New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-12

Mr. Dexter was always ready to Obligt
his neighbor Raymond, and he cheerfully
gave his consent TO Clinton's going, Gin
ton didn't know what to make of this sud
den turn of Affairs. As he went with PhiliI
to the door, he whispered:
What's up, Phil2 What has happened
Has your father found out anything
Not a thing-not thing Philip hur
riedly whispered back. You don't sup
pose, Clint, he'd be taking US to Hartford
tomorrow. if he did! It's all right, but it,.
the strangest thing that ever happened
I'll tell you all about it to-morrow-can'i
stay long enough now.
MIR. Raymond took up newspaper and
bowed his head over it when his son started
tor Mr., Dexters; bat if his wife had OBJ
served him closely, she would have seen
that he did very little reading, and that there
was troubled expression on his c0unte
nance. He did not raise his eyes from the
paper when be heard returning footsteps
but he listened very intently, and he knew
that Philip stole softly and hurriedly to the
back end of the hall, and opened the cham
Der door before he came over to the sitting
room. A look OF relief came into his face,
aud he Strengthened up as if great burden
had been lifted from him. He had 20 doubt
but that bundle of clothing had been
brought up from the oat bin and left on the
ehambe stairs until Philip should go to bed
That is what he hoped his boy would do
when he asked him 10 come around by the
arm and get the halter. He had no further
fear that he would attempt to give him the
slip that night.
Mr.. Raymond and Philip rode up to Mr..
Dexters door for Clinton the next morning,
1t was as delightful September morning as
they could desire AS soon as they were On
the road Mr.. Raymond said:
Now, boys, yea must keep your eyes
oper-see all that is TO be seen and get all
the enj oyment out OF going that you can.
We don't have holidays very often. and We
must make the most of them when we do
have them. Philip and have worked pretty
hard lately, and guess, Clinton, that you
have. | believe play day will do US all
good. | made up NY mind this morning t.
try and leave all MY cares and business be-
hind me for once; SO you need have no fear
if you talk to each other all you please, and
ask me as many questions as you wish, that
1t will disturb me st all
1t did not escape Mr.. Raymond's observa-
ton that his remarks caused the lads to
glance at each other in blank astonishment,
and it cut Kim to the quick. What kind
of a father have | BEEN he asked himself.
mot to be ao.e TO speak few civil and kind
words to my son without having it received
with such surprise! Poor boy! Wonder,
pleasure, guilt and grief are all depicted in
his countenance, to day. Ather this, with
Gods help, Ill so manage that he'll never
doubt my loving him-never plan to run
away from his fathers house again.
Mr.. Raymond spared no pains to have the
boys enjoy their first 0p to HARTFORD. He
called their attention to everything that he
thought would Interest them on the way.
He told them who owned such and such
farm when he was a boy; what the land
was worth an acre then, and what was the
~. nft1A hail
and that, and pointed out where General
was born. and where Hon. - lived
till he went to college. He was no less
painstaking when they got to the city. He
took them past Trinity College, the State
House, the High School; he pointed out the
different churches and told them who
preached i'll them; he went with them to the
Athenaum and spent an hour with them
there.
Sometimes Philip looked at his father in
dumb bewilderment, aad wondered if they
really were in Hartford, or if it were all
dream. How social and interesting his
father was He felt as if he never was &C.
quainted with him before What delight
ful time he should have had if he had not
been planning to do so mean a thing. If
his father knew it, how he would despise
him; he looked at him SO earnestly, some
times he was afraid that he saw guilt tinge
his countenance. If he could only get up
the courage, he would confess the whole to
his father and lmplore forgiveness.
Thus the day wore away, and Philip was
not sorry when it was time to start for
home. After Mr.. Raymond left the lads to
follow on with the heifer, they talked over
the events OF the past twenty-tour hours
together, and they were both very decided.
ly of the opinion that they had a very mar
row and providential escape from commit
ting disgracetul act; and they both agreed,
after little discussion on that point, that
they would never divu!ge to human being
that they had ever dreamed of running
away.
1t was half-past nine when Fhlip drove
the heller into his fathers BARNARD. After
he had his supper his father asked him to
step out to the shed and get package that
was under the wagon seat When he
brought it Mr.. Raymond opened it and took
from it ''Webster's Unabridged Dictionary"
and sat down to his desk and wrote on the
ay-leaf:
Presented to Philip c. Raymond, on his
fifteenth birthday, by his affectionate father,
ing the book he passed it to Philip
Philip could bear no more. The tears
that had come to his eyes twenty times
during the day, and as many times had been
forced back, now overhowed his eyelids and
ran down his cheeks. He stammered
"Iou are too kind to me, father. do not
deserve this
Don't deserve it, Philip" exclaimed Mr..
Raymond, with much apparent surprise.
II think that you'd better leave that to NV
Judgment l should like to know what boy
deserves kindness from his father if you
don't. If l had dozen sons l could not
ask them to be more faithful and industri-
Gus than you have been. There, there
don't shed any tears over it-you're tried
better go to bed as soon as you can, so az to
feel fresh in the morning. If it's good day
tomorrow, we must secure that rOwen."
Thank you, father" Philip said with a
4uivering voice, and went Immediately up
stairs. 1t he had been little less overcome
himself he would have noticed that his
fathers voice was slightly shaky, and if he
had looked back as he passed out of the
door he would have seen his father brush a
tear or two from his own eyes.
HencefOrth there was no lack of con-
fidence, sympathy and affection bet ween Mr..
Raymond and Philip; and by reason of
private interview that Mr. Raymond had
with Clinton Dexter's father, Clinton's home
life was much more agreeable than hereto
fore.
Philip always looked back to his fifteenth
birthday as remarkable epoch in his life;
and he never ceased-until his aged father
vigted him, and heard him speak
rather harshly to his own little son-t0 mar
vel at the wonderful change that came over
bis father, himself, or both, at that time.
Then he took him aside and told him the
story, and cautioned him against growing
INTO the habit of speaking that way to his
children.
always remember Philip" said he, chat
crustiness and harshness are NO more agree.
able to child's feelings than they are to q
grown pers0u's and they are more likely to