : "Mr. H?yle, sir"
There came another long silence in whic
the lad was not able to eee the merchant
I countenance. But when he did look at hi
t ggain, there was such q. new Bnd kind 2:
, PRECISION in the eyes which seemed aIniO
2 to devour his. face, that he felt an assuronf
| in his hear, TINT Mr.. Fr,zier was goc
, man, and would be friend to his mother.
"Sit there Tor q little whrIe," said n
> Frazier, und turning to his desk he wrote
9 briei note, in which, without permitting It
! lad to see what he was doing, he ncfos,
two or three bank bills.
, "Take this to your mother" he sal
hsnding the note to the lad.
0 "You'll try and get me o place, sir, won
you I" The boy lifted to him an appealir
look.
"Oh, yes. You shall have good plac
But stay, you haven't told me where "
live."
"At No. -, Melon street,"
"Very WE'LL" Mr.. Frazier noted dow
the street and number. Sand now take tn
note to your mother"
The merchant did not resume his new
paper after the lad had departed. For
4 long time he sat with his hands shading
face, so that no enc saw its expression.
spoken to on any matter. he answered brie
IL, and with nothing Of bis usual interest
bis business. The change in him was
u marked, that one Of his partners asked II
were not unwell.
Ur foal.a l;ttla dull.I tvaa avasitalv :,