The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-05-21
"Only this Once"

"1'll be in again very soon, mother;
am only going round the corner to see
Whites new billiard rooms - and cap in
hand, Harry was closing the parlor door
when his mother called him back.
81 cannot consent to your going there
my DEAR" she said "you must know that
both your father and myself disapprove Of
all such places"
"But | don't intend to play, mother ;
only to look on, The boys say the ia.
bles are splendid ; and besides what could
| tell Jim Ward after promising to 90
with him? He is waiting outside for me.
Please say Yes only this once
"Tell Jim that we would prefer you
should not go, and ask him to walk in
and spend the evening" said Harry's
father, as he looked up from the paper.
30, know he wont do that i' and
Harry stood turning the door. handle, till
finding that his parents did not intend to
say anything more, he walked slowly to
the front step.
"Why don't you hurry along" called
Jim, "and not keep fellow standing all
night in the cold ?"
81 am not going. Wont you come in 2'
said Harry.
"Not going Your mother surely
does not object to your looking at bill.
lard table"
"She would prefer l should not co.
said Harry, and Jim's only reply was a
very significant whistle as he walked off.
Hell be sure to tell all the boys -
said Harry, half aloud, as he shut the
front door with rather more force than
was necessary. 81 don't see what does
make father and mother so particular ~
Then, entering the parlor, he took the
first book that came to hand from the ia
BILE, and taking seat very far from the
light, looked exceedingly unamiable.
His father laid aside the paper, and
without seeming to notice Harry's mood,
said pleasantly. 81 wonder if my son
thinks himself too old for story ifnot
l have one to tell him about 'ouly this
once" The book Harry had taken up,
and which CHANGED to oc one of his faith.
er's on civil engineering, was returned to
the table; but he still kept thinking of
what the boys would say when Jim told
an exaggerated story.
"When | was about your age, Harry,
we lived next door to Mr.. Allen, very
wealthy gentleman who had one son. As
Frank was a good-natured, merry boy,
and had his two beautiful ponies, several
dogs, and large playground. We soon
made friends. Many an afternoon did we
spend together riding the ponies or play.
ing on the playground, and one summer
afternoon, in particular, l never expect
to forget, for it seems to me now, looking
back upon it, as the turning point Of
Franks life; but we little thought of
such thing at the time. 1t only seem.
ed to us very warm afternoon and be.
coming tired ofplaying ball, we had stop
ped to rest on the piazza, when he pro-
posed that we should take the ponies to a
plank road few miles from the house
and race them. was sure lis father
would disapprove of this, and, besides, it
would have been most cruel work on such
a warm afternoon SO l tried to make
Frank think of something else he would
like to do instead but all in vain"
i think you might 60, Charlie he
said. What's the harm of doing it only
just this once? l just want to see il
either of my ponies is likely to be fast
trotter.'
"Foi one moment hesitated, but in
the next came the thought of my fathers
displeasure, and | shook my head.
Very well, just as you please, Mr..
Good Boy! | know plenty who will be
glad of the chance to ride Jet; and so
saying he walked of.
Frank did find boy who was dc.
lighted to 60 with him and enjoy the
race so much, that, notwithstanding his
his fathers reprimand he managed tc
pursue the same sport more times than
"only that once"
Gas soon as the summer was ended
Mr.. Allen went to Europe for his health
and l did not see his son again for three
years, till l left the country and entered
the same college with him. Frank COM
menced studying very earnestly; outbe-
fore the first year was ended the earnest
ness had passed away. Friends would
induce him to spend his evenings at their
rooms, or some public place of amuse.
ments, and each time Frank would try
and satisfy his conscience with 1T will be
only this once Thus by degrees his
lessons were neglected, and as study be.
came irksome, his love for excitement and
gayety increased, till one day overheard
a gentleman who knew him we'll remark
that he feared Franks only this once
would prove his ruin
"A few years before Frank would
have been shocked with the thought OF
spending the afternoon ia racing, and
evenings in billiard saloons and such
places, nor did he at one time ever really
intend to go to the latter more than
'once, to see for HIMSELF : but they are
very few who ever stop in the course of
wrong-doing at only this once
when the tidipgs Of his fathers death