Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-30

talk of better things. Let us talk o
God"
Code" he repeats, with Il look o
wonder.
Can it be you have not heard. of God?'
i" I've heard" Dick replies, "you bet
when itrains, it's god-dam wet; and wher
it shines, it's god-dam hot; and when thc
boys don't get their money regular, it's ,
god-dam shame"
The lady stands aghast before this awfu
Ignorance. He only knows the name o
God in curSeSi
Wicked men take His name in vain
Dick" she says. "God made this world
and I'LL that is in it. God is all that is
good and merciful. God sent His only
son to save u.s."
" He didn't save me much," is the Rats
commentary.
g." He will save your soul, Dick. He call
ed little children 10 Him and welcomed
them to Heaven"
" Was that afore the war;" asks Dick,
gavely.
" Long. long before the war;"
"Well, things has got mixed since then.
Amt He coming no moreP"
=" It's no use, Jennie" said her husband.
who had followed her into the cabin and
overheard Dicks struggles with his first
lessons in divinity. "These things can
not be taught all at once"
"Ohl but it seems so TERRIBLE" she
cries; and he dying! If could only
teach him to say prayerm
"And do you really think that repeat
ing form of words, which he would not
understand, could do any good" asks her
husband. " Let me try if can rouse II
thought to work upon" So Mr.. Austen
takes his wife's place at the head of the
cot.
"Dick," says he, "the doctors tell me
that unless there comes some change-and
they don't much expect any-before night.
you must die"
"Will it hurt, bad?" asks the Rat, II
spasm of fear passing over his pinched
face.
THAT l cannot say. Some people die
quite quetly-go off in their sleep, as it
were. Well, Dick! what do you think
happens then?"
" The funeral" replies Dick promptly.
:" Some has fireman's S funeral and music,
and some gets took off in the city van.
Shall be took off in the city vanP"
" No, my boy; I'll answer for that. But
let us go back to the DEATH Where will
you 60 when you dieP"
" Into the coffin"
" Your body will-but your sou?"
~ Woi's thotp oeES nioly
What, indeed! See here, the immense
power of ignorance. 1t has silenced the
ology-it has stumped philosophy.
t. Pray for him, dear" says Mr.. Austen
to his wife, down whose face the tears are
streaming; that is all you can do"
Il say don't you cry like that" says
Dick, when she resumes her seat by his
side. Childlike, he puts up his hand to
withdraw hers from her eyes. He touches
it with awe. 1t does not break or fly off,
and nothing is done to him for his daring
Encouraged by such immunity, he ventures
to give it IL little pat, and then the face
which he is intently watching, is lit up
with smile through its tears. Into his
unloved lifc-into his half savage mind,
dawns the first idea of caress. He clasps
the lady's hand, and draws it down and
presses it there with both his little brown
paws. Then he leans back with II long
drawn sigh, and shuts his eyes.
X 81
Three years have passed, and Capt Gill
herts steamer is again at her wharf, 1T
the foot of jackson street; and again Mr..
and Mrs. Austen are going to lunch on
board. AS the lady is stepping down
from the gangway, well-grown hand
some boy, in II blue flannel knickerbocker
suit, and straw hat with the ships ribbon,
comes shyly forward.
why, that is never Dickw she cx-
claims.
dick all over" says the captain proud
ly,
"0h, Dick, how you have grown, and
how improved!'
There was plenty of room for that, q"
laughs the quondam Rat.
Then the captain takes her aside and ex-
plains. He's been ut school ever since
he got well, and he has learned more than
other boys do in double the time. Oh, he
smart I'm educating him now for my
own profession, and believe he could pass
for mate tomorrow"
What name have you given hmp"
asks the lady, drawing circles on the deck
with the point of her parasol.
My own. My wife thinks rs much of
him as l do; and we've no children of our
own, why"
Captain Gilbert, you are good man.
:" A lucky one, anyhow" he laughs,
and, lowering his voice. "a grateful"
This is the end of the Rats tale.
Some scraps from lunch table, kindly
given, stood between Il man and ruin; and
the tender touch of weman's hand saved
Il boys life-that's all !-1enapIe Bar.