Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-07-29
"COme to Jesus"

eyes," said Mr.. Grayton, after
having listened to the tune and
words, given perfectly to the end,
"that is the same Jesus whose birth
day Christmas is.''
s'Birth- day? What is that p
"The day upon which he was
born. When is your birth day ?"
"Guess / never had one. Dun
know" a--4 la.r
"To- day." went on Mr.. Grayton,
without taking any notice of this
answer, "Jesus Christ came into the
world to be the friend and Saviour
of just such little boys as you are.
Do you understand me p
/" Shouldn't WONDER answered
Ted, making an evident effort to do
so.
"But He can't be your friend so
long as you sin-lie, steal, swear,
and the like. He don't love boys
that have Eliases. He wants them
good, honest and true Teds; and
nothing else.''
"They would cotch me, then.'
"You must not do anything for
which they would want to catch
you. Now, Ted, l begun by asking
you if you would like to be rich
man and own big store like this.
Do you know that 1 never did any of
those bad things when 1 was a lit
tie boy like you. If I had 1 should
have been in Jail, or dead, and not
here to-day. My name was always
John Grayton, and never anything
else; and when Christmas, this very
Christmas came, I used to 90 to
church and hear what Christ had
done for mellow he was baby,
and laid in a manger, with the
brown-eyed cattle round Him, and
how angels sang his birthhymn."
Mr.. Grayton stopped abruptly
Ted evidently was not interested in
word he was saying.
"Ted," he said, after a moments
pause, Il will make another bargain
with you" sst
Ted was again all attention. Was
there another quarter coming
What a lucky Christmas this was!
II am going to trust you for lit
tie while and see wheather it is DOS
sible to make a good honest boy OF
you. I want you to begging this very
Christmas day, because to-day it
seems as if Christ was little nearer
to His children than at any other
time, and even more ready and will
ling to help them. Now, if I give
you work and pay you well, will
you undertake to do it faithfully
and honertly ?" E
All the vagabond blood in the
boy rushed, for moment, tumultu-
ously into his face He be honest
He stopt all his wicked ways and
turn good, like the children the mis-.
sion hymns told him about? He,
Ted, with all his Eliases, and his
profane words, and his sly tricks
with his artful dodges, and his Gun.
ming lies? He, Ted!
Mr.. Grayton did not speak to him
as he set there with his train Of
thought pushing and jostling itsel
through mis- mind. He still walked
up and down his Office, only stop
ping now and then to watch the
changing, expressive face.
"Wall p he said, at last.
81 don't think I can help it,
burst out Ted. ''You see sir, I've
got the hang of 'em and they will
come" .-.. '-.-........
These were the first honest words
the boy had ever knowingly spo-
ken in his whole life.
II am going to trust you, though
Ted" Mr.. Gray ton said; ''trust you
until you deceive me. Here, now
to begin, is ten dollars. Go out
buy yourself new suit Of clothes
Get warm stockings and soft, easy
shoes for these sore feet Have your
hair cut and cleaned. Put away
the old life with those old clothes
little Ted, and on this beautiful
Christmas come to Christ and come
to me, and be our new born boy"
Ted could not understand the
words fully; he understood fal
better the expression Of the noble
face that beamed down into the
dark night of the neglected boy
hood, bringing with it the glad ligh
of the risen star of Bethlehem.
"Put away the old clothes, anf
with them old life. Ted. Put i
away! Put it away!"
Before an hour had passed, there
stood Ted in Mr.. .Grayton's office
once more, clad from head to foot il
new dress. What of the new life ?
| Five years from this day Mr.
Grayton is sitting again in his
office, and his door opens softly
after little tap.
81 have come," said 2 tall, fine
looking boy, ''to bring you LITTLE
picture l have drawn for a Christ
mas present to you. It's not done
well sir, but it tells story
The picture was of a ragged, dirty
boy, standing by an office-table, j.
gentleman looking kindly down up
on him, with his hand on the boy.
head. Under it was simply writer
'Eliases.' ..,
With this picture was photo
graph of the giver, under in written
edward Bates
90, Ted,'' said Mr. Grayton, hi
eyes dim with tears as he looked a
them, ''you are my Christmas pres
ent. the costliest and the deares
God ever gave me-" and h
stretched his hand out to the boy
ave will never either Of us for