The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-09-19
2NisccIlaneolts.
A Fathers MjStuEe.

it mean?
There stood the little vase of flowers, the shad
ow of the rosebud falling upon the cloth as h'
| had seen it when he laid the note down. There
were the books and the little card basket
There, perched up in the great Turkish chair
| sat his little daughter; making bed and pil
| lows for her new wax doll. He had only gone
! to the front door with the parishoner who hat
brought her contribution Tor the approaching
! fair, in the shape of this very fine five dolla
note and it was gone. There was no breeze t.
stir it for the windows were all shut 1t wa:
certain that Lilly sat where she had been seat
ed when he left the room. Perplexed and an
cry, the father questioned her.
| "Liily, where is the money that laid here 2
| Lilly shook her head.
elias Lilly got any money!"
Lilly nodded.
Lilly laid down her work-oh, such crook
ed. little bug, with stitches an inch long on the
edges land letting herself down from the chair
| came slowly across the room, and stood solemn
| ly before her father.
ats in both my pockets" she said and put {
| tiny hand into each and drew out two cents.
as that all 2" asked the clergyman.
eyes," said Lilly.
"You did not see any on the table 2"
NO" said Lilly; "no, sir" and went back
| to her work again.
The clergyman paced the room, looking into
the corners, and surveyed the length of the car
| pets then he spoke again.
"Lilly, who has been in the room since left
| it2"
Lilly pondered.
After while she said
"Ned did,"
| "Ned 2"
"Yes sir"
| "What did he do?"
Gle took a flower out of the vase and put i
| in his coat button"
| "The vase on the table," asked the clergy.
man.
"Yes, sir" said Lilly. Then he went RICH
| away to the school"
| This was added because the little creature
saw anger in her fathers eye, and knew that
was frequent cause of displeasure and repri
| mand.
| 81 know" added the little creature, solemn
| ly, "that he ruined all the way"
"Ah !" said the elergyman-and then he
walked to the window and hid his face in his
hands. He had cold heart, but it was aching
| pitfully, Just then. He was tender to no one
but he ionged to be proud of his SON and sus
| picion that was terrible to haioor, pussessed
| him.
| Ned was wild boy, an idler. He shirkec
| Sabbath school and was inattentive in church
| He hated study. He loved the company o
| mad-cap boys his mother idolized him anC
spoiled him; so his father thought he was go.
| ing straight down to perdition, perhaps, who
knew, for now it seems likely to the father tina
| Ned had stolen that 1--WE dollar note
For the time, however, he kept his thought!
| to himself merely commanding his obeden
wife, who came into the room, in few mo-
ments, to search it thoroughly, and to make
sure the money was not to be found Then hc
| locked himself in his study, and suffered hor
| ribly in silence for four long hours, when al
| in a q a n m n
one of the poor of the congregation, who had &
| dolorous tale to tell of hard times at home, anC
| of his rheumatism, and his wife's chills and
| fever.
Relieved, with some small change and large
| bundle of tracts, this good man was about t.
depart, when a thought seemed to strike him
| and he turned toward the pastor, opened his
mouth, shut it again, and was bout to pas:
through the door, when the clergyman said:
"Well, Watkns?"
| And he came to a hault again.
81 suppose it amt none of my business" he
said. "But kinder felt I'd orter tell"
| "Do as your conscience prompts you, Wat
| kins," said the clergyman.
eyes, sir" said Watkins "But you see may
be you won't thank me. "0ther folks affairs,
| see. Your'n you know sir. So, there its out =
"Mine !" cried Mr.. Holbrook.
ayes" said Mr.. Watkins, "your'n, sir, faint sc
very bad, only don't think you'd like your
| young man for to go careering about with the
Gregg boys. Their father drinks, and 1 won't
mention their mother; and then to see him arm
in arm with 'em buying gunpowder at old Dixie
| Decker's, and playing whats'er name-dane
| it oh bagertelle, behind the shop for drinks o.
| ginger beer. Why don't think you'd like it
| SIR"
"Like itw cried Mr.. Hclbrook. "Mr. Wat.
kins, come into the study. There-wait min
ute. Let me collect myself. "When did you
see my son at that horrible place? You saw
| him there with the Gregg boys! When"
comfy this morning." said Watkins.
oil was took bad with my knee and was
obliged to sit down there to rest, sir; and there
the boys was, sir Your'n sir, had his books il
a strap and it was long after school opened
| They bought lots of eatabes and gunpowdel
and things, and they hired old Deckers boa
| and went into it, and broke an oar and had t.
| pay for it. They spent five dollars altogether
| -leastways | heard old Decker say so. Five
dollars them three boys-Well, felt I'd ortel
tell"
"Thank you, Watkins" said the clergyman
sadly. cit is bad news but you have done you
duty"
And Watkins departed. leaving his nnAta.
| alone with his thoughts
Five minutes after he had gone the clergy
| mans son, flushed with exertion and excite
ment, opened the front door and ran up stair
to his own room. Ere he reached it, his faith
erS voice SOUNDED through Iue nouSc.
edward come here"
Edward obeyed.
He came into the study slowly, and behin'
him followed his mother, with face that demo
ted the premonition of coming scenes.
CHESTER" said Mr.. Holbrook, "snce you ar
here you may stay but you must not interfere
1t Is my duty to be firm. Sit down, HESTER
| Edward come here"
The boy advanced and stood before his faith
err, swinging his strap of books to and fro un
easily. He was handsome brown fellow. wit
gypsy eyes and curly black hair. One OF thos
boys on whom nature seems to have stamped
Grover" from the first
! "You have been playing truant to-day, Ed
ward" said the ather.
"Oh, no !" cried the mother.
eyes" said the boy; 81 won't lie about il
sir. have"
"With those young fiends, the Gregg boys,
said the clergvmap "You were at the drink
ing shop of that old infidel, Dixie Decker. Yo
spent great deal of money there. Five do
lars, perhaps"
eyes, said the boy believe we did"
"And you stole that money from me befor
you went, as you pretended, to school" sal
the clergyman. "You stole it from the treasu
ry of the Lord, though, perhaps you did nc
know that 1t was given me for the church b
one who could i'll afford to lose it, and you stol
it."
"Srw cried the boy; "stole it l-stet
from you or any one? Obi father, how ca
you say such things?"
al have given you no money, nor has you
mother, knows" said the clergyman. ~ miss
ed the money after you left home. You hav
spent similar sum. l will not tempt you
falsehood by asking you to explain. will OF
Nv tell you this,-confess and prove yourse
penitent, and will kneel down and pray wit
you for forgiveness. Refuse to admit YOU
guilt, and will fog you as long as | have tt
strength to hold the whip. will not spare tt
rod and spoil the child. God would not hol
me guiltess if did,"