The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-05-14
SOWING AND REAPING.

Howard Simpson and Lorraine Bliss,
two young men of great intimacy and
dissipated habits, were on their way to
a gambling saloon, where the night pre-
vious they had won considerable, and
on passing a church, the doors of which
were opened, paused moment by the
s.eps, peeping in out of idle curiosity,
INST as the minister was giving out the
text: GAS ye SOW, SO shall ye reap"
"We are not farmers, SO we do not
SOW anything to reap" said Howard,
the elder and most prohigate Of the two ;
but Lorraine looked thoughtful and kept
silent as they walked along toward the
place of their nights debauch. And
often during the jubilant gayety of the
revelers that passage, GAS ye sow, SO
shall ye reap" flashed into his mind.
'tIt is as my grandmother tells me, !"
thought he "we must suffer for evil
deeds done in the body, and my deeds
are constantly evil. But from this night
will do differently. l will not be
caught in this place again.
"What ails you, Bliss? You are as
dull as a November hoe," said Gray
bright, one of the ringleaders of the
company.
"Guess he's thinking about reaping
what he sows," answered Simpson, and
then about dozen rude men burst into
1ea1 SsS1.fat al did you mean by that re-
mark p one of them presently asked.
He then told them of the text given
out by the minister as they were passing
the church.
"The minister go to -, and he
surely WILL" said Roardon, one of the
most blasphemous of the whole gang.
This profane remark, with others no
better, grated harshly on the mind of
Lorraine, for he was really feeling more
serious than he ever felt before; but he
made no reply, knowing if he did it
would only serve to call forth still
harsher language. He left as early as
he could, which was not till I O'Clock,
and after he got home crept to his
chamber and noiselcssly as possible,
lest he might awaken his father, who at
times, was very harsh to him. Then,
for tie first time in his life, he offered
sincere prayer to God, beseeching
him 20 give him strength to turn from
the evil way into which he had been
led.
Meantime, his father having heard
him enter the house, was denounCing
him in the severest terms.
"Oo not be harsh with him." plead
ed the mother. "I hope he will soon
Learn to do better he is young and
wilc, though not vicious, l trust"
But the old gentleman could see
nausht but wrong in his body.
'He shall leave the house! Twill dis
inherit him if he does not stay at home
at nights he is disgrace to the fami-
ly. Think of the money l have paid
out for him-sent him to college, given
him the privilege of studying law with
me in my office. But no, he chooses
to spend his time carousing with set
Of loafers."
"Perhaps if we are gentle with him
remblingly whispered his mother.
But the old gentleman did not heed
This advice, for the next morning his
first salutation to Lorraine was:
"Where did you stay SO late last night,
you young scapegrace? Unless you
mend your ways you'll leave these prem
SeS for good and ALL.
Lorraine, who had been penitent
through the night, resolving to do bet
Ter in future, now felt his temper rising
and his resolution melting away, and
he sat down to the table in a sullen
mood. But he shortly after made up
his mind to go to the meeting that
evening and return home at 9 or 10
O'Clock. Therefore at half-past he
started for church, and on meeting three
or four of his old associates, told them
of his plan.
"Well, come with us first, just for a
few minutes, to the club rooms" said
they.
''No, no, not tonight" he replied.
81 have to go home early and cannot
possibly go with you.
But they dragged him along and it
was impossible to get away from them ;
and once there, there was no such thing
as leaving, for in the excitement of the
place he was induced to drink, and as
the liquor was drugged he felt no in
clination to move from the charmed
spot.
So the hours moved on until late into
the night before he went home. When
he reached that place it was 3 O'Clock.
His mother was at the door; she had
not slept moment, she said, from
watching for him, and his father had
awakened three or four times, angrily
inquiring for him. But he was now
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