Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-03-22

Out YET speaking IN great pain. ",
must tell you, and I trust in your generou
soul for pardon. But l cannot stay here
Listen sir, and blame me if you will, bu
believe me not yet lost. Ny father is poor
too poor to keep me here. I have learned
the ways Of the city, I have longcd fo
some of those innocent, healthy amusements
which l have seen nv companions enjoying
For weeks l have been without a penny in
my pocket, and at such times I have fell
much in view Of my extreme poverty. Ny
father has given me two dollars-one when
be left me here, one when he came to visit
me. But what was that ? nearly all of il
went for small articles [ absolutely needed.
Lectures, concerts and various other kinds
of healthy entertainments were visited by
my companions, but I could not 60. At
length tho fatal knowledge was niue that
others of my station had money for such
things-money that they pondered upon
long and deeply, and in pondering I was
lost. Yesterday I took two dollars.
Here the poor boy burst into tears; but
moments Gilbert resumed:
"You know the worst now. l took it.
and a part of it l used last night ; bur 0,
l want no more such hours Of agony such
as | have passed since that time. Here is a
dollar and a half sir. Take it, and when |
get home I will send you the rest. Ga. let
me go, for I cannot stay, temptation baunts
me. Away in the solitude of my fa'her's
farm I will not want the money | canuot
have. You NAV say that I have had expe-
%rience, but alas! that experience tells me
that while I remain here the tempser must
be with me. I would not long for what I
cannot possess. While I have wants and
desires the wish must be present to crafty
them. Let me go, sir; but tell me not of
my shame!w
The boy stopped and bowed his head -
The merchant gazed. upon him in silence,
and during that time a variety of shades
passed over his countenance.
"Gilbert," said he at length, in a low,
kind tone, "you must not leave me. For a
few moments / will forget the difference IN
our situations, and speak as plainly as you
have spoken. have baen in the wrong. |
freely confess. 1 should not have known
that temptation was thrown in your way-a
temptation that should not be cast in the
way ofsauy person, much less an inexperi-
enced youth. Since you have been SO no.
bly, frank. / will be equally SO Forgive
me the situation in which I placed you. and
the past shall be forgotten. Until this no.
ment / never have thought seriously of this
subject s; I never realized how direct was
:ao temptation .r. tlnus placed before the APP,
prentices Of our houses. But l see it al!
I know that a poor boy who has no
money, the presence of both money and cost
ly amusements must be too fearful a temp
tation for ordinary youths. But you shall
not leave.
''From this moment l shall trust you IN
Ptioitay ~na I hall love you for your nooia
disposition and fine sense of honor. sna!l
not fear to trust you henceforth. for you
shall have pecuniary recompense somewhat
commensurate with the labor you perform.
I have often blessed the hour that broug t
you to my store, for l have seen in yon a
valuable assistant; and if I ever held a lin-
gering doubt of your strict integrity, | shall
hold it no more, for it requires more strength
of moral purpose to acknowledge unasked,
a crime, than it does to refrain from the
commission of one. Never again will I ex-
cept the labor of any person without paying
him for it, and then if he is dishonest no
blame can attach to me. You will not leave
me Gilbert?"
The boy gazed up into his employers
face, but for a while tears and sobs choked
his utterance Mr.. Phelps drew him to his
side and laying his hand upon the youths
head, and resumed
eff I blame you for this momentary de-
parture from strict honesty, the love l bear
for your noble confession vastly more than
wipes it all away. Henceforth you shall
have enough for all your wants, and when
the year is up we will make an arrangement
that can but please you. What say you.
will you stay?"
''If-if-I only knew that you will new
er abhor me for this"
Stop Gilbert, [ have spoken the truth
and you need have no fear. I will pay you
So a week for your own amusement and
instruction and when you want clothes and
other matters of like necessity, if you will
speak to me you shall have them. All the
past is forgotten, save your many virtues ,
and henceforth I know you only for what
you shall prove.
Gilbert tried in vain to tell his gratitude
but the merchant saw it all and with tears
in his eyes, he blessed the boy and then
babe him go about his work.
The year passed away and then another
boy come to take Gilbert's place !; for the
latter took his station in the counting-room.
But the new boy came not as the boys
had come before. The merchant promised
to pay him as much per week, enough for
all practical purposes, and then he felt that
he should not be responsible for the boys
honesty.
At the age of seventeen Gilbert Goodwin
took the place of the assistant book-keeper,
at nineteen he took his place at the head of
the counting-room !; for to an aptness at fig
ures and an u%ntiring application at study.
be added strength Of moral integrity which
made his services almost invaluable.
And now be has grown up to be a man,
and the bright-eyed girl who was SO init.
mately connected with that one dark hour
of his life, has been his wife for several
years. He is yet In the house of Mr.. Phelps,
and occupies the position of business part
ner, the old merchant having given up work,
and now trusting to his youthful associate
Gilbert Goodwin has seen many young men
fall, and he has often shpddered In view of
the wide road to temptation which is open
to so many more ; and he will have no per.
son in his employ to whom he cannot afford
to pay u sum sufficient to remove them from
inevitable temptation.
The Davenport ll"wa) Democrat makes 3
humane suggestion for the organization Of
q society f'for the protection of children
with bare legs from the cruelty of moth