The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-20
FOR HIS SAKE.

When the FLYING Scud discharged hei
cargo and passengers at the Londol
Dock, there landed among them gen
tleman who had been absent from Eng
land nine years. All that while he ha,
passed under the burning suns OF lnd,a
He had suffered As soldiers do. He hat
fought rs soldiers fight He had me-
the soldiers fate Of scars and wounds
andAone OF them had invalided him home
TO England.
It was the first time ne trod her shores
for niue years, as we have said, and fol
the first time in any wear he was goinG
70 see his son, the little boy born after
he left home, and whose birth had beer
his mothers death.
Captain Penryn had only been mar,
ried year when he was ordered abroad
with his regiment. Six months from that
day a 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. Ii ended thus;
THE baby, as fine a child as | ever
saw, is thriving. I've done nv best for
il. Its mothers last wish was should
keep il, and perhaps sir, as some one
must, you'd as leave l as any other. /
shan't be unreasonable in my charges,
and I'm very fond Of him already.
With NV duty TO you in this dreadful
trouble, your servant, ANN GOLDEN"
TIE poor broken-hesrted man almost
sank under the awful news. He had
loved his wife passionately, and when
the baby Was old enough 70 travel she
would have come 10 him in India, bray
ing is terrible climate and the life OF a
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 10 do so, appointing her
his nurse.
Every quarter since that time he had
sent money TO her for the child's board
and clothes. A receipt was always re-
turned with I" her duty, and the Young
gentleman was doing well :" ami this
was all ne knew of his EIlen's boy
the child Of a love that had been as
strong as il was tender.
Now that his foot WAS upon Eng
lands shores again and the meeting
was very near Captain Penryn felt new
thrills OF a father-love through his
soldiers heart and longed for mis- boys
presence.
He would take him TO himself, "
he said. "They would live together,
sharing each others JOYS and sorrows.
He would make a man Of the boy
not a soldier. for be knew the trials of
a soldiers life too well but something
very honorable and creditable. he
should be proud Of him, and he hoped
-ah, how he hoped that Ellen's
child would have Ellen's face.
"Mv beautiful girl, he said to him
self, with the tears standing in his
ewes, chow little l thought of this
hour when I kissed her good-byel"
And then his heart grew even warm
er TO the pledge of their mutual love.
He had tfe address that Mrs Golden
had given him in his pocket. He glanced
at II it now TO refresh his memory as
10 the number. A plain, respectable
street in one of London's suburbs he
remembered IT well.
But nv boy shall see better things,
now that | am here, he said TO him
self. Il am not rich, but | can deny
myself many things to make him happy.
Will he love me, l wonder?"
Then he thought how his own heart
had been won by toys aud sweetmeats.
and coming to a stop where the former
were sold, paused before the gay win
dow, and began to make a mental
choice between a red and gilt stage
coach and horses aud a train Of bright
blue carriages. He had discarded botn
for a box of scarlet-c coated soldiers,
when suddenly he felt a tug at his
coat-tail, and turning round. he found
a grimy little hand half in, half out Of
his pocket. He caught it at once, with
his handkerchief in it, and gripped it
tight
He was q soldier, and to a soldier the
keeping of law and rule j. a great thing.
To give the little thief to a policeman
and appear against him the next day,
was his first thought; but as the crea-
ture 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
that, besid being young and small,
and wan, anC dirty, and ragged, he was
deformed. His queer little shoulders
were heaped up to his ears, and his
hands we're ike talons, so long and bony
were they. The captain held the wrist
OF this mannikin firmly still, but not an.
grily.
"What did you mean by that, siri"
he growled slowly, STOPPING down to
look into the boy r eyes.
I'm to hook it" SAID the boy with
perfect candor. "Oh, please let me
bel Oh, please let me go! Oh, please,
sir, won't do it no Inore-never, oh,
please !"
"Tve a mind to have you sent to jail, :"
said the captain.
"No, please, sir I" said the waif.
" Please, sir y
"Who taught you to steal?" asked
the captain.
The boy made no answer. Grimy
tears were pouring from his eyes.
Answer me" said the captain.
"If 1 don't steal, don't get no vic
tuals." said the boy, "and my stomach
is as holler-feel it, mister Its as
holler as a drum ! She's been beggin'
to-day. and we II have stew. I won't
have none if I don't fetch nothin'.
Oh"
"Who is she ?" asked the captain.
"My mother" said the boy.
"I'ye been hungry myself, said the
captain. thinking of a certain Indian
prison experience. 1T isn't pleasant. "
Then he thought of his own boy.
"God knows / ought to be tender to
t le little one, for the sake of Nellie's
child" he said softly; then aloud
"Laddie. I'll not send tyou to prison. p"
"Thankee, sir" said the urchin.
"And I'll give you breakfast" said
the captain.
The dirty elf executed a sort of JOY
GUS war-dance.
"Do you know why / forgive you ?"
said the captain.
The child shook his head.