St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-07-02

hold up his hand. | do : and held up
mine. They looked at one another
then one held his up. \ little mass OF
rags. with only one shoe. and little
grimIv face. half hidden III Il shock OF
hair, scarcely confined by an old bat
tered hat with no rim. held up Ills
dnty little hand. 1t was il touching
sight. One and another followed. till
all the hands. just twelve i'll number.
were up.
Then | said slowly. .lou all wish to
love him. Now. dcaI boys. hear what
he saws to those who love him If We
love me. keep my commandments
few words followed to show what this
meant for Mem, and then | walked
straight up to him who had first held
his hand up. and. holding ont mine
said shake hands on it, that You
rW promise me to try To keep his COM
mlndmrmtS.' Without any delay. the
little black hand was put III mine. and
| shook it hard. saving. God bless yon.
80 went round To all.
This done, | said, Where are you
going to sleep tonight. lads !!
"'Don't know sir. cried they all.
You can get bed for two for two
pence. can You
".lcS, sin
"'IIavc YOU had any supper ,
No sir
"'Well, choose one among NOu. and
! will give him three shillin9S and that
will get YOU each il bed and penny
loaf
After little talk anon. themselves.
the biggest WAS showed forward, and
twitching off his cap. stood in front of
me.
so YOU are the honest one. are
Won , | said, putting my hand on his
shoulder. Then gave him the three
ShillingS, and said. Good night. Re
member beer nor tobacco !; only
bread and bed for each
.'They had stood around me in the
rain Il full quarter of an hour 81 twenty
minutes without one jest or blaSphemy.
OF one improper word. Every now and
then passenger had stopped, but had
gone ON again without disturbing us.
it Iancd 50 hand. ~ to the three shil-
ln"S. | knew they were safe.
About three weeks after this occur
renee. WAS going under st. Clement
Danes archvay. y little raggcd->chool
Shochlack was kmcelimg at one side.
After the customary Clean Nour boots,
/ sir , to my aStomi>hmrnt he made Il
dive forward. and stood. chuckling and
grinniug with delight. right in front of
me and the friend with whom | WIS
walking. The boys eyes were really
running over with pleasure but had
not the dimme>t notion who he WAS.
| There he stood. making respectful
scoops with his hand. duckin" aud
smiling 1T me in Il way that was almost
embarrassing 81 said
"'Well. my boy. You seem t" know
me. and who are you
"'PlcaSr. sir. I'm jack
"'Jack ! Jack who "
"'Only Jack. sir. please, sin.
''.All AZ once it flashed across me who
/ the lad Wa>.
81 remember you now said: have
You tiled Ia keep y"ur promise to love
the Lord Jesus. and show how much
You love him 10y ohryin% him >
".lc>. sir. | have. indeed | have he
answered. with great carncstucSs.
Il WAS delighted. and | stopped and
talked To him Il little. making an eX
cu>e 10y letting him clean my shoes.
"'Can You read. Jack , asked.
"'lcs. sir; not over well. but | can
make shift to spell out Il page
Would You like Il Testament OF
your own. where You could read for
Yourself the story told you the other
night ,
NO answer. but IN odd sound. half
II chucklr of happiness. half Il choke of
emotion ut the bare idea. There WIS
.,I,,,IIt th. l.,I 'I'l.. ,li,t
little thief had set his face hravrnward.
/ lie did NOT know much. hut if he had
only learned to say. Lord, remember
me. WAS there not Il worse thief than
he. who WIS in NO wise east ont
- Srr Nuu would like il. Jack ::
come I" my rooms Tomorrow. at half
past four o'clock. and You shall have
one. Here is the address. g"od-hy.
$50 Nou have been ont into the
highways and hedges. compelling them
to come in. have You , said my friend.
We'll, it WIS sinners that Jesus Christ
came To call t" repentance.
"ENactlN At half-pa>l four on the
morrow. came one modest. eager tap ut
the door. Ia walked Jack at my sum
mons. He had been to- pump. poor
fellow. and washed himself not clean.
but >trraky. lie had pllStcrcd his halr
down mcckly. in honor of his visit.
There WAS nothing romantic about him
he WAS quite ugly. and. had it not been
for Il humble. rrlentamt. mmIelN appeal
in" look. would have been rcpulSi>e.
/ That he WAS not to me. and 50 | shook
hands with him, and said WAS glad Ia
see him. and made him come and sit by
me.
"Jack. why do YOU want il Testa-
ment ,
ITO read about him YOU told lis OF.
said hc shortly.
"'WhN do NOu want to read about
him ! because Nou love him. is it ,
".Jack nodded once. There WAS no
hesitation. no doubt about the matter
not whit.
"'Why do Nou love him !
',Jack was quite silent. His little
ordinary features worked. his eyes
twinkIed. his Soilcd blouse hcavcd. All
at once he dropped his head on the
table. >ohbing as if his heart would
break
"''Cause they killed him gasped
poor Jack.
1T WAS with some difficulty | kept
from tears. The fcrvent belief i'll the
death of the Lord. the deep conviction
that it was for him. and that he did in
no way deserve it-otten hid from the
wise and prudent had melted this
poor little wandering heart a> it never
had been melted before.
Il let him cry till his SohS became
less frequent. aud then | read him some
passages. from st. Johns gospel. the
one that seems peculiarly to suit the
low. the poor and the unlcarnrd. Then
| talked To him of what WAS filling his
own heart. the exceeding great love of