Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-12-25

from Cnc lace OF Ine wafer, ant
Charlie knew by the cool stillnes
that it was growing late, so he sug
gested a walk homeward.
"Say, Charlie, we've had a goo'
time, haven't we?" said Joe, as the,
neared Mr.. Griffith's house.
eyes. Lots nicer than staying a
home in the house all day. Charlie
answered.
''Let's go again next Sunday?
and Charlie answered eyes" quit
heartily.
"Well, you've gotback, have your
said Mr.. Griffith, as Charlie saunter
ed in.
"I've had a real nice walk, too,'
said Charlie, his face all aglow will
excitement.
There was no guile about the boy
and had his father questioned hin
reg riding his absence, he would hav,
told him the truth. But either h,
was too short-sighted or negligent tt
give it thought. He only knew
that he had enjoyed the luxury of ;
quiet house; he was not reckoning
the cost.
"Charlie," said Joe, the next day
as they met at school, "you didn'
blow to the Commodore about yester
day, did you?"
"What do you mean?" asked Char
lie.
81 mean you did not tell YOU
folks where we went yesterday, did
you?"
'They didn't ask me-" answered
Charlie.
ooh, they didn't" said Joe, as he
recalled the falsehoods he had told
when interrogated by his parents, fol
Joe's parents always made point OF
asking where he had been, but here
their vigilance ended.
The next Sabbath Charlie again
gained permission to take a walk,
and again Joe met him, and together
they visited the pond. Joe had been
careful to provide tish-hooks and
lines, poles could be cut from the
surrounding trees, and as soon as
they reached the pond he very soon
prevailed upon Charlie to try his luck
at fishing. 1t was something new
for Charley, and after a few qualms
of conscience he entered upon the
sport with zest such as boys of that
age usually do.
1t would be useless to follow the
boys through every Sabbath of that
summer. They soon lost their relish
for the pond, and found other places.
They beer-gardcn, the bowling-alley,
became familiar resorts to them. AS
the season advanced, the racc-course
became their chief delight. Here
they found every excitement tha:
their restless natures craved. The
betting, the racing, the jovial com
pany, had strong attraction for
! them.
! Meantime Mr.. and Mrs. Griffith
were in total ignorance of their
yonng sons career. They regularly
attended the Sabbath morning serv.
ice, and required their son to do the
same, also the noon Sabbath-school.
But here their duty ended. The
afternoon nap was such a luxury
the sacred hours must be filled up by
reading, and Charlie was so noisy, it
was such relief to have him away.
SO they mapped and read in perfect
security, while Satan, far more watch
full, was laying snares for their noble
boy.
! So the Summer slipped by, and
with it much of Charlie Griffith's ma
tive frankness. The cold weather
put an end to much of their Sunday
recreation, but occasional stealthy
visits were made to the pond during
the skating season. Charles suffered
most during the long, dull, winter
evenings, while his father read and
his mother sewed, each unconscious
of the many desires and ambitions
springing up in the heart Of their
restless boy. Desires and ambitions
which, if properly directed, might
have made him an ornament to soci-
ETY.. Occaeionally, Mr.. and Mrs
Griffith spent the evening abroad:
then Charlie had full license to do as
he pleased. One evening, while
alone, he spent his time in making q
checkcr-board. His native accuracy
had assisted him, and the squares
were as evenly laid as if coming
from the practiscd hand and eye of a
mechanic. He was proud of his
work, and early the next morning
FASTENED to show it to his father.
"Whcrc did you ever see such
things, sir?" was the stern question
and the next moment his beautiful
work was consigned to the flames.
Tears filled the eyes of the boy as
he answered.: 81 saw them at Mr.
Kent's, and they all play them, too
Mr.. Kent and ALL"
Il am surprised that Mr.. Kent
should allow such things about his
house. But that's no matter. There
shall be none about mine. I'll buy
youa new book about birds and ami
mails" added Mr.. Griffith, 4 little
more softly, as he saw the child's sor
row.
81 hate books" said Charlie, EN-
phatically, "and l wish you wonldn''
ever buy me another" and the boy
went out of the room in an ungra
ciOus mood.
Five years later. Deacon Griffith
sits in his warm, pleasant sitting
room in much the same attitude as
when we first saw him. His wife
sits quietly by, engaged in some
necdlework. The house is very still
No noisy, restless boy disturbs them:
still, there is something indefinable
in the atmosphere Of the room. The
deacon is nervous; his wife thought
ful, yet neither disturbs the other
until the silence is broken by the
town clock striking the hour of ten
Then the deacon folds up his paper
and says: "Ten o'clock, and Charlie
not in. l declare, Margaret, he
grows worse and WORSE"
With true mother-instinct she re
plies: "Charlie is not bad, l think
but he loves a change, and it is dull