The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-12-07

And he who had been so weak to re.
sist temptations of the land, would ex.
pose himself to those increased a hun.
drcd-fold, on board the ship, among
coarse and brutal companions, amid the
lack of all moral restraint and influence
which long sea voyage necessarily i'll
wolves.
Just at that moment q carriage turned
the corner and drew up before the door
of Il large dry goods establishment. and
a lady alighted in some haste, and the
long silk scarf which trailed down her
cloak dropped suddenly to the pave.
ment.
Tom was instinctiyely courteous. He
caught up the scarf, saying. "You have
dropped your scarf, ma'am.' Thus an.
rested, the lady turned suddenly. go
thank YOU" and a look of recognition
changed the scene, and it ended in
Why, Tom! is that you?"
The boys face was fierce crimson
He wished that moment that the eartl
would crumble beneath his feet, anC
take him in.
eyes, Mrs. Randolph" he family ar
ticulated,
She looked at him with her eyes full
of pity. go, Tom, | would not have
believed it of YOU" she said sorrow.
fully.
He tried to speak, but instead there
came swift, smothcred sob, beating
out from his throat before he could
crush ii down again.
She looked at him, this lady, will
this gentle, mothcrly heart. "Tom,'
she said, laying her hand on his shoul
der, rs his own mother might have done
"lf Mr.. Randolph should take you
back again-if, contrary to all his rules
] could persuade him TO do this, would
you try once again TO resist the evil Il:
you never did beiorc?'
"llc would not take me back. You
don't know" recalling The last words
which his employer had used towards
him; words which had festered and
ranklcd in his heart ever since. and
made him feel that. let come what
might. swift freezing or slow starya.
ton. he would never seek his old mas.
ter again, even though forgiveness and
help awaited him on the threshold.
Mrs. Randolph did not answer for q
moment. Perhaps she smiled little
TO herself, thinking that his wife ought
to know Luther Randolph little better
than his office boy. AT last she said
"Get in, Tom, and go with me-" point.
ing TO the carriage. And she went in
without saying n word.
Mr.. Randolph sat alone at his desk
when his wife entered the office, accom-
panied by Thomas, who had been SO
ignobly driven out of ii q few days be-
fore. She walked straight up to her
husband, who glanced from the lady to
her companion in silent curiosity and
surprise. 81 have found him. Luther,
and brought him back" said She TRY
him once more for my sake"
"And make n fool of myself" growl.
cd the merchant; but there was some.
thing which encouraged further en-.
treaty in the tones.
Mr.. Randolph looked ut Tom. .You
young rascal, you'll be serving me an
other trick one of these days." he said
"Sit down here and copy these letters. y
The Office boy tried to speak, but in
stead, there came great gush of sobs,
with rain of tears. And so Thomas
Hayes was received once more into fa.
vOr.
Mrs. Randolph's charity did not stop
here. She secured him lodgings under
a kindly home roof, in whose pleasant
atmosphere the boys nature expanded
and beneath which he found the peace
and shelter that his inexperienced youth
so much needed. lie never fell into
evil again. There is more then that Ia
tell. The boys quick intelligence, his
promptness and business capacity ad,
vanced him steadily in the house as the
| ot.c MT ID a. =
mother and pretty sister, blooming into
her womanhood, came, in pride and
JOY to live in the pleasant home which the
young son and brother had earned fol
them.
There is more yet to tell. There
came time when a sudden business
crisis fell upon and paralyzed the COM
nunity. Old houses whose credit had
stood the storms of scores of years, sud
denly tottered and fell. The house OF
which Luther Randolph was now sen
ior partner tOttered to its center. In
the midst of all this the man was taken
seriously ill-confined to his room and
his bed. And at that time had it not
been for the senior clerk, for his knowl
edge Of the business in all its relations
for his foresight and energy, the hoilst
must have been overwhelmed. Asst
was il weathcrcd the storm, and In
gratitude therefor Thomas HAYES was
taken into the firm by the other part
ners,s and was thereafter its Youngest
one.
There Is more yet to tell. WhcI
Margaret, the elder of the daughters OF
Luther, Randolph, was in the bloom O.
woniaiftiood, Thomas Hayes wooed anC
won her for his wife. Alter the brida
breakfast, which only included the fam
lilies of the newly welded pair, he turn
ell TO Mrs. Randolph, and calling her b,
name of mother, he said, "All that
have, all that am, | owe under God
this day, TO you.' And then he told [,
those who will never forget it. and who
heard ii now for the first time, the stor,
OF the fall OF his youth, and how Mar
garets mother and his had saved him
| think there were but few dry eyes il
that room around the bridal breakfas
table when he paused.
"Ies, mother" added Mr.. Randolph
III voice of strong emotion as he look
ed down with the tenderness of hi,
youth on the fair ana tender matron al
his side, "your womans wisdom wa,
greater than all my boastcd judgment
then. | and mine will have cause tc
bless you for that work so long MS we
live"
And how many women like this one
have work lying at their doors-work
which they neglect to do? In theil
husbands offices, and stores, and ware.
houses, and manufactures, are clerks
and employees, are men and women, fol
whom they might speak some kindly
timely words; in whose welfare they
might take some interest, whom they
might rescue from wrong and evil, il
their youth and need. To how man,
women throughout the land, sitting ii
ease and prosperity, in their luxurious
homes, has the thought ofthe good the,
might accomplish by speech or deed
never come home!
Cliff up your eyes, for the fields arr
already white to harvest, and the labor
ers are few."