National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-07-05


Tom Haynes was instinctively
courteous. He caught up the bright
floating fabric, and sprang forward.
'You have dropped youl scarf
ma'am.'
Thus arrested, the lady turned
suddenly-'Oh, thank thena look
of amazed recognition, changed her
sentence, and it ended in. why
Tom is that your
The boys face was fierce erin.
son. He wished that moment that
the earth would crumble beneath
and take him in.
yes, Mrs. Randolph,' he family
articulated.
She looked at him with her eyes
full of sad pity. %, Tom l would
not have believed it of you, she said
sOrrOwfully.
He tried to speak, but instead
there came swift, smothered sob,
beating out from his throat, before
he could crush it down again.
She looked at him with gentle,
motherly hd&rt, and the pity was
strongly in itnow.
Tom she said, laying her hand
on his shoulder, az his own mother
might ha e done.
If Mr.. Randolph should take you
back again-if, contrary to his rules
and precedents, l could persuade
him to this, would you try once
again to resist the evil, as you ney.
er did before 2
'He would not take me back.
You don't know > he recalled the
last words which his employer used
towards him words which had tes
tered and ranked in his heart ever
since, and made him feel that, let
come what might, a swift freezing
or slow starvation, he would never
seek his old master again, even
though forgiveness and help await
ed him on the threshold.
Mrs. Randolph did lot answer for
a moment. Perhaps she smiled a
little to herself, thinking;that his
wife ought to know Luther Ran.
dolph little better than his office
| aOy. AT last she said Get in,
, Tcm. and 90 with me- pointing to
the carriage. And as Mrs. Ran
dolph took her seat, she said to the
driver, who awaited her order, The
Office, Daniel
Mr.. Randolph sat alone at HIS
desk when his wife entered The of
flee, accompanied by Thomas Hay
ems, who had been ignobly driven
out of it a few days before. She
walked straight up to h h.r husband,
who glanced from the lady to her
companion in silent curiosity and
surprise. Il have found him Lnth-
er. and brought him back, said she
Try him once more for my sake
'And make alool of myself growl'
ell the merchant /; there was some'
thi " that encouraged fu.ther Ell
treaty in the tones.
'No, Luther, III take all the blame,
all the folly on myself; only try
him this once, and see if the end
does not prove its wisdom
Mr.. Randolph looked at Tom
'You young rascal. you'll he serving
me another trick one of these days,
he said. 'Sit down here and cop.
these letters
The Office boy tried to speak, but
instead, there camea great guSh OF
sobs, with rain Of tears. And 81
Thomas Haynes was received once
mere III favor.
Mrs. Randolph's charity did no
stop here. She procured him lodg
! ings under kindly home roof, II
r whose pleasant atm osphere the boy''
I nature expanded, an d beneath
> which, he found Il e peace and shel
r ter that his inexperienced youth s'
| much needed. lie never ita lnt'
| evil again. There is more than tha
to tell. The boys quick intelligence
+ his IHomptness and business c,pa
t city, advanced him steadily III II.
e house as years went on. until at las
the old mother ana the pretty sistel
: bloouiI < III her woman.C d, cam
in lride and joy, TO live III I'll
= pleasant home which the strol
# arm of the young sou aud brotht
n had earned Tor them.
r. There is more yet to tell. Ihei
Il came "A time when a sudden ousilie'
/; crisis Tell upon aud paralyzed /.
d coinn.unity. The old houses, who's
,e credit had stood the storms oi score
s. OF years, suddenly tottered and te
" The house of which Luther Rd
is doIph was no Y senior partner, l,
tered to its centre- In the midst
no ali this the mau WAS taken sldue
~ ly ill-couiiued to his room and
-. his bed. And at that time, had
is not heen Tor the senior clerk, Tor II
>. knowledge of tie business III all
ch relations, iIr his foresight and en'
AS py, the house must have been o\'
,ir wnelme,. AS 1t was, 1t weather.
n. the storm, aud III gratitude ihcre'
'ul Thomas Haynes VAS taken into I
VS. firm by the OtLer part iers, aud W
Elf thereafter the youngest one.
Iat There is more Yet to tell. WI
,st Margaret, the elder Of the daul
tels OF Luther Randolph, was
ak the bloom Of her lovely womanho,
he Tom Haycns woed, and amid OIL
,se suitors won her Tor his wife. a
nd after the bridal breakfast, which
tai cluded only the families OF the u.
ali ly.wedded pair, he turned to NJ
ich Randolph. and calling her ny I