Middletown transcript., 1874-07-04


one of the poor Of the congregation, who
had dolorous tale to tell Of hard times
at home, and Of his rheumatism, and his
wifes ehills and fever.
Relieved, with some small change and
large bundle Of tracts, this good man
was about to depart, when a thought
seemed to strike him, and he turned to-
ward the pastor, opened his mouth, shut
it again, and was about to pass through
the door, when the clergyman said:
Well, Watkins 2"
And he came to halt again.
. l suppose in ant mono O. my bust
ness" he said. q But | kinder felt I'd
order tell"
" Do as your conscience prompts you,
Watkins" said the clergyman.
Yes, sir" said Watkins. But,
you SEQ may be you wont thank me-
Other folks affairs you see. Your'n you
know, sir. So, there, it's out"
g Mine? :" cried Mr.. Holbrook.
Yes" said MIR. Watkins, your'n
sir 'Tan't 50 very bad, only l don't
think you'd like your young gentleman
for to 60 careering about with the Gregg
boys. Their father drinks, and I won't
mention their mother; and then to see
him arm in arm with 'em buying gunpow-
der at old Dixie Decker's and playing
whats'er name-dang it oh, bagertelle,
behind the shop for drinks of ginger beer |!
Why, l didn't think you'd like it, sir"
Like it," cried Holbrook. Wat.
kins come back into the study. There
wait minute; let me collect myself
When did you see my son at that horrible
place? The man who keeps it is the
worst man in town! You saw him there
with the Gregg boys When? 2"
Only this morning." said Watkins,
Ill 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 in strap, and it was long
after school opened They brought lots
of eatables and gunpowder and things, and
they hired old Decker's boat and went out
into it. broke an oar and had to pay for
it. They spent five dollars altogether
leastways | heard old Decker say So
Five dollars-them three boys. Well,
felt I'd orter tell"
"Thank you Watkins" said the cler-
gyman, sadly. q 1t is bitter news but
you have done your duty"
And Watkins departed, leaving his pas
tor alone with bis thoughts.
Five minutes after he had gone the cler-
gyman's son, flushed with cxcrtion and
excitement, opened the front door and ran
up stairs to his own room. Ere he reach
ed it, his fathers voice sounded through
the house
Edward! Como here"
Edward obeyed.
He came into the study slowly, and be-
hind him followed his mother, with face
that denoted her premonition of coming
scene.
+" Hester" said Mr. Holbrook, /" since
you are 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
father, swinging his strap of books to and
fro uneasily. He was a handsome brown
fellow, with gypsy eyes and curly blacl,
hair. One of those boys on whom nature
seems to have stamped ..Rover" from the
first
"You have been playing truant to-day
Edward said the father.
"Oh, no." cried the mother.
Eyes" said the boy; II won't lie about
it, sir, have"
"With those young fends, the Gregg
boys" said the clergyman. "Y You were
at the drinking shop of that old infdel,
Dixie Decker. You spent a great deal oi
money there. Five dollars, perhaps"
"Yes," said the boy; II believe we
did,"
"And you stole that money from me
before you went, as you pretended, to the
school. You stole it from the treasury
of the Lord, though, perhaps, yeu did moi
know that. 1t was given to me for the
church by one who could i'll afford to lose
it, and you stole that"
"Sir!" cried the boy; "stole it II
steal from you, or any one? Oh, father,
how can you say such things ?"
Il have given you no money, nor has
your mother, | know said the clergy.
man. 81 missed the money after you left
home. You have spent similar sum.
will not tempt you to falsehood by asking
you to explain. l only tell you this. Con-
fess and prove yourself penitent, and
will kneel down and pray with you for for
giveness. Refuse to admit your guilt,
and l will fog you as long as I have
strength to lift the whip. | will not spare
the rod and spoil the child God would
not hold me guiltless if l did,"
The mother, who was weeping bitterly,
hid her face in the sofa cushions. The
boy, flushing scarlet, drew closer to his
father.
"Father," he said humbly, ~ know il
seems as if I took it, but | did not.
would not do SO vile thing. Let mo tel
you the truth. I saw the note on the ta-
BILE and | left it there, of course. wen,
to school as usual. l meant to go, and
on the way met Tom Gregg; and as We
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