The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-01-08

from them with loathino. ana a.
Kept from them entirely. and III 10y
SSock OF money was rapidly vanisbino
driven to desperation and too proud s,
return home to meet the tears "a
nnolher, the frowns of father and AZ
Jeers OF John, he became errand how =
a small grocery store in BROOKLYN u r..
work was of the most mental drnd ra,.-
and often did he think lonpinolv IS az
good home and kind parents be 80
left As he mounted at night an o1 ,,e
loft built out over a stagnant mast
ana threW his weary frame upon the
hard bed which had been assigned him
ne would childishly cry himself to sleen'
thinking of the snug, bright, clean
healthy chamber that was his under his
fathers roof. 40
Cnder the unremitting drudgery on
such life, the tyrannical rule of q hard
master, who spared not curses and blows
to suit his varying whims, and the ma
larious location of his lodging place
Toms health began to give way, his
ruddy cheeks grew pale, his elastic stem
became unsteady and his buoyant spirit
broke down. This was pretty touch
time surely, without his gaining aavi
fame or money in being though" al
all He then began to drink lager beer
to stay his failing strength, but to mo-
purpose. After he found himself really
sick with no one to care for him and his
employer ready to turn him away, he
resolved like the prodigal son, to leave
the unsatisfying husks of the swine, and
to arise and 60 to his fathers house.
where there was enough not merely Of
bread to spare, but love and kindness
and good cheer.
| One evening when the family were al
| the supper-table the door opened and
In walked Tom ''the tough" The
poor, sick boy found himself speedily
forgiven, washed and put to bed with a
! burning fever within, but a. delicious
consciousness that he was safe at home.
| Surely ''there is no place like home"
| Symptoms of typhoid set in, and fo1
days he was delirious and the soul how
cred between life and the grave, but the
favorable crisis came and he began ia
| mend.
/ When he awoke from that doze dur4
| ing that pastoral visit he seemed sin
| cerely repentant, and feryentlY prone
ised to remain by his parents and not
leave home again without their consent.
He bewailed his folly and blindness in
running away to encounter such misery
and bring such distress upon bis family
and such needless disgrace to his pre-
vious good name. How he abhorred all
such tiashy, sensational reading and
wished it all at the bottom of the sea,
where it could not lead other unsophis-
ticated boys astray. He also acquired q
thirst for liquor which would be hard to
battle with successfully, and had let the
fangs of vice get hold of him, which
also would be hard to subdue unto final
victory. Now with constitution broken
I so that it viii be long, weary months
before he can apply himself to work OF
study, he has plenty of time to reeeuat
the fearful cost and realize that the
way of transgressors is hard.
Boys, girls, beware of this bad read
ing which is flooding the land. Let il
alone. Total abstinence from it is the
only safe course, for the great risk il
tainted Imagination, false views o.
life, discomfort, and then pursuing
glittering phantom and radiant bubble
| to final, lamentable collapse and ruin
Beware!-ReU. N. Martin Kellogg, -
N. Z. Observer.