The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-10-17

McAlpine, thrown into the society o
Mr.. Davenport from the first, soon be
gan to feel the necessity of standing NJ
for his principles. And, when he re
fused attending the theater with hi
companion, or having quiet gam
of cards." Mr.. Davenport would say
"Well, Charley, won't urge you
you do not think it right. But you'll
soon get over these notions. had tn
same when 1 came to the city, bu
you'll grow broader minded here an,
soon 60 in for q good time with tn
best OF u.s."
But, as Charley became better &C
quainted, he found that nearly all o
the young men about were of the sam
class, and he had to !" fight it out OF
his line" alone against them all yer,
often. He was jeered, and tainted
and urged, and entreated to join witt
them, and give up his old-fashionet
puritanical notions, and their argu
ments would sometimes almost pre-
vail, and Charley would feel, 4" Now
l could 60 with them to some extent
and not be harmed, and why not do it
l am so tired of this constant figh
with them, and it is so much easier t.
give way little than to keep as stric
as mother wishes l would. Maybe
am old-fogyish and our folks too mar
row minded"
And yet, as he sat there alone in hi.
room in the moonlight arguing thus
his mothers sweet, earnest face came
before him, and he heard her kline
voice saying, IF you are the only one
that dares to do right, Charley. be thu
one," and his arguments fell to tho
ground; he knew mothers way was the
right way, aud he said, aloud, "Moth
er, will be that one."
But the battle was not over yet. All
mothers little know the temptations
that surround and often inclose thcil
boys, as they leave their pure, sweet
Christian homes and go out and mingle
with the wicked and goddess, in the
great cities. Few escape the tolls that
are laid for them on every hand. Blu,
thank the Lord that some can fight il
through, and come off unspotted and
untarnished. Thank the Lord for faith.
full and kind fathers and mothers, who
are not too timid to talk with their sons
freely on all these things; whose intlrl.
ence will never be forgotten.
During this first year in the city,
there were many times when Charley
McAlpine was on the point of yielding
to strong temptations. Once he stood
before the door of theater, with some
companions, who had almost tempted
him to 60 in, when his mother words,
Charley, be that onc,' sounded so plain
ly in his ears, that he was almost staff
led, and, turning suddenly to his compan.
ion. he said, Il can't go with you," and
was off and around the corner in a
moment. Many times those few kind
words, and the image CT his mother
face, as she said, with pride in her
look, "ThOugh only one in ten does
right, want my bog to be that one,' -
had held him and kept him, when, as
he often said afterward, he didn't be-
lieve anything else could have saved
him, the temptations were SO strong.
He grew in the esteem of his employ
ers every day, and they trusted and
confided in him about many matters
which were known only to the firm.
After these first struggles, which had
been conquered, temptations were fewer
and easier to resist, and before the year
was out Charley's reputation was es-
tablished, and the boys would say when
speaking of him, "He's like adamant.
and you can't move him, and he'll
meet every argument, and beat you ev-
cry time;" and those who were the most
honest would say, We'll, he's splen-
did fellow, tell you, and will get ahead
of any of us. l just wish had been as
brave as he is; but it's awful hard to re-
form now"
Charley became a member of two
literary circles, and attended
many scientific and literary lectures
and entertainments, and began to spend
a moderate sum of money each month
in valuable books, instead of amuse-
ments and dissipation, and often told
his companions that he knew he en-
joyed his evenings better than they did.
He had access to fine society, which
him to improve all his tai
ents, and make himself a peer of those
with whom he associated.
Ten years have passed since then.
MIR. Davenport, years since. was made
conscious that his services were no
longer needed in the business of Tai
colt, Tower & Co.. and he therefore &C
cepted position as cashier in one OF
the city banks. He had grown more
and more dissipated, had gone from bad
to worse, and the last that was heard
of him was that he had abscOnded with
a hundred thousand dollars of the funds
of the bank in his pocket.
Mr.. Tower, who was in ill-health,
and had been spending a winter in
Italy, died recently in Florence, and
young Mr.. McAlpine, the rising man,
who could be trusted anywhere and
every time," whose neat, attractive
personal appearance was but an index
of his pure, clean heart and life, was
admitted to the firm on an equal foot
ing with the two remaining partners.
He is soon to be married to a lovely,
educated, Christian girl, connected
with one of the finest families in the
city, who had many admirers among
those rich in this worlds goods, hut
whose heart was attracted toward
something better and nobler, which she
found in the bearing and character OF
MIR. McAlpine.
Charley had spent many vacations in
the sweet, quiet home in New Hamp-
shire, and while there just after being
admitted to the firm, he said one even
ing as he sat alone with his mother on
that same vine-covered porch, from
whence he had started ten years pre-
vious for his new life in the city:
"Mother, do you remember our con-
versation the night I left home, when
you called me into the sitting-room,
just before the stage arrived? l felt
that you believed in me, mother, that
night, as never felt it before, and
have never forgotten your words, nor
your proud, yet anxious look as you
said, Though you find but one in ten
that dares do right, Charley, l want
my boy to be that one.' Those words
have been talisman to me through all
these years, and l feel that I owe to
you all that I am to-day. Chicago
Standard.
Don't Believe 1t.