The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-07-09

boy kept repeating these words over ana
over again, as he sat there, looking from
the open pocket-book 70 the merchant, and
from the merchant back to the open pocket
book. Nobody had over said poor to him
before. Did this great man, with his
gentle. kindly face looking down into his,
pity him 2-him, with only his Eliascs and
his mothers profanities for his names.
''You have stolen, Ted p asked Mr.. c.,
at last.
Ted nodded his head.
"Often2"
He nodded his head again, and then nd
ded in q whisper, 'but they didn't cotch
me, though"
Mr.. Grayton put up his money, walked
two or three times up and down the room,
then came back To- the spot where Ted
still sat intently watching him.
"AList YOU steal, and lie, and swear z
Don't YOU think yol could get along with
out them, ifyou had something's else to dor
Tod only opened his eyes the wider,
dropping his month, open now, also.
'Listen, Ted" and Mr.. Grayton put his
hand gently on the boys rough, dishevelled
hair. you asked me for u penny to keep
Christmas with. Do you know what Christ
mas isY'
Dress 'om mp pretty in green; have lots
of slick things to buy and sell; bouncing
| big turkeys, and my eyesr'-the old, wick
ed look settling down again-"don't they
go itY'
IL mean 2
"Guess it growed," replied Tod, with a
leer.
''Did you ever hear of Jesus Christ, who
came to love and save just such boys as
you are2'
''Guess I have. i've been 70 mission
school. Give me o penny, and I'll sing
you q song / learnt tL-rc," boginging a yul-
gar street song. Now, that amt IL. Now
here goes p and he broke out, In a rich
contrnlto voice, into
Come to Jesus"
'.Yos," said MIR. Gruyton, after having
listened to the tune and words, giygn per-
fectly to the end, "that is the same Jesus
whose birthday Christmas is"
Birthdays What is that2'
"The day upon which He was born.
When is your birthday p
Guess / never had one. Dun know
To-day" went on Mr.. urayton, without
taking any notice Of this answer, 'Jesus
Christ came into the world to be the friend
and Savior of just such little boys as you
are. Do you understand meH'
'"Shouldn't wonder, answered Ted, maxi
ing an evident effort 10 do so.
'But lie can't be your friend so long rs
you sin-lie, steal. swear, aud the like
He don't love boys that have Eliascs. 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 10 catch you. Now, Ted,
/ begun by asking you if you would like to
be q rich man and own u big store like
this Do you know l never did any Of
those wicked things when ] was a little boy
like you. I'll had / should have been in
jail, or dead, and not here to-day. Ny
name was always John Gmyton, and new
or anything else sand when Christmas, this
very Christmas camel used to 90 70 church
and hear what Christ had done for ne
how He was a baby, and laid In a mangcr,
with the great, brown-eyed cattle round
Him, and how angels sang his birth
hymn
Mr.. Grayton stopped abruptly. Ted
evidently was not interested in a word he
was saying.
lied" he said, after q moments pause,
II will make another bargain with you"
Ted was again all attention. Was there
another quarter coming? What n lucky
Christmas this vast
IL am going 10 trust Won for n little
while, and see whether II is possible TO
make a good honest boy Of you. ] want
you to begin this very Christmas day, be-
cause to-day It seems as il Christ was a
little nearer to His children than at any
other time, and even more ready and viii
ling to help them. Now, if / give you work
and pay you well, will you undertake 10 do
il faithfully and honestly p
All the vagnbond blood in the boy rush
ed, for n moment, unanimously into his
face. lie be honest? He stop all his
wicked ways and turn good, like the child
rem the mission hymns told him about?-
He, Ted, with all his Eliases, and his pro-
fame words, and his sly tricks, with his
nrtful lodges, and his cunning lies? lie,
Ted?
Mr.. Grayton did not speak to him MS he
sat there with this train of thought push.
ing and jostling itself through his mind.
He still walked up and down his Office, on
ly stopping now and then to watch the
changing, expressive face.
''Well p he said, at last.
81 don't think / can help it." burst out
Ted. You see, sir, I've got the hang Of
EN-, and they will Gomez
These were the first honest words the
boy had ever knowingly spoken in his whole
life.
81 nm going to trust you, though, Ted"
Mr., Grayton said; ''trust you until you de-
ceive ne. Here, now, to begin, is ten dol
lars. Go out, buy yourself a good, new
suit OF clothes. Get warm stockings and
soft, easy shoes for those sore feet. Have
your hair cut and cleaned. Put away the
old life with these 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 these words
fully; he understood far better tho expres-
sion of the noble face that beamed down
into the dark night of his neglected boy
hood, bringing with it the glad light of the
risen star Of Bethleham.
'Put away the old clothes, and with them
the old life, Ted. Put it away! Put Il
dlndy :"
Before an hour had passed, there stood
Ted in Mr.. Grayton's Office once more, clad
from head TO foot II new dress. What OF
the new life p
Five years from this day Mr.. Grayton is
sitting again in his office, and his door
opens softly after a slight tap.
II have come" said a tall: fne-lookinp
boy, "to bring you a little picture / ] have
drawn for a Christmas present to You. It's
not done well sir, blu IL tells n story"
The picture was Of q ragged, dirty boy,
standing by an o%fice-table, a gentleman
looking kindly down upon him, with his
hand on the boys head. Under il was sim
ply written "Eliases."
With this picture was a photograph OF
the giyer, under it written, edward
Bates"
30, Ted" said Mr.. Grayton, his eyes din
with tears as he looked at them, '1yOH are
my Christmas present, the c~ostliest aud the
dearest God ever gave me" and he stretched
his hand out TO the boy. 1--WE will neveI
either of us for get that happy Christmas
day." GEDGEsrD..