The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-17
FOR HIS SAKE.

man who had been absent from England
nine years. All that while he had passed
under the burning sun of India. He
had suffered as soldiers do. lie had
fought as soldiers fight. lie had met
the soldiers fate of scars and wounds,
and one of them had invalided him
home to England.
1t was the first time he trod her shores
for nine years, as we have said, and for
the first time i'm any year he was going
to see his son, the little boy born after
he left home, and whose birth had been
his mothers death.
Captain Penryn had only been mar
ried year when he was ordered abroad
with his regiment. Six months from
that day letter had reached him telling
him his wife was dead. The letter was
written by an old nurse, the only friend
who had been with her. 1t ended thus:
"The baby, as fine o child as I ever
saw, is thriving. I've done my best for
il. Its mothers last wish was l should
keep it, and perhaps, sir, as some one
must, you'd as lief l as any other. l
shan't be unreasonable in my charges,
and I'm very fond of him already.
"With my duty to you in this dread
FIJI trouble, your servant,
ANN GOLDEN"
The poor, broken-hearted man almost
sunk under the awful news. lie had
loved his wife passionately; and when
the baby was old enough to travel she
would have come TO him in India, BRAY
ing its terrible climate and the life of
soldiers wife abroad, because they
could not live apart. Now he did not
want little baby on his hands, and he
wrote to Ann as soon as he could COM
mand himself to do so, appointing her
his nurse.
Every quarter since that time he had
sent money to her for the childs board
and clothes. A receipt was always re-
turned with cher duty, and the young
gentleman was doing WE'LL" and that
was all he knew of his Ellen's boy-the
child of love that had been as strong
as it was tender.
Now that his foot was upon England's
shores again, and the meeting was very
near, Captain Tenryn felt new thrills of
father-love through his soldiers heart.
and he longed for his boys presence.
"He would take him TO himself" he
said. "They would live together, shar-
ing each others joys and sorrows. He
would make a man of the boy-not q
soldier, for he knew the trials of SOL
dier's life too well; hut something very
honorable and crcditablc. He should
be proud of him, and he hoped-ah,
how he hoped-that Ellen's child would
have Ellen's face"
"My beautiful girl" he said 10 HIM
self, with the tears standing in his eyes,
Chow little thought of this hour when
| kissed her good bye!'
And then his heart grew even warm
er 10 the pledge of their mutual love.
lie had the address that Mrs. Golden
had given him in his pocket. lie
glanced at ii now TO refresh his memory
as to the number. A plain, respectable
street in one of LondOn's suburbs; he
remembered il we'll
"But my boy shall see better things,
now that am here" he said to himself.
. 81 am not rich, but can deny myself
many things to make him happy. VIII
he love me, l wonder"
Then he thought how his own heart
had been won by toys and sweetmeats,
and coming to a shop where the former
were sold, paused before the gay win
dow, and began to make a mental choice
. between red and gilt stagecoach and
horses and train Of bright blue car
riagcs. He had discarded both for q
box of scarlet-coated soldiers, when
: suddenly he felt tug at his coat-tails,
and turning round, he found grimy
little hand half in, half out, of his pock-
ct. He caught it at once, with his
handkerchief in it, and grabbed it tight
h. He was soldier, and to soldier the
keeping of law and rule is great thing
F. To give the little thief to policeman
and appear against him next day, was
his first thought; but as the creature
stood there, shaking and whining, the
fact of his diminutive size struck the
Captain forcibly. He perceived his
youth, which was extreme; and he saw
n that, besides being young and small
j. and wan, and dirty, and ragged, he was
deformed. His queer little shoulders
were heaped up to his ears, and his
q hands were like talons, so long and
}, bony were they. The Captain held the
3 wrist of this manikin firmly still, but
not angrily.
"What do you mean by that, sir?'
!, he growled, slowly, STOPPING down tc
y look into the boys eyes.
t. "I'm to hook It," said the boy, with
perfect candor. ooh, please let me be
; Oh, please let me go! Oh, please, sir
| WON'T ITO IL no InOrt-ntVer, on
II please" J"
g "rve mind to have you sent to The
ID gaol," said the Captain.
"No, please, sir!" said the waif,-
''please, sir!''
"Who taught You 10 stcal?' asked thu
Captain.
=, The boy made no answer. Grim
tears were pouring from his eyes.
Il "Answer me-" said the Captain.
r. "If don't steal, | don't get no vic
n- tuals," said the boy, "and my stomach
" is as holler-feel il, mister-it's as hol
Ter as drum She's been begin
W to-day, and wen have stew. won
have none, if don't fetch nothin."
"Who Is she?' asked the Captain.
! "My mother" said the boy
e 'Tve been hungry myself" said tn
IS Captain, thinking of a certain India
q. prison experience. at isn't pleasant
Then he thought of his own boy.
"God knows / ought to be tender 1,
the little ones for the sake of Nellie
child" he said softly; then alond-
'Iaddie, I'll not send you TO prison."
l.. "Thankee, sir" said the urchin.
m "And I'll give yon breakfast" sal,
the Captain.
r. The dirty elf executed SORT of JOY
ous war dance.
'Do you know why forgive youf
~ said the Captain.
The child shook his head.
81 have little boy" said the Car
tain. Giles very different from yor
:, poor child! He wonld not steal any
"a "a thing. He washes himself Ny Lao
nv yon must wash yourself as soon as yo
" find water But couldn't think Of hi
4 being hungry; and for his sake can
bear TO see other little fellows hunpr,