Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-08

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send him to the poor-house.
But that very morning, GIinby, ju-
mora young man-cane into the
office where his father sat, and put
his hand upon his arm.
"Father," says he, II want to ask
you favor. l want my own way in
one thing"
"Well," said the old gentleman,
"let me hear you"
"I want to take Ben Wade into
this house as an errand boy" said
young Mr.. Grinby.
"Hey 2" said the old gentleman !;
"what young housebreaker as er-
rand boy? Bless my soul?'
Father" says young Grinby, "the
boy is naturally good boy. l like
him, | want to save him. Perhaps,
if | had not so good a father to guide
me and to care for me. l might have
been worse than he. l don't ask you
to trust him, sir. | only ask leave to
trust him myself. l am sure he will
prove deserving of confidence"
Old Mr.. Grinby took out his snuff
box, and looked at Mr.. Morris.
Give noticed the lads eye; it's a
good one" said Mr.. Morris.
dts risk" said Mr.. Grinby, "but
We'll consider
And | suppose the result was what
young Grinby wanted, for little Ben
Wade came to US the next Monday.
| Now he was clean and whole, he
didn't look so bad, and good food and
no abuse made a difference in him in
a week.
In a month or so people stopped
predicting that young Grinby would
repent some day; and in a year
don't think there was one in the Of
fee who didn't love that boy. So
grateful, and so trustworthy, and so
ready to do everything for every one.
Young Mr.. Grinby had him taught,
and well taught, too. The Lightning
calculator might beat him, but doubt
it; and | never knew that lad to for
get to dot his is or cross bis t's, in
all my acquaintance with him after he
had learned to write at all.
At twenty he was one of TIE best
clerks in our establishment, besides
being as fine looking young fellow
as one would wish to see. On the
whole | did not wonder that Mss Lu-
cy Evans took a fancy to him-a sis
ter, sir, OF one of the young fellows at
our place, and girl who looked like
a queen, and was as good as she was
handsome.
| used to meet them walking on the
battery where lovers used to walk in
those days. He was so fond and
proud of her, and she had such a ten
der way of looking at him, that they
made my old heart young again, as
often told Mrs. Humphries, to whom
| always confde everything. And
/ how he reverenced her, why a ribbon,
or faded flower, that she had worn,
were cherished by him as miser
cherishes his gold.
At last he told me, in confidence
for her name was sacred and not to
be spoken before every one-that
they were to be married.
"And when | look hack, SIR" said
he, "and remember the miserable
years of my wretched childhood, and
think how friendless and forlorn |
was, and how there was nothing be-
fore me but prison or the galIows,
and think that now | have everything
to make mans life ble8sed-the pow
er to win respectable livelihood by
reputable labor, the respect of honest
men, and the love of such a girl as
Lucy can never be too grateful to
the kind friend who saved me from a
life | dare not contemplate. God
bless Mr.. Grinby!'' said be, lifting
his hat reverently as he might in
church, and there was a prayer in his
dark eyes as he looked upward,
Those were the last words | ever
heard him speak, except Goodnight. +"
All, dear me, it should have been
goodbye. Ten minutes after | went
one way and he the other. l took
my way home, and he, as it seemed
afterward, walked just two blocks
and then came back here. At twelve
o'clock that night l awoke Mrs. Hum
phries.
"My DEAR" said I, Il must have
had the nightmare or something"
Goodness" said she, lit seems so.
Your hands are like ice. What gave
it to you, love? The lobster, I'll be
bound"
Perhaps" said I. "I admit l ate
a hearty supper. And nothing else
could make me fancy young Wade at
my bedside, white as a ghost, with
both hands on my breast. p
/ "Ah, but the nightmare is always
black, not white" said my wife. And
then she went to little cupboard and
} brought me glass Of wine. After
that | went to sleep again.
| did not rise early, and was quite
: behind my usual time. But when |
reached our place | found it in great
} commotion. Clerks running hither
and thither, the heads of the firm
standing about in the most unbusi.
: ness-like manner, and three constables
on the premises.
"What is the matter, sir ?" said
t addressing Mr.. Grinby.
"Matter enough" said be. "We've
} been very heavily robbed"
! II fancied that couldn't happen
! here" said |. II really believed il
would be impossible for burglars to
} break into Morris, Grinby & Sons
A sir"
} "Ah," said he, "they did not break
In. The door has been quitely open
t ed from the inside"
q "And | believe-," began Mr.
. Morris.
D "Sir," cried young Mr.. Grinby, out
}, of breath, Il beg, as a gentleman, a:
4 a man of principle, you will not give
r utterance to your unfounded suspic
/ ion-totally unfounded and unworthy
of you"
!, "Prove them so, sir" said Mr.
Morris, coolly, @and I'll apologize"