The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-05

when you broke the rosebush, why
did you make it appear that your baby
ccCsin had pushed the box over and
damaged the bush? When you dropped
the Ratchet in the cistern, why did you
cast the blame on your little friend?
When you broke my choicest grapes
from the vine, why did you arrange
that Dugald should be suspected of the
act? Had you acknowledged the wrong
deeds you would have been endeavoring
to lay bare the poison in your heart,
and taken the first step toward getting
rid of it; but though you know it is
there, and is dangerous, and degrading,
you keep it, and cover it, and work to
hold ON to it, and want nobody to know
about it, and try to appear white and
clean, when, in fact, under your pleas
ing face and manners is corrupt
heart.
Had Uncle Prescott struck Reginald q
blow he would have been man enough,
in his own way, to have borne it. but
those words were worse than blows.
He had q certain amount of pride which
made him wish to be respected and
thought well of. He did not care so
much about being honorable, but he
liked to be thought so. He had imag-
ined that Uncle Prescott believed all he
said, and thought him fair, square
boy.
| His pride was wounded; his good
opinion of himself was humbled; he
looked so utterly wretched that Uncle
| Prescott took his hand and drew him
close to his knee.
"Reginald,' he said, kindly, 81 am
only pulling some of the white paper
off, and looking at the impurity under
meath. Tell me truly, do you think you
have corrupt hearth
Reginald quailed under the question.
To be asked to own having such pos
session was staggering requirement;
vet he knew his uncle's charge was
true, and he could do nothing but ac-
knowledge its truth.
you can not easily be rid of the i'm
purity, my boy" said Uncle Prescott;
you have hidden it, and kept it, and
fed it until it has oyergrown the good
in you. You have made it your sole
! object to try to appear good and pure;
do you wish to 90 on feeding and hid
ing the poison, while it grows more and
more powerful and impure?'
Reginald was too heartily ashamed of
! himself to have much to say, and whio
declaring that he did not wish to con-
tinue doing as in past, was much con-
cerned to know how much Of his decep-
ton, and how many of his tricks, per
petrated during the past few weeks
spent in his new home, had been dis
covered by Uncle Prescott.
"H you do not wish to continue hid
/ ing and keeping this poison, let us be-
gin now to pull the pure white paper
oil of it,, said Uncle Prescott; what
did you cover up yesterday? | must
/ have the secrets Of each day since the
time you came to share my home Tell
me frankly, what did you cover up yes
/ tcrdayy"
Reginald glanced at his uncle and
then at the floor He was not all bad;
he did think it would be more comfort
able to be true and honorable. He did
feel a longing to be rid of his present
inner life; he saw himself az he had
never seen himself before; he felt a
/ loathing for the acts he had only
thought clever, smart
Uncle, you would hate me-" he ex-
claimed, passionately; Il never can
tell you the half "
. Suppose do hate you; suppose l
never do and never can forgive or for
get it; suppose you lose me as your
/ friend; what can that matter in COM
/ parisOn to losing your soul your self
respect, the respect of the whole world
/ who may ever happen to hear of you,
/ losing your own heart of honor? I'm
cover the poison, Reginald, aud let me
help you get it out of you, no matter
/ how It hurts, or where it hits, or what
becomes of you and of me afterward.
/ Y on can afOrd to lose me if you can
( get rid of the dishonor which is de-
stroying all the good that ever was in
you
Reginald was looking IN his uncle's
face; he was brave with sudden BRAY
/ cry; he was true with sudden honor;
/ he was filled with a determination to
/ be free with a new freedom. He re-
! counted trick after trick, accidents and
receptions, and Uncle Prescott could
have been angry enough had he not
been in soul-carnestness, helping Regin-
aid fight a fight never to be forgotten.
+ Reginald, having confessed every
/ fault he could think of, waited to hear
the words which would Danish him from
his new home, but his uncle took his
hand kindly, saying: Il believe you
have faithfully torn off the covering,
and tried to take the first step toward
removing the impurity underneath; do
you promise me at this moment, which
is solemn one. my boy, that you will
faithfully, honorably bring the faults
of every day TO me and uncover them,
no matter what their nature, rather
than hide them to turn to poison in
Your heart?"
Reginald's promise was not prom
Use meant to be broken, and if in after
time he was tempted and failed and be-
gan again, are you not very sure that
his heart of dishonor gradually shrunk
away, as it was kept uncovered and
brought TO the light, while the owner
grew to be happy, honorable and true?
-Georgc Kitngtc, in N. Y Observer.
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Among the immigrants of the
steamship Elder who landed at Castle