The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-09-03
WITHIN THE FOLD.

:. am fast growing out of patience with
t this text 4 woman at the bottom of it.
| 1t would be strange in this world, made
/ up, as far as we are aware, Of nothing but
| the two sexes, If 4 woman would not oc-
| casionally be found at the bottom of any
thing good 1t is the injustice Of the
| thing that makes me angry. Now, there
| are hundred Of us poor fellows who owe
all we are, all we make, and all we can
| hope to become in this world or the next
to the unselfsh love Of woman.
The gentleman's face was flushed, and
he spoke very warmly and feelingly, so
much so that his wife rocking her baby
| to sleep in the further corner of the room,
| inquired
g But why should you care, John ? 1t
has always been so, and always will be
so. We don't think much about it now
because we have been taught to expect
| it,
8 But you should care and you should
fight for each other more than YOU do.
There is one chapter in my life's history
that | have always kept locked in my
heart, but tonight | feel as if it were nv
duty to open it for your inspection and
| do it for the love of woman-for the
love of woman who made me what l am
worthy to be, the husband of a good wo-
man.
" Why, john" said Mrs. Haviland.
softly approaching still held tight
to her BOSOM you absolutely frighten
me-"
Let's have the story" said the rest
of the group, certain that something
good might be anticipated; and John
commenced, at first a little timid, but
gaining confidence as he proceeded.
When | first came to New York, at
the age Of II years to seek my fortune,
| could call myself precociou chap
without danger of being accused of an
unusual degree of selfappreciation. |
was quick to learn everything, the bad
as well as the good, My employer used
profane language. Ipicked up the oaths
that he dropped with a naturalness that
surprised even myself. The boys in the
office all chewed tobacco. This was
little the hardest job | ever attempted,
but, after two weeks of nausea and indie
scribable stomach wrenchings, / came off
victorious, and could get away with my
paper a day with the best of 'em.
True, every word Of it, said the
speaker
Gone afternoon | was sent with a
note from my employer to a house in
the upper part of the city | hadn't
anything to read, but l had plenty of
tobacco, and with that, l proposed to
entertain myself during the two or
three hours must spend in the passage |
For some distance | did not notice who |
were beside me, but by and by lady |
said, very softlya and pleasantly F.: Would |
you please, little boy, be more careful. |
l am going to a party this afternoon,
and | should hate to have my dress
spoiled
Il looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face | ever saw. Pale, earnest
and loving, to my boyish heart it was
the cOuntenance Of an angel.
"What in the world did YOU say ?"
interrupted Mrs. Havland, her bright
eyes filling with tears, as she saw how
the memory of this beautiful woman
affected her husband.
Say There was very little | could
say. | think all | did for some time was
to look.
Il managed to dispose of the tobacco,
however, and wiped my mouth very
carefully, all of which | felt certain she
saw and mentally commented upon.
& Have you a mother, little boy?
she next asked, in the same low tone.
g No, maam, | answered, and | felt
my throat filling up, and | knew must
swallow mighty fast to keep from sob
bing.
'9'You have a father, then, 1 sup
pose 2 she kept on.
"''NO, ma'am no father
6 Brothers and sisters ?
g" Neither, ma'am.
=" Then the little boy is all alone in
the world p
All alone, ma'am'
How long has his mother been
dead " and the dear woman looked
away from my face and waited until
could, speak.
"'Two years, | answered.
and you loved her ? came next.
" Dearly was all could say.
"She was silent for a moment, and
then she said so sweetly-oh shall
never forget it:
land what do you think your dear
mother would say-how do you think
she would feel-to know that her little |
boy was guilty of such a disgusting
habit as this 2 pointing to my cheek,
where the tell-tale quid had vainly tried
to stand its ground.
" 4 must leave now,' she continued,
but here is my card, and if you come
to me most any evening, | shall be glad
to see you, and perhaps we can be of |
some service to each other
''She gave me her little gloved hand,
and to my dying day | shall never for
get the sensation of that moment. /
could not bear to part with her; with
out her felt that could do nothing
with her could grow to mans estate
"a man in the truest sense of the
word. From that moment tobacco
never passed my lips.
Gas soon as [ could summon courage
l called upon the lady. Well do i re
member how my heart beat as / waited
in the elegant parlor for her to come
down, and how awkward / felt as / fol
lowed my guide to her private sitting
room. She got at every point of my
life, and before / babe her goodbye it
was arranged that / should spend two
evenings of each week at her house, and
study on the occasions Just what she
thought best.
''No lover looked forward to meet
ing with the mistress of his heart any
more ardently than | did to these meet
ings with my friend.
Il grew careful of my personal APP
pearance, careful of my conversation,
and strove in every way to be worthy
of the noble friendship. Two years
passed in this delightful manner-tyo
years that made me. My friend not
only attended to my studies, striving
also ali the while to sow the right kind
of spiritual seed, but she procured me
business situation with a particular
friend of hers, where remain to this
day. Nobody but God knows what I
,rrn this ,urs,raa,, 1.nrs,r- AZ, l.na Al, 30,