Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-12-31
Tom Stevens Resolve.

VII wv ? NlN AAiNDl e.
Tom saunterel slowly down the street
with his hands in his pockets, his slouchei
hat on one side Of his head, aud with gen
eral appearance that was not at all prcpos-
sessing. What's the use Of going to school
this hot day." he said to himself, leaning
lazily against the fence " Nobody cares
whether l 90 or not. aud where's the use
of bothering a fellows head with lessons.
I'd like to know" and Tom pushed his old
hat back aud scratched his head thought
fully. 81 believe I'll just tip over into
Judge Benson's garden here, where Tim is
moving, and have a little chat with him =.
aud, rolling under the fence he walked
slowly down the garden, over the newly
mown grass. After wandering about some
time, and not finding Tim, he threw himself
down in the shade Of little clump Of ever.
greens to wait till Tim should come
ooh, no; Tom Stevens would not do
he is a good.ior.nothing scamp very bad
boy; | would not trust him with anything,
said gentlomans voice quite near him.
"Oh, but, Uncle Amos" exclaimed %
clear, girlish voice, 3" don't believe poor
Tom is such very bad boy There is GER
tainly something good about him, for he
helped me get my kitten cut Of a tree yes
tcrday as kindly as Harry would have done,
and | heard Mr.. Jones the teacher say
that be was right smart to learn if he could
only get him interested in his lessons
Nonsense, Carrie was the reply; 81
know more about Tom than you do. lie is
rough, wicked fellow, and | would not
have him about the house His father was
a miserable drunkard before him. and Tom,
dare say, will be Just ike him"
Poor Tom" said the sothcr voice.
" Auntie said she did not know as he had
ever had kind word in bis life. / wish
could do something for him. Perhaps if
some one were to encourage him 10y kind
ness he might make a good man yet.
"Well, | don't know what any Of u-
might have been with such a chance as be
has had" said the uncle, and the voices
passed out Of Toms hearing Tom lay per-
fectly still for several minutes, feeling very
much stirred up in bis mind. He knew the
voices of Judge Benson and his pretty
niece, who had come to spend the summer
with him. Now it was sad truth that
Tom was a rough, wicked boy, as the Judge
had said He was at the head of all the
mischief that was done and from damaged
window glass to missing melons everything
was charged to Ugly Tom" as he was
generally called by the small boys, who
stood in much fear Of him. 1t was also
true that Tom had scarcely heard kind
word in his life. He had been sadly
knocked about, and if he ever had any de-
sire TO give up his bad habits and be a
better boy, they we're carefully concealed
by a rough and reckless manner.
As he lay upon the grass aud thought
over the conversation be had accidentally
overheard, two or three things surprised
him very much He was not surprised that
the Judge called him bad boy; every
body called him that. Nobody cared any
thing about him, and what was the use to
try2 But then, that beautiful young lady
said she did not believe he was so very
bad, and wished she could do something for
him. How queer it was, and Tom sat up
right and pulled the last button off his old
jacket in his surprise. "Glad l didn't
throw that stone at her kitten, he medi-
tated- for the truth was he had picked up
a stone to throw at the kitten Carrie was
trying to call down from the tree, when she
asked him, as politely as she would have
asked Harry Blanchard, the greatest gentle
man in town, ifhe would help her get the kit
ten down. And then Mr. Jones had said be
was smart to learn; but his father had been
a miserable drunkard to be sure, and per.
haps he would be like him everybody said
he would. He never had got drunk, that
was one good thing, and he determined he
never would.
A new thought struck Tom. What if be
should 90 to work, and study, and get ahead
of all the boys at school He started to his
feet the thought was so sudden it almost
seemed as if some one had spoken to him.
But then, who would care, and it was so
much easier to lounge about than it would
be to really study. A fierce struggle went
on in Toms mind All his old habits must
be given up; no more lounging about aud
fruit stealing, for" said Tom, leaning
against a tree, "if 60 into this thing, III
have no halfway business Ill be a
scholar and a gentleman" And won't
you be Christian, too ?' something seemed
to whisper in his ear, for Mr.. Jones morn
ing prayers and few earnest words had i'm
pressed Tom, in spite Of himself. Tom
started and trembled. What should he do =?
The boys would all laugh if he turned such
a short corner, and what hard, uphill work
it might be, The more he thought about
it, the more confused he grew. "l'll do it
if it kills me" said he, at last. 81 can't
have worse time than | do now;" and,
brushing back the tangled hair from his
really good-looking face, he started on the
run for the school-house.
"Late again, Tom," said Mr. Jones,
rather sadly, as Tom shuflled past his desk,
Mr.. Jones felt almost discouraged. He had
seen Tom about the streets, and thinking
what pity he should be left to 60 to ruin,
he had told him he would give him his
tuition if he would come to school, 1t had
already been three weeks since the term COM
menced and Tom had been nothing but u
trial. There was no end to the mischief be
got into. He was always late only half
learned his lessons, and annoyed his teacher
in every way he could Mr.. Jones had
tried several times to talk with him, and
try to get him interested in his books, but
Tom always skulked off 81 will keep try
ing said the good man, "The dear Lord