Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-09-02
Poor Robert. it was all over with

him.
| Minutes passed away-they seem
ed hours to us-and then there was
a noise at our door. 1t opened and
admitted the two step-aunts-Miss
Lucretia and Miss Penelope They
| looked rigid, austere,. and boding i'll.
They beckoned solemnly to Robert.
He arose. and walked between them.
There was no fear expressed in his
face, hut he looked worn and wretch
ed. Jenny and I followed, and thus,
in awful state we proceeded to the
tribunal.
The door of the old library stood
open, as if awaiting our entrance.
As we passed in Roberts head sank
lower upon his breast, while Jenny
and l walked with downcast eyes.
We felt that we we're in the dreaded
presence and we did not wish to be-
hold it.
There wss breathless pause, then
a round, mellow, beautiful voice, full
of sweetness, broke the silence.
'How is this? Robert my boy,
what's thematterw
Thought that. all at once, a tide
Of blossoms, and fragrance, andsun-
shine had burst into the grim old
library. Robert lifted up his face
and downcast eyes, So did Jenny,
and so did I. In the center of the
apartment, on the old fashioned hair
lounge, sat Godfather Vivian. No
tall, grim, unfeeling guardian. No
stern, implaeable, unforgiving ogre.
But hale, healthy parsonage, in the
prime of life, with beautiful, be-
nign countenance, and tender, peace
full blue eyes.
A single streak of sunlight which
was playing on the wall glanced now
and then across his grayish brown
hair and white, unwrinkled brow.
Robert stood before him, his hair
tossed aside from his face. which
now wore reassured, grateful look
The step-aunts seated themselves, up
right and gloomy, one on either
side.
'Mr. Vivian" said Miss Lucretia, |
by way of preface, "a circumstance
like this has never happened in my
family. l consider my sisters memo
ry disgraced by this objectionable ac-
tion which her step-son has commit |
ted"
:Mr. VIVIAN" continued Miss
Penelope, "a Marchmnunt never
would have perpetrated an act 50
unworthy of his ancestors"
$50 on; Robert" said the mellow
voice, mildly, 'tell me all-tell every |
thing"
"Yes, yes, 60 on" repeated Miss
Lucretia, with acrimony. "Be ex-
plicit, and don't lie"
Roberts face flushed, his dark
eyes glanced passionately, and he hit
his lip as r. To suppress his just an
ger. Then he became subdued again,
and sorrowful.
"Godfather VIVIAN" he began, but
broke down at these words. Then
he rallied and went on, remorsefully,
but bravely.
"For sometime past, in going to my
place of employ, l have been in the
habit of dropping In to visit n poor
family who live in that vicinity. The
family consists of drunken father,
mother, and crippled child. While
| had little money to spare, besides
what l invested and what | spent in
pastimo, l gave it to the poor woman
for the sake of her child.
''For week past the child has lain
very ill-almost at the point of death.
During her sufferings, her constant
desire has been for fruit - for
oranges-which her mother was un
able to supply with her scanty means.
Yesterday, while l stood by the bed
side, her pleadings were heartrend-
ing, and l almost cried because l
could net give them to her. l had
spent foolishly the little pocket mon
ey / had, and there was no more to
he procured until the next month.
:.All the way to my empl0yer's I
thought about it, and half the day it
haunted me. In the afternoon l en-
tered the counting room for some ar
ticle. The apartment was empty, no
one was near, and upon the desk lay
few bright silver pieces. Tempta-
tion was before me. ! thought OF
the sick he'd of the little child, with
it's parchcd lips and piteous cry. !
E,,Txof ,uhot 7 hoH oo,na for and x-of |
fingered in the room. IF ! took the |
money, l could easily replace it again.
Only one month, and then would
replace it all, perhaps more than I
took. Then something whispered to
me, oh, Robert, don't stealp' and 1
started at my own thoughts. ! tried
to say my prayers, hut had fargatten
them, ! glanced involuntarily at the
money, and said, Our Father but it
wouldn't do"
Here Robert broke down again,
and covered his face with his hands.
Somebody sobbed. 1t wasn't Robert,
nor Miss Lucretia, nor her sister. IL
wasn't Jenny, either, although she
was weeping silently, 1t was God
father Vivian. HIS face was covered
with his white handkerchief, and his
breast heaved with emotion.
Robert continued, shading his eyes
with his hand:
81 left the counting-room, not as l
had entered few moments before.
There was great weight on my
heart, and I felt no longer fearless
and honest, but tremhled at a sound.
1 hurried away from the place of my
temptation. / bought the oranges,
and carried them to the sick bedside.
The mother gave me blessing, but
it sounded more like curse. nev-
er, never could be upright and honest |
again. | was sunk in nv own esteem.