St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-03-10
From the New York Observer.
Bad Books for Boys.
Romance and Reality-From Life.

BY MRS. LUCY f. SANFORD.
All that long, long summer day the
broad lake lay CLASSY and calm. The
white sails upon it rocked slowly, and
when bustling little steamboat rush
ed along, the waters closed over its
track lazily.
land. No leaf moved, no bird chirped,
even the drOne of the insect grated
harshly OH the dead silence.
Very wan, with pale brow and flush
ed cheeks, lay one whose fleet feet had
just reached the verge of manhood.
Beside him stood his pale and SORROW
ing mother, waving the great fan with
hands that could know no weariness il
they might wake for the loved one
one breath from the breathless air.
The father sat with pressed lips watch
ing, watching for the fell stroke that
would smite him to the dust.
And Mary nestled close to her father,
taking i'll the sad anxiety, but not the
dire certainty.
At eventide light wind sprang up
from the water, and all nature reveled
in it. Deacon Johns moved his sons
bed to the window. The soft breeze
played with his hair and famed his
hot cheek.
This will give you new life, VIII
lie," said his mother, with a faint
smile.
He smiled brightly, nd-doubtless
with a thought of his sail-boat in which
he had so often enjoyed an evening
said:
at seems as if Jesus had sent it tc
watt my life-bOat to heaven"
| After a moment, he added:
"Please, father, read me about the
pure river of water of life"
| With a broken voice and a well-nigl
breaking heart, Deacon Johns read:
"And he showed me IA pure river O1
water of life, clear as crystal, proceed
ing out of the throne of God and oi
the Lamb. In the midst of the street
of it, and on either side of the river
was the tree of life. And there shal
be no more curse; but the throne O
God and the Lamb shall be i'll it, and
mis- servants shall serve him. AnC
they shall see his face and his nam,
shall be i'll their foreheads. And ther,
shall be no night there; and they
need no candle, neither light of til,
sun; for the Lord God giveth then
light; and they shall reign for eve
and ever. And the Spirit and til,
bride say, Come. And let him that i
athirst, Come. And whOsOever will
let him take the water of life freely.
Willie's face grew radiant, and Will
IA rapt smile and clear voice he eXclaim
ed:
Il come dear Jesus. / come -
And was gone.
ii.
1t was il morning late in November
The wind howled over the rough lake
and the mingled rain and hail came i
fierce gusts.
Deacon Johns buttoned up his Goa
tightly and turned up the collar, say
ing the while: at is too bad da
for Mary to 90 to school," and the
kissed her fondly and went out int
the storm.
, Soon after there came a knock q
the kitchen door. As Mrs. Johns open
ed it the wind dashed the rain into he
face, and she stepped back quickl,
. saying, Come in"
: And he came in. Such a dirty, rag
; never came in before. As he stoO,
: with the water dripping on her clea
l. floor, Mrs. Johns felt "A most speci;
: spite to that rain gust that prevente
;, her seeing him and said, ''I've nOthin
for a tramp"
5 With a dirty hand, but GRACEFUL
; he took what had been a straw h;
from off his uncOmbed mass of tangle
T hair, and with a pleasant voice said
!" 81 am very sorry to soil your clea
II floor"
. "SOir was not just the word Mr.
a Johns had in her mind as she saw Il
e muddy pool forming into a little rivI
!. let, but she said:
% YOU'RE hungry, of course"
81 am not as hungry as | am cold
: "You may go to the stove and g
warm"
He went close behind the stOv
leaving, in his dirty tracks, trace
blood.
Those blood spots made Mrs. Joh
look down on the red, bare, crack
and bleeding feet, and with a kindli
Il. tone she asked:
in Have you been barefooted long
- 'OnlN JHItS OF lOuI udNs, DuI INC
y, barefoot for more than a week"
IS "YOu are not used to going bar
or footed ~
L. NO, ma'am."
"You do not like an ordinary tramI
ni ,d "Why, ma'am, we are not tram
at ALL he answered proudly.
:, "Who do you mean by 'we'f"
an "Dick and Ned and l."
lf "Well Who are you, and W
oi here ~
1--WE are Boston boys seeking O
or fortune"
nd Seeking your fortunes ~
rs "Yes, ma'am; honest and true il
! as they do in books" with a brig
in smile.
You have found a sorry fortune
should Judge smiled Mrs. Johns.