St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-10-14

"Unkind," he repeated, with a sob,
"Oh, | only wish that l could remem-
Der single harsh or unjust word from
them. That would be little excuse,
you know. No, they were only too in
dulgent. | was little wild then, and
I've heard father say, after I'd sowed
my wild oats I'd come out all right.
It's been heavy crop, hasn't it 2 l
think he forgot that if you SOW the
seed you're bound to gather in har-
vest, This is mine"
81 can't understand why you left
good parents and home," said.
"Wait minute, Pm coming to that.
I'm almost ashamed to tell, it sounds
so silly. You see, l had been reading
great many stories of adventure. /
bought every new volume as it was is
sued, particularly the - series" Il
will not name the volumes he mention
ed, for they are no worse than thou
sands of pthersrl "My parents did not
disapprOVe of these books, and never
questioned me about them. They did
not suspect how tired | was growing
of my dull life, and how | lOnged to
initiate some of my plucky young he
roes. | thought, as soon as | was free,
adventures would pile in upon me.
Then freedom was such great thing"
interrupted him, "HOw is it pOssi-
BILE that you, whose education had
been SD carefully carried OH, whn can
even appreciate the heaqties of classi-
cal literature, could be Influenced by
that traah."
81 don't know, but | was. Perhaps
| really didn't what you call 'appreci
ate better things, but just learned
them by rOte because liked the sound.
They didn't seem to belong ia nay real
life, but these stories did. They were
boys like myself who did these won
and reckless, and they lived in w0rld
like ours, Well, | ran away. ! al
ways had plenty Of money, and it
didn't give out till | got to Mexico"
"Did you write to your parents "
81 left a letter, telling them | want
ed to enjoy free life and depend on
myself When was tired | could al
ways come home, | told them, and
they must not fret about me-"
"But why did you not return9 1t
could not have taken you long to find
out that you were deceived, and that
running away did not turn you into a
hero of adventure"
He laughed hard, bitter laugh /
ooh, | had adventure enough, but it
wasn't of the heroic kind. | got down
so low with drinking and gambling,
and low associates, that | didn't even
| like to think of home. Can you I'M
derstand it, for can't 7 | had been
carefully raised. My associates were
among refined, virtuous people, yet |
went down into that hogs wallOw as if
| had been born to it,"
"Were you never Disguised, never
repentant ,"
'!SOmetimes for minute or two, but
then Il drink or so, brought me round
again. Oh, if | could only blot out
that wicked time.n
"Make it point for a new life"
said.
81 can't. fl try, and have better
thoughts, the scenes of vice come right
back to me like a slap in the face,
They're burned in. l can't get rid OF
them. When you read the Bible to
me, | see the faces, and | hear the
words which filed those terrible dens,
and | can hear nothing else. They
come, too, between me and the memo
ry of my precious mother. How dare
l think of her? Oh, l couldn't look in
her dear face again"
! Jack grew weaker and weaker, and
at last | won his permission to write
to his parents, though | knew they
would not get there before the end
which was rapidly drawing near. He
knew it, too, and l think he was glad
of it.
He said one day, "They will forgive
me, and they will not realize how low
| could fall. But if they saw me, why
it would haunt them. Tell them was
penitent, but don't tell all. But warn
all young people whom you know tC
let those foolish books alone. They're
very silly but they do harm to many
and they've ruined me. They take you
one step on bad road, and the rest
comes quick and easy.
He was very humble and penitent
towards the last, but still between
him and the most comforting gospe
promises came that veil of past sin.
''If through His infinite mercy l an
ever forgiven" he said family, "don'
you think that | will cease to remem
ber9 How could | enter Heaven will
those pOlluting memories clinging t.
me. Oh, if could only forget"
At the very last | think he did. Ii
the low, muttering delirium of hi
last moments he was once more a
) home talking to his mother and friends
| with peaceful smile on his face tina
| had never seen there before. In thi
D little sketch obey his wishes. l ga.
1 not only to those | know, but thrOugl
the pages of the Congregationalist t.
those whom do not know, shield you
e children from the evil consequences o
sensational fiction by banishing it iron
= your homes. Some may read it wit
+ impunity, but who can judge whicl
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