Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-10-18

The Confession.
Bert wasin trouble. His father was away,
but was coming home in day or two and
it seemed that one Of the first things he
would hear must be bad news of his boy.
couple of days before some Of the school
boys had begun teasing poorly-dressed little
girl, and had kept on, from one thing to
another until the child's clothes were torn
and she was thrown down aud hurt. And
now it was said that she was sick and her
father was very angry aud threatened to
| have the boys arrested, and Bert was one Of
| them. lie was sitting in his room up stairs,
1 trying TO think how he could manage this
bad case and keep his father from being SO
/ disappointed in him.
While he was thinking there was a rap at
1 the door and his uncle came in. Now, Bert
was rather afraid OF Uncle John, for he had
talked pretty plainly to him about some Of
| his mischief. But now it seemed that he
must speak TO somebody, aud, hard as it was,
be had soon given his uncle an account OF
his troubles.
Yes, yes. bad case, indeed, said Uncle
John "a little girl going about her bust
ness, doing no harm to anybody, and mob
Of great boys, any one of them three times
as strong as she, setting upon her, black
guarding, pulling, pushing and abusing, nm
til she is hurt and frightened into sickness
And Herbert Bronson one of the leaders in
such a noble game"
" Oh, no, uncle 20 exclaimed Bert. eagerly
" Jim and Bob began it, and ! was led into
it, I'm sure | shouldn't have done it, il il
hadn't been for them"
" Led into it, said Uncle John " led int,
it; believe this is not the first mis-
chief you have been in, in the same com
pany"
= "No," said Bert family; mother say
: if was away from them should do better
MAYBE so but what kind of a man vii
you make if you are going to bee led int
whatever an evil companion chooses to hav
4 YOU do Jim and Bob, we will say, wan
e you TO play truant, rob orchards. aud bull
{ those who are too weak to resist. By-and.by
they. or somebody else, will want you T.
drink and gamble with them, and then +
b steal. Must you be led into ~ If SO, yo
are bound for prison anyway, and | don
4 know but you may as well 60 now"
go, uncle said Bert "cau't you d
something to help me
, Probably | could, if could get you t
G change your course | wish You had bee
made with backbone, and not like toad q
+ a caterpillar, or like a quart Of water, whic
IS takes the shape of any dish it happens to h
d. put into. 1t sickens me TO think Of i
What were you doing while they were leac
ing you into the mcanest kind of mischief
" Besides there were VIII and Ned-wha
\ were they doingY"
"They said it was a shame" owned Der
b. " and the boys stopped once but began agai
~ after they were gone
And you were so easily led how is
! that they did not lead you ont Of III Don
you see it was because Bert Bronson rds
20 he side Of the meameSs and rordyism !"
n Bert had no answer for this question, bl
IF he asked again: "What can do, now Il
ID thing is done Can't you tell me SON
thing 2"
!, yes, can tell you something. Go rigl
A TO Mr.. Green, and tell him you were one
!. the boys who hurt his little girl, and tn
h YOU are sorry, and will do anything you ca
TX to remedy your mischief If you will {
u that, will try to smooth matters with hin
,e and think we can keep things from gcttir
Is any worse than they are now"
Of But that's awful hard, Uncle" whin,
Bert.
Hard should hope so. don't wal
,e you 10 find confession so easy that you c3
n. get right over IL, and be ready for the ne,
IN time. hope you will have an experien,
er you will remember. Now, if you accept n
IN offer, you can't be off too soon on your
u rand. But do not try to lay the blame
.. somebody else Own up your own fault Ill
y, a man, or, at least, like boy there is hol
k of making man OF"
er Bert groaned, and looked around as il f
some escape but his uncle gave him
r. further encouragement, and, after a few mi