Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-19
the boys don't get their money regular, it's

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ry insertion.
the boys don't get their money regular, it's
a god-dam shame"
The lady stands aghast before this awful
ignorance. He only knew the name Of
God in curses!
"Wicked men take His name in vain,
Dick" she says. "God made this world,
and all 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.
sHe will save your soul, Dick. He called
little children to Him, and welcomed them
to heaven"
sWas that afore the ar ~ asks Dick,
gravely.
"Long, long before the war;"
"Well, things has got mixed since then.
Amt He coming no more ?"
tits no use, Jennie," says her husband,
who had followed her iuto the cabin and
overheard Dicks struggles with his first
and only lesson in divinity. "These things
cannot be taught all at once.o
Cob! but it seems SO TERRIBLE" she
cries: ''and he dying! If I could only
teach him to say a prayer!
"And do you really think that repeating
a form of words which he would not n
derstand, could do any good ?" asks her
husband. No. Let me try if I can rouse
a 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"
evil it hurt bad ?" asks the Rat, q
spasm of fear passing over his pinched
face.
'That I cannot say. Some people die
quite quietly-go off in their sleep, as it
were. Well, Dick! What do you think
happens then ?"
"'The funeral" replies Dick promptly.
"Some has a fireman's funeral, and music;
and some gets took off in the Cit van.
Shall I be took off in the City a ?"
"No, my boy; I'll answer for that. But
let us go back to the death. Where vii
you go when you die ,"
'Into the coffin"
"Your body will-but yoW sorl9"
"Wots hat?' asks Dick
What, indeed! See, here, The immense
power of ignorance. 1t has silenced The
ology; it has stumped Philosophy.
"Pray for him, dear" says Mr.. Austen
to his wife, down whose face the tears are
streaming, THAT is all you can do"
81 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. It does not break or fly off,
and nothing is done to him for his daring.
Encouraged by such immunity, he ventures
to give it q little pat, and then the face
which he is watching intently is lit up with
a smile through its tears. Into his unlov-
ed life, into his half-savage mind, dawns
the first idea of a caress! He clasps the
lady's hand and draws it down upon his
heart. He draws it down and presses it
there with both his little brown puds.
Then he leans back with a long drawn
sigh, and shuts his eyes.
Three years ave passed, and Capt. Gil
bert's steamer is again at her wharf, at the
foot of Jackson.st. and again Mr.. and
Mrs. Austen are going to lunch on board.
AS the lady is stepping down from the
gang-way, a well-grown, handsome boy, in
a blue flannel knickerbocker suit, and
straw hat with the ships ribbon, comes
shyly forward.
"Why, that is never Dick !" she ex-
claims.
"Dick all over" says the captain proud
ly.
"Oh, Dick, how you have grown, and
how improved !"
"There was plenty of room for that"
laughs the quondam Rat.
Then the captain takes her aside and ex-
plains. He's been at school ever since he
got well, and he has learned more than
other boys do in double the time. Oh, he's
smart! I'm educating him for my own
profession, and l believe he could pass for
a mate Tomorrow"
"What name have you given him?" asks
the lady, drawing circles on the deck with
the point of her parasol.
my own. My wife thinks as much Of
him as l do; and as we've no children of
ours own, why
"Captain Gilbert, you are a good mani"
GA lucky one, anyhow" he laughs
land" lowering his voice, "a grateful one.
Now, then, Dick" he shouts, "see if Mr..
Austen won't have a cocktail"
This is the end of the Rats tale.
Some scraps from a lunch table, kindly
given, stood between a man and ruin; and
the tender touch of a woman's hand saved
a boys life--that's all Temple Bar.
FARM AND FIRESlDE.