St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-02-09
The Boy.


Though was doing on il saloon step,
this day of beauty got through my
waverimg sight. Perhaps | sat there an
hour, perhaps an age. in which the hlinks
got were the recurring days.
1t suddenly occurred to me that such
il long continuance of fine weather ought
to hc enjoyed more actively. But the
world whirls, as everybody knows. |
mumblcd Il number of jokes on nature
us staggered abroad. Aftera tiresomc
journey. | came upon an alley and II
group of boys travelling through game
of marbles on their knees. like pcnitentS
Stumping through .JeruSalem. And in
their midst WAS Billy. Billy WAS noble
looking boy. paused and tried to get
in position to look 1T him. felt Il
mnmdlin pride in Billy. He had N"r;,'s
blue ewes. blessed Nora She was
gone where she couldn't he cursed amy
more poor little broken hearted thing
Az Billy photographed himself in my
eyes. his bright hair blowing. his luStN
fingers gouging pit for the centre mar
bic, the contrast between what he and
were born to he. and what we were.
struck me like Il bullet.
v
every failure Was Il link i'll my chain. |
was utterly given over to the snakes
and the fnrics.
Now here WIS Bill, walking in my
vagrImt steps Il vicious Arab under Il
beautiful Caucasian grIlSc.
SAY. Bill, begged one of the tribe.
casting Il covctous rNcon his imduStriouS
jaws. ''l,t me chaw your WAN awhile.
Bill. with graceful generosity and CON
tempt of gain. tossed it over. SAYING:
"Thcrc; ynu can take ii and keep it ::
don't want it no more.
While stood in drunken ,lolur against
the fence. the group whiIlcd up sudden
~ into IL marlstrom. The centre tn
which they were all sucked. WAS =
stcadt,St rock with clurning fists and Il
yellow top.
"Bill, :" shouted in fury. come here.
You Young >cuundrcl -
Hearing my voice over the hroil. he
dashed through the hol- and came. cry
ing. hloodN and Iuflicd
Nv hat are yuu fighting about p |
asked, standing in trcmulolI- Judgment
over him.
Il can't tell You father" i, answered
hra\clN.
What, Even the boy ,,<pi>,,l and
dared me. ! lifted my hand and felt
that | could Kill him.
fake that then and that. Nuu little
wretch: I'll show lou how t" lca lully
and turn against yomr uw1i father.
Ny muscular hand brought Il fIiglri'nl
blood lu>h out of hi> bruised face.
thought he should feel that his father
WaS Il solid man i'll one respect. if the.
rest of my body WAS Il mass of moist
wrttchrdnc>S.
The hoy. the boy. | groan "hcm |
remember it.
''Oh don't father" he hcgyed wing
img h> little dirty hands. "ph. father.
please don't strike me. and iii tell YOU
all about it, The boys said You was Il
drunken old hloat. And I'll tight any
body for that father; will if Nnu Kill
me for it
sat prone down upon the gr"und.
That Was the hardest blow ever had.
'''rt mp. father" said Billy. casting Il
bloody and waIllke glance behind hini.
'',,md I'll help Nnu along
took hold of him. but Il Weakness
not huIn Of rum. kept me at his crack
one III The world who c;lcd Nht thrr |
rose III went on down. hut him. He
cared. pat my aims around the hoy
and cried against him. No more drunken
glazing repentance ior me. Every tear
MIS- hard H. Il pearl with resolution.
The good Christ appeared that Instant
III his love and long suffering. through
the h"y IL, plainly a~ he appeared la
diving Sir l:nHfal through the lcpcr.
When ON earth. lie Wis always going
about picking up The .ihnmilahlc. and
since. lie h;> left the cIIth He sends for
th, III 10y messengers t1rI cauu"; help
know my
Men ~h"ull respect in me that spark
Which the hn, Inspected. | would show
him " hat Il grand and over mastering
thing is that soul which the God of glory
values.
Don't cry, father said Billy. while
he ceased not to paint bloody sunrise on
his face. Better than Il sunrise WAS
ihAt little face Ia me. His eyes looked
hlurr and more heaven like than the
sky.
.'Do ynu love y"ur father - asked.
holding to linn like Il woman.
l'~. Hli- 1 II Nv N ''''N 'li'il ''lIlF>
you namcS." the bright. tender trma-
shower.
\ horizontal hail of mud and pebbles
hit lis while he WAS speaking. Billy
reared up like a charger snutling the
battle at;tr of, But made him retreat
from the cncml'S lines.
When the boy and | were laid at night
in Il low tavern which WAS our only
home. asked, with my face turned from
him: "Billy, will Nou help Your father
To try once more ," upon which he
bounded mp and pumped my arm with
al the gor and familiarity that the
street had put in him.
.'IeS-Sir-ee | will that. you bet
vowed BILLY.
\ very few minutes after he Suhsdcd.
heard his soft breath going in and out
the doors of his lips in regular cadcnceS.
While he slept and started up to tight
his skiimiShrls over. | logged my weak
brain to work, and planned. and planned
and planned.
When look back at that wretch in
soled tavern sheets. glaIing into dark
ness with watery eyes. my legs tremhlr
under me. though they have gone stout
~ these many Years. 1t was such II
very straight path up from that place,
and came 81 near falling. time after
time.
The next day got work on the rail
road. From the gutter could not go
directly back to the bar. since drunken
ness is one of the vices which is not
tolerated III lawyers. 1t was hard to
shovel dirt in the hot sun. | sat down
half faintimg. \ good natured Patrick
came slyly with bottle, and bade me
L; j. :. - IL. l Il.