Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-07-06
DARKNESS AND LIGHT.

~ cave the house Instantly You are no
son vi mine from this time. will not har-
Dor one who has thus degraded himself, and
disappointed me-
Hard words were these from the lips of
any one still harder from those Of father.
Mr.. John Phillips was a proud man-proud
of himself, of his family, of the reputation
| he had acquired for honesty and upright
dealing, and Of the notice he received from
people who were just step further up the
! ladder of fortune than himself. To increase
| his wealth and consequence, he had ground
down his family to the most pitifu and pinch
! ing straits in private, to atone for eXpendi-
! lures to meet the public gaze with show OF
riches, that honestly belonged to his wife and
children for their ordinary comfort.
His eldest boy was placed in a store where
| there were many other clerks. Young Phil
| lips scanty clothing, his evident destitulion
of money! even to Withholding penny from
| poor child when others gave freely, accord
! and the lads sometimes touched the sorest
place in Samuel Phillips heart, by reproach-
| ing him with sordidness.
One day-a cold, wintry day-a little girl.
shivering and pale, came into the store. Her
wan blue look touched his heart with pity
He had money in his hand, but it was not his
own. How could he send her away? He
thrust two glittering half-dollars into her
hand and bade her 60 and buy some wood.
The money he thought could be replaced !;
but he was watched by another lad who was
glad of an opportunity to disgrace him, an
when the cash sales were made up that night,
young Carroll reported that the missing dol
lar was taken by Samuel Phillips.
The boys bushes and confusion, as he
tried to make an honest statement of the case,
were taken for guilt: and note to his father,
which he was obliged to take home from his
employer, distinctly told that Mr. Sampson
no longer wished to employ person in his
store who had been guilty of stealing.
In his first passion Mr.. Phillips uttered the
above words to his son. In vain he pleaded
why he did it. Perhaps the excuse embodied
more sin in his fathers eyes than the deed
itself. To givea dollar to beggar! What
an enormity! And then, that John Phillips
son should outrage his fathers good name!
parents affection. Samuel took him at his
word and that very night, in the cold and
darkness, the boy set off, making his first
step into the unknown future of his life.
Had his father but believed him, pointed
out what was wrong in his act, and forgave
him for its mixture of good, his son might
never have sinned again. His pride and
cruelty sent him forth a wandere, distrusting
all, holding in his heart a root of bitterness
which might turn his whole life to gall
When the family was aroused to the con-
viction the next morning, thai Samuel Phil
lips was actually gone, MIR. Phillips tried to
sooth the distressed mother with the thought
that he had only disappeared for time, and
would soon be with them again, glad enough
to return and ask pardon for his conduct
He did not tell her with what wild andunforgiv-
ing words he had driven him away.
Years passed away. No tidings came of
the fugitive. The mother, yearning for her
first born, dropped and died and the only
remaining son soon afterwards was drowned.
Two daughters married and went away, and
Mr.. Phillips was left alone It was not pos
sible that conscience did not sometimes bring
back the image of that poor boy, as he stood
trembling that night under the weight of bis
first crime. A crime, too, committed under
the influence of the best feelings, and with
full intention of of repairing. But pride kept
up his Indignation against his SON and in
stead of plying him for being castaway,
he only pitied himself for not being able to
keep up the family name.
Atlastth came a day when even Mr.. Phil
lips proud spirit was crushed. More than
the loss of his wife and children, did this trial
bow him to the earth. Loss after loss had
come to him in his business, until at length
be was obliged to give up all into the hands
of bis creditors. He surrendered everything
house and household goods, not even taking |
the benefit which the law allowed him. Yet |
there were not wanting some among the in |
jured who openly asserted their belief that |
Mr. Phillips had actually saved money by the |
operation, and even cited his utter relinquish- |
ment of all his visible property as proof |
that he was re;nunerated by that which was
Unseen.
His friends forsook him; one by one drop
oing off, unable to vOuch for his innocence.
His health failed, and even if it had not, he
could not have witnessed the public sale
which was now announced of his household
reasures.
He had tortured himself by throwing into
lis creditors hands even little trifing memen-
oes of the past-litcrally leaving everything
n his house, save his own clothing and his
private desk, which, whatever others thought,
contained little but family letters, and the
immature Of little child, with curl of
Oden hair at the back of the locket That
h;ld Oh, if he could but now recall the
'ast If he had but spoken kindly and for
ivingly, that child might now have been near
D save his grey hairs from shame and dis
ace.
There was, as we have said, public SALE
comprised the store and household goods,
nd included valuable horse, which Mrs.
'hillps' failing health had induced him to
uy, and which he would not part with after
er death. The man had a tender spot in his
cart after all. His first question, when the
IAN who had been his clerk came into his
oitary room st boarding house, the night !
fter the sale was:- {
ssWhO hOurht Fleetwood -, s