The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-11-07

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much less ask for his tin-type, as he had
heard her for several OF the boys photo
graphs!
Ii Miss Wilton had read his wonder
about the golden beetle, and had told
him that the reason FIR It's being on her
pin WAS in imitation of ancient jcNelry,
when beetles were worshipped even,
what would he have said then?
Tom picked up the pin, with an eager
look around, to see if ne were observed .
What. Had he not heard, "Thou shalt
not steal?" Oh! yes. But things were
rather mixed in poor Toms mind.
The teacher had whipped him when
Jim White sprinkled the snuff about, and
again for telling the truth, and not lie ;
and here was her new pin in his hand.
to lose it; but he could buy IA jack knife,
and may be hat, with the value of it.
Marin wouldn't lick me then" he re-
Elected, with a sense of relief that showed
that he appreciated corporal punishment
as an argument when it was to be cs-
capped. But when it occurred to him,
moment after, to buy off that severe
mother of his by an immediate present of
the pin, something made him hesitate.
She would keep it, he felt too sure, to
be willing to risk it in her hands, unless
his mind was quite made up not to restore
the pin to its owner. A little feeling of
pity, perhaps. for the teacher-fori it must
have cost deal of money-a little
shame at the thought of not doing as he
would be done by, maybe, made him
hnf hap oil oil IF
what the consequences might be should
the teacher, after all, find out he had her
pin.
Folks has sech ways of seein' through
things" pondered Tom.
But he was in luck as to supper, for
baby Jimmy, the mothers pet, had
dropped in the yard huge piece of
bread and molasses. Tom spied this in
the midst Of his meditations, and easily
hid it with the pin under his jacket, while
he scurried away out of sight from the
house. If he stayed out till pretty late,
his mother, tired with n hard days work,
would be abed and asleep; and he was
safe for the night, at any rate.
SO he walked toward the village, eating
first the bread and then green apple,
Nlldt liC l1Nhtu vi tllc IOdNSlNS.
At length he heard sound of music.
Tom dearly loved to listen to the singing
in the chapel, when windows and doors
were open, so he could not be seen, though
he veutured close by. He even sat down
on the upper step. After the hymn was
over a rattlingcart drove along the street,
50 for minute Tom could not hear any.
thing going on inside the chapel
When it was quiet again, he heard some
one saying, very tenderly and softly:
He was despised and rejected of men"
"Why, that's me they re talking about"
exclaimed Tom, surprised into speaking
aloud. But nobody heard him, and he
leaned forward eagerly, to see what else
was going to be said about himself To
his utter amazement, he soon gathered
that it was Christ Jesus, the Lord, and
not poor Tom Dolan, son of the washer
woman and Of the drunken bricklayer,
that they were talking about.
Remember, | said Tom was very stu
pid. He went out into the dark, where
nobody could see or hear him, and, drop
ping on his knees, said: "If you could
stand it, will"
1t was a prayer, if it did sound all
wrong. Poor Tom never did know how
to put things though he did know
how 10 put himself on the divine side of
life, if he didn't know the usual ways.
And was he not understood as so placing
himself and, therefore, worthy to receive
the blessing? You would have believed
it, had You seen the boys facc--brighter,
more up-looking, more manly than any
body had seen before.
lie had learned the Lords Prayer.
This he repeated; and then, rising from
his knees, he ran, as if for his life, to
Miss Wilton's boarding house.
As he came near he heard some one
say:
Its that dirty little sneak of Tom
DOlan.'
Then lady's voice spoke sharply;
go away, child, What do you mean
hanging about here.'
He dared not enter the gate, under
these circumstances; but he said, with
boldness that astonished Miss Wilton, &C
customed as she had been to his stutter-
ing, laundering ways, II wants to see the
teacher"
\ lady wrapped in a delicate white
shawl, gave a sigh of mingled WEAKNESS
and disgust, as she came down the gray
eled walk. She had heard of the straw
hat episode, and looked for nothing less
than an irate message from Mrs. Dolan.
What was her surprise to see her own lost
pin, the gift of dear friend, glistening
in the moonlight, as Tom held it out to-
ward her.
How good of you, Tom, to bring it to