Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-02-04


doctor and John, who often banded to-
gether to do good.
According to the story which Harry told
to his kind protectors, while sitting on his
stool between them at the fi1eside, one
evening, it appeared that his father had
become, shortly after marriages. drunkard
and gambler. He used to absent himself
from home frequently for many days, and
would, when he returned, beat his wife,
and otherwise treat her cruelty. At last
his property was seized by his creditors,
and he fled, no one knew whittier, leaving
his wife and child to the tender mercy OF
the world.
The poor deserted wife had neither
friends nor relations. She thought if she
could but make her way to London, she
might find some employment She started on
foot, along with her son. to the great city,
selling her gold watch and chain in town
ON the road to get money with which to
pay for food and lodings, ''and," said Har-
ry, as he concluded the melancholy tale,
81 brought the last penny of the money to
your shop, good kind Mr.. Thurgood, and
good, kind Mrs. Thurgood," and saying
this, he laid his head in Margery's lap and
wept.
In the lapse of years Harry rose from er-
rand boy to chief assistant in the shop of
the kindly old grocer. His highest pleas
ure Was, when the hours of business were
at an end for the day, to sit beside his kind
protectors. by the Preside in Winter, on in
the little arbor, and read the Bible to them.
or talk about the event of the days gone
by. While old John listened to the voice
he loved so we'll, pang of fear would
sometimes for an instant touch his heart.
1t was the dread that ''his boy''-though
Harry was entering upon manhood, he was
be torn from his side. Oh, that he could
only have looked into the future and seen
that his fears were groundless!
n Il X
Ten years have passed away, and again
it is Christm as Eve. In order to wish his
customers the compliments of the season,
John has-rare thing now-taken his place
behind the counter. He has enough to do.
Everybody will shake hands with the sill
ver-haired old man, and everybody will
son.
A man enters the shop who holds not
forth his hand, and speaks no words Of joy
Gus greeting. He is about middle age, and
has the appearance of a shabby gentee1 beg
gar; Harry asks him how he can be served.
81 am clerk out of employment, :"
whines the man, land have not tasted
food since morning. Look, sir, at these
documents, and they will tell you that I
speak the TRUTH
Had it been any other time, Harry would
have given the beggar copper or two and
troubled himself no more about him; but
being the eve of Christmas, he, busy as he
was, took the packet. He ran his eye over
the papers. 1t was sufficient.
The man who stood before him was his
father. Harry wrote few lines on piece
of paper which he gave to him, saying:
"Take that to the coffee-room as adj
dressed, where you will be provided with
food, and remain there till come"
The man, with stare of establishment,
took the note and left the shop. AS soon
as the shop was closed, Harry told John of
his discovery.
''Do not bring him. said John, ''lest
might say unkind things to him; do not
upbraid him, for it is dreadful thing for
son to speak like a condemning Judge to
father. Sperk to him gently. Tell him
that God is long suffering; that Jesus died
for sinners, no matter how deeply sunk in
iniquity; tell him that while there is life
there is hope. IF he shows any signs of
true penitence, tell him from me, that /
shall introduce him to friend Of mine, a
merchant in London, into whose office
he will be RECEIVED as clerk, and will be
retained as long as he conducts himself
WE'LL"
Who shall attempt to describe the meet
ing of father and son? While the joyous
bells were ringing forth welcome to the
Christmas morn, Robert and Harry Flem-
ing stood by the mothers grave, and when
the tears of the prodigal husband fell on
the snow-covered mound, there was JOY in
the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that had repented.
Robert Fleming may be seen any day be-
hind his desk in Leadland Street. He has
been in the situation twelve years, and en-
lows the esteem and confidence of his en-
| ployers.
John Thurgood died in the ripeness of
years, and the silver hairs, that had been a
crown of highest honor to him, were laid
in the grave. Margery did not long sur
wye him.
On each returning Sunday, as Harry and
his wife-he has been married three years
take their way through the burying
ground to the church, he pauses before
three little mounds of earth that rise side
by side, and blesses God for giving him a
mother who taught his infant lips to pray,
and for sending him in his orphanhood
kind protectors, who had installed into his
youthful heart lessons of piety; ever keep
ing before him the precepts of the Apostle,
LET no man despise thy youth; but be
thou an example of the believers in word,
in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in
faith, in purity"
THE Boys RooM.-We wish especially to
urge upon mothers the propriety of giving
up to the boys, as soon as they reach the
age of twelve or fourteen, one room mot a
bed chamber) for whose reasonably good
order they shall be responsible, and which
they shall consider wholly their own. The
floor shall be uncarpeted, of oiled wood
the furniture of the same material. Lei
it be papered, curtained, decorated accord
ing to the boys own fancy if the taste il
- 4ko,, ..,;Il no ;ntoraotod aftor q xubilf