Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-11-19
Goals of Fire.

Goals of Fire.
If | were to tell you whereabouts the |
village Of L. was situated, you might
still fail to find it on the map so we will
say nothing about it, except that it was
good sized place, not quite so struggling and
old fashioned as many villages, and with
few neat little shops, as well as a street or
two Of cottages.
In one Of these cottages there lived la
borer and his wife, and their only child
boy Of nine or ten years Of age.
Tommy Ruffhed was, we are sorry to
say, most troublesome fellow. His saucy
face, with its apple cheeks and twinkling
eyes, was known--not alone in his own vii
lage, but for several miles rounl-as the
face Of the most tiresome, naughty boy in
the county.
Even the dumb animals knew Tommy,
and this not at all in Aattering way
Widow Browns COW, that grazed so ietly
on the green, and never looked u When
other folks went by, became angry and
active when Tommy appeared; and she
frightened him on one occasion terribly,
by galloping after him half way down the
street.
The cocks and hens ran away as quickly
as they could, as soon as they saw Tom.
The ducks took to the water, the cats climbed
trees, the dogs ran to their kennels and
growled till he was out Of sight; and even
the geese stretched out their long necks and
hssed as he went by. So from all this we
may see that Tom was not iavorito in the
village, but that in fact he was reckoned
/ the greatest tease aud torment in the whole
place
Now, not far from Mr.. RuiThed's cottage
stood small shop kept by barber, a
good old man who commonly went by the
name Of " Father Snip" He was both old
aud good but neither his goodness nor his
|age could protect him from our Toms
pranks
The barber had a neat little garden at
the back Of his house, and fine apple tree
that grew there had long been a great at
traction 10 Tom Autumn drew on qpace,
and the fruit with which the tree was laden
began to turn rosy and to glisten in the red
sunset, whenever Tom came out Of school,
and glanced up with longing eyes The
temptation grew stronger every day, as
all temptations do when they are not re-
Z sisted, and soon the boy felt that be could
not rest until be had secured some of th,
apples.
One day, when he was quite sure tina
{ the barber was busy with a customer, h
stole round to the back door, climbed ove
the low fence into the garden, and in a mo
ment more was under the apple tree ant
7 filling bis pockets with the fruit. His pock
cts held a good many, aud he was so bus
stufing them aud little bag he had brough
with him, that he did not notice that b,
had dropped his handkerchief, smar
printed one, which his mother had lately
= bought and marked with his full nam,
{ across one corner. When Tom had pickeC
" as many as he could carry he saw that b,
u had nearly stripped the lower branches
| "The barber will never find out who tool
u them" said the boy to himself, as he 90
e over the little fence and set off toward
t. home but Tom forgot how many secre
u things are brought to light by the over
/, ruling power of God, and how many fault
e. are suffered to lead to their own detection.
o "Tom, my boy" said Mrs. Ruffhed, on
e morning a week or two after Toms visi
is to the apple tree, "your hair is growing
It very long and untidy, and you had bette
= step into the BARRIERS on your way HON
], from school, and have it cut" Tom o
e course made some objections, but his mothe
It insisted aud so there was nothing for hin
< but to put bold face on the matter and d
p as he was told
N He had not courage, however, to 20 alone
t, but after school asked a small boy, frien
t. of his, to 90 with him. needn't be S
N afraid, said Tom to himself as the tw
* boys entered the shop together; no one sa'
f. me take the apples"
Father SHIPS manner was just as usuaI
he was quite as pleasant and chatty {
ever, and Tom breathed more freely as til
old man clipped the untidy ends Of the hal
n and talked so kindly to him.
+. "Just wait one moment said the ba
M Der, as Tom with his neatly-croppcd he'
NJ was making for the dooor after paying.
or Wait one moment, repeated the o
% man, 81 have something for you;" al
Of opening cupboard he took out a lit
nd basket and hastily left the room. After
%. few minutes however he returned, and P
on the basket into Toms hands
nj 81 have lately come to know" said
RS gently, "t that you are fond Of apple
,w please take these home and enjoy them"
he Tom stared a moment, but he manag
he to say Thank you" and then ran out
los the shop and home as fast as possible
w. He carried the basket up to his rooi
sb empted the apples upon the bed, and o
10 fell his handkerchief of which he had nc
he er once thought since the day that he h
he taken it out. 1t was quite clean, and neat
he folded with the marked side up, and NJ
oir Tommy saw how his theft had been fou
,re out, aud how gentle had been the old maj
as dealing with him.
- a good thrashiug would bavehurt Ton
feelings far less than this kind action as
was, he was quite overcome, and sitti
down on the side of his bed, he fairly cri
with shame and selfreproach.
nm "Theres only one thing | can do, chi
nod he, at length, starting up and drying
r a eyes. must 60 and tell him what
ad kluu uluu NC lsi unu uOW soIly uhs
Lv Tom did not wait for second though
tSe but, sezng his cap, ran down stairs a
do out at the door, and in few moments
m. stood on the threshold of the shop. I
ne. old man was alone, and looking up as
we entered, he saw the flushed wet cheeks a
mo eager eyes, took in the whole story Of
.e:s pentance and softcned feeling which t
the could not express, and held out both hal
ice to him.
/ During the quarter Of an hour VIII
mi. followed, the barber talked to Tom as
an boy had never been spoken to before,
but We cannot repeat what passed, but
. i may be well to state that Tom never
,itb got the lesson Of the apples, but tina
the change began in his character and condl
MID which after a while made every one i
owe him instead of disliking him.
and
,uld PRoGREssIvE.--"T That man, said v
" came to this city forty years ago, I
chased basket, and commenced gather
rags How much do you suppose he
mouth no,., 81 u W. oivo II mn @ NJ