The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-04-22

reading, and that there was a troubled
expression on his c~ountenance. He did
not raise his eyes from the paper when
he heard returning footsteps, but he list
ened very intently, and he knew that
Philip stole softly and hurriedly to the
back end of the hall and opened the
chamber door before he came over to the
sitting room. A look of relief came into
his face and he Strengthened up as if a
great burden had been lifted from him.
He had no doubt but that the bundle of
clothing had been brought up from the
oat-bin and left on the chamber stairs till
Philip should go to bed. That is what
he hoped his boy would do when he
asked him to come around by the barn
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.. Dexter's door for Clinton, the next
morning, just as the sun was peeping
over the hills. 1t was as delightful a
September morning as they could desire.
AS soon as they were on the road, Mr..
Raymond said:
CHOW, boys, you mustkeep your eyes
open-see all there is to be seen, and get
all the enjoyment out of going that you
Al We don't have holidays very often,
and we must make the most of them.
Philip and 1 have worked pretty hard
lately, and 1 guess, Clinton, that you
have. 1 believe a play-day will do us
all good. I made up my mind this
morning, to leave all my cares and bust
ness behind me for once; so you need
have no fears if you talk to each other
all you please, and ask me as many ques-
tions a. you wish, that it will disturb
me at ALL"
Mr.. Raymond spared no pains to have
the boys enjoy their first trip to Hart
ford. He called their attention to every
thing hat he thought would interest
them on the way. He told them who
owned such and such a farm when he was
a boy what the land was worth an acre
then, and what was its market value now
who built this house and that ; and ne
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 in them ; he went with them to
the Atheneum and spent an hour with
them there.
Sometimes Philip looked at his father
In dumb bewilderment and wondered if
they were really in Hartford OF if it were
all a dream. How social and interesting
his father was He felt as if he never
was acquainted with him before. What a
delightful time he would 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, sometimes he was afraid
that he saw guilt tinge his c~ountenance.
If he could only get up the courage he
would confess the whole to his father and
implore his 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 event of the past twenty
four hours together, and they were both
very decidedly of the opinion that they
had had a very narrow and providential
escape from committing a very disgrace
full act /; and they both agreed, after a
little discussion on that point, that they
would never divulge to a human being
that they had ever dreamed of running
away.
1t was about half-past nine when Philip
drove the heifer into his fathers barn
yard. After he had his supper his father
asked him to step out to the shed and
get the 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 IN a fly leaf
Presented to Philip G. Raymond, on
his fifteenth birthday, by his affectionate
father, Peter Raymond" And then,
without closing the book, he passed it tc
Philip.
Philip could bear no more. The tear
that had come to his eyes twenty times
during the day, and as many times had
been forced back, now overAewed his
eyelids and ran down his cheeks. He
stammered
"You are too kind to me, father. ]
do not deserve this"
"Don't deserve it, Philip !" exclaimed
Mr.. Raymond, with much apparent sur
prise. 81 think you'd better leave tina
to my Judgment. 1 should like to know
what boy does deserve kindness from hii
father, if you don't2 If l had q dozer
sons l could not ask them to be more
faithful and industrious than you havt
been. There, there don't shed any
tears ove it-you're tired-better go t.
bed as soon as you can, SO as 10 feel fresl
in the morning. If it's a good day to
morrow we must secure that rowen."
"Thank you, father, Philip said, witt
a quivering voice, and went ~immediatel,
up stairs. If he had been a little les
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 hi
father brush'a tear or two from his owl
eyes.
Henceforth there was no lack of con
faence, sympathy and affection between
MI. Raymond and Philip and by reasol
|. of a private interview that Mr.. Raymont
had with Clinton Dexter's father, Gin
toms home life was much more agreeabl
than heretofore.
Philip has always looked back to hi
!, fifteenth birthday as a remarkable epocl
in his life and he never ceased-unti
his aged father recently visited him AM
, heard him speak rather harshly to hi
own little son-to marvel this wonderfu
r change that came over his father, him
self, or both, at that time. Then hi
, father took him aside and told him tn
whole story, and cautioned him agains
| growing into the habit of speaking tina
way to his children.
"Always remember, Philip" he said
. "that c~rustiness and harshness are n
more agreeable to a child's feelings tha
they are to a grown persons ; and tina
, they are more likely to lead any one on
of the right path than into it ; and tha
, they never will FORGET love-