Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-05-25
Tracks.

An old lion, with shaggy locks, invited a
nice, sleek fox, whom he met, to visit his
home The fox was quite delighted with the
attention Of the king Of beasts whose fame
had spread through the forest and he accepted
the invitation. Arriving at the threshold Of
his den, he cunningly hesitated for a moment
and drew back, whereupon the lion urged him
to 20 in and to make himself at home. Per-
haps the lion thought that Mr., Fox was BASH
ful in the presence Of strangers, and for this
reason hestated to meet Mrs. Lion and her
family.
No, said the fox at length see no
tracks coming oui.
That was the secret of his hesitation His
keen eye discovered proof that visitors to
that abode never came out The great lion
appeared honest and friendly, but the tracks
at the door showed that he was deceiyer
and murderer So, not wishing to be served
up in a savory dish for the lions family, the
wise fox took to his heels and ran away.
The fox was more sagacious than many
boys are The latter care little or nothing
for tracks much less for the way the tracks
run, and SO they rush into evil ways from
which they never escape.
We once visited a prison to address the
criminals confined therein Most Of them
were under twenty-five years Of age many
Of them were not yet eighteen years old,
mere boys. In the course of our remarks,
we said
Doubtless many Of you can put your
finger upon the first wrong act which started
you of in the way OF crime. Perhaps you
can recall the day and hour when you decided
to do that which brought you finally to this
place"
On leaving the prison, one Of the officers
came to us and said
"J- B. is confined here for break
ing into a store, and he says that you are right
that he knows the very hour when an elder
brother induced him to do what he knew was
very wrong, and the act started him off to
ruin
That is IT, If he had been as shrewd as
the fox, he would have observed that all the
tracks at the entrance Of that evil way went
IN and not oH
A few years ago a youth of seventeen was
convicted of theft in Boston Three years
before he was a member Of the Sabbath school,
and worshiped regularly with his widowed
mother each Sabbath. But he formed new
associates They laughed at him for being
tied to his mothers apron-strings," going
to the Sunday school, and becoming SC
| pious as to 60 to meeting every Sabbath.
They wouldn't give up theirpleasure for such
/ trash. If he would come with them they
would insure him more fun than he could
have in all his lifetime by sticking so close tc
his mother
That was the lion over again, inviting tn,
fox to his dwelling, only the widows son die
not see it, He did not stop to observe which
way the tracks ran. Hedisregarded his moth
cr's wishes, and left the Sabbath school anc
the house Of worship Then he was seen ri
ding out of the city on the Lords Day with
his fast companions. His whole appearance,
was changed he became vulgar, profane anC
rowdyish. What money he got was spent il
wickedness aud he wanted more 1t take
a longpurse to servcSatan with How shoul,
he get more money? Not honestly; for tina
would not be like the master whom he served
He resolved to steal it, and he did he wa
sent to prison for the crime. His footprint
show that he did not come out of that lion
den which his new companions invited him t
enter.
One cold winter evening we were address
ing a children's meeting in Boston. Will
speaking, a ragged, dirty, wretched man en-
tered and took his seat by the door. ThougI
he was a drunkard, he listened. At the clos
of the meeting he made his way to the desk
, and grasping the speaker By the hand, ez
claimed
am a drunkard beyond recovery" an
the tears streamed down his checks, and hi
form shook with emotion,
Looking him in the eye, and observing tn
traces of intellect and manliness there, "
replied;
-" You look as if you might be saved, an
as if you were worth saving"
He answered in a still more chilling tone
9" l am a drunkard beyond recovery" ="
i sold my shirt for rum to-day" " | sold m
/ stockings for rum to-day" And he went o
to say that the cause of his degradation wa
the beer and wine which he drank in his boy
/ hood. BY ard by his appetite was too stron
f to be denied.
Observe the tracks, boys. Mind whithe
your steps lead. Suffer not the tempter I
lead you into his trap. The lion is kind an
friendly when he wants you to visit his den
he is lion for all that Look out for hin
Whenever you see no returning tracks, reiu'
TO enter