The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-06-10
for tbs CHILDREN.
" A OffscOuring."
" Well, yes, ma'am, have stolep'
" Why, John"
Yo,I askad mo didn't vo,Iov

of a way, and yet with a ring of feeling
in his voice.
" No, you couldn't, Johnny" the
teacher answered, with smile, " be-
cause you promised that you would al
ways tell the truth to me-"
Well, / didn't go back on it, did I?'
" No, Johnny. Have you any obiec-
ton to telling me how often you have
taken things that didn't belong to your"
" Mebbe / couldn't remember them
ALL" the boy replied, 81 never lifted
anything particular. Once, when the
old woman where l hang out got sick
and cried blue streak for oranges, and
nobody had the money to get them,
asked the old cove that keeps the grocery
store to trust me for a couple till next
day. He wouldn't do it, and that night
l stole six from him."
Why, Johnny"
Why didn't he let me have 'em,
then?' the boy went on, doggedly; cpd
paid cause / said l would. And now
the old woman got well off them or
anges."
- Then you are not sorry you took
them?' the teacher inquired.
" Well, the old woman had to have
them oranges, and somebody had to get
them for her."
The teachers face was very grave,
and as her companion looked up he
saw the tears in her eyes, sight which
had curious effect upon him.
Don't make me tell any more,
please, ma'am," he said, dropping his
eyes while his face flushed scarlet. 81
amt nothing but offscouring any
hon, o,I u nj, cooI 10 f,ot oh
what / do. | was kinder dragged into
this place, else I'd never bother you"
"What name did you call yourself ?"
the teacher inquired. 81 didn't under
stand YOU"
Granny Leeds always said I was
offscouring, and so | am"
What is an offscouring, Johnny ?''
ooh! the leavings of something that
amt no good"
Granny Leeds, as you call her, was
very much mistaken about yourself,
Johnny" the teacher replied. " You
are not an offscouring, but one of Gods
own children, and he is giving you
chance to make something of yourself.
How much do you think the things are
worth that you have taken, in all,
Johnny?"
I" Then oranges were worth four
cents apiece when l took them that's
twenty-four and then two loaves of
bread / lifted for two fellows that froze
their feet last winter, and mackerel to
make the bread 60 down. It's awful
tough to eat bread with nothing on it;
and then a baseball was worth fifty
cents, and all them things would make
near hand to dollar. l don't remem-
Der anything else"
Well, Johnny, shall give you
dollar, and / want you to 90 to those
places and pay for all those things"
"Then Tll have to own up" the boy
interrupted.
Wouldn't you feel better to confess,
Johnny ?" the young lady inquired, not
little troubled at the effect of her
words.
For a moment the boy seemed lost in
thought, and then, lifting frank face
to his companion, said:
81 amt never felt perticeler bad
about any of them things, 'cept the
baseball, and that could a. done with
out; but if you say so, Miss Lee, I'll
give the whole thing away-only as l
amt lifted anything lately, and don't
never mean to again, they would sus-
picion me, and would make me out a
thief when amt no such thing. Don't
you think it would do, ma am, if I
dropped the money in them places so
they'd be sure to find it If you don't
think so I'll blow the whole thing, if it
takes me to the island''
What will you do, Johnny, if some
body needs bread and oranges and you
haven't got any money to buy them
with %
That's sticker, ma'am; dunno"
''And it wouldn't be strange if some
thing of that kind were to happen any
day?"
"No, ma'am. There is something
putty generally to pay with the folks, l
know"
"Well, Johnny, l will tell you what
to do,' she replied. " Here is my card
and when any of your acquaintance
are in trouble wish you would come
directly to me; and if anything is amiss
with you at any time be sure and send
messenger. You had better come up
tomorrow, anyway, Johnny, for want
to give you some warm clothes, and
then it will be easy for you to find the
place next time"
Johnny hung his head. The kind.
ness had overpowered him, and not a
word could he speak.
81 didn't mean to hurt you, Johnny
the tender-hearted teacher hurried to
say. "You are willing l should helr
you, are you not ?'
:" | guess you had better let me gil
now, Miss Lee" the boy replied, rather
huskily; "you could knock me down
with an eye-winker. You needn't worry
about my remembering all you have
said ; but just now I'm all broke up"
"And i can trust you, Johnny ?'' the
lady inquired.
cit is a go, ma'am," the boy an
swered, simply.
Miss Lee tucked a dollar-bill in his
hand, and Johnny hurried out of the
building.
1t took considerable tact and skill, al
well as time, for the boy to satisfactorily
manage the business which his teacher
had provided the money for. For in
stance, the grocer from whom he hat
lifted -" the oranges had sold out tt
another, and Johnny was obliged t,
hunt him up He was at last found
poor and i'll, and the boy, without mo
ment's hesitation, confessed his thief
and produced the money.
guess / can make it thirty cents,