The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-10-01
) lad thought that Bis uneIa ballsss.I

'"When you broke the rosebush nh,
did you makesit appear that Your baby
cousin had pushed the box over ana
damaged the bush? When you tlrouned
the Ratchet in the cistern, why did van.
cast the blame on your little friends
When you broke my choicest granes
from the vine, why did you arranes
that Dugald should be suspected of RI
act? Had you acknowledged the wrans
deeds you would have been endeayorinSs
to lay bare the poison in your hearf
and taken the first step toward gettinc
rid of it; but, though you know # s.
there, and is dangerous, and DEGRADING
you keep it, and cover it, and work e
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 eorr,int
heart. -
Had Uncle Prescott struck Reginald
blow he would have been man enetivb
in his own way, to have borne IL bnt
those words were worse than BLOWS
He had certain amount of pride which
made him wish to be respected and
thought well of. He did not care 81
much about being honorable, but ha
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: ha
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 a staggering requirement;
yet 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,n 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 60 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 while
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.
If you do not wish to continue hid
ing and keeping this poison, let us be-
gin now to pull the pure white paper
off 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
terdayp"
Reginald glanced at his uncle and
then at the floor. He was not all bad:
he did think it would be more comforts
able to be true and honorable. He did
feel longing to be rid of his present
inner life; he saw himself as he had
never seen himself before; he felt
loathing for the acts he had only
thought clever, smart,
Uncle, you would hate mel" he ex-
claimed, passionately; 81 never can
tell You the half.
Suppose / do hate you; suppose
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 honorP I'M
cover the poison, Reginald, and 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.
You can afford 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 a sudden honor;
he was filled with a determination 10
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-earnestness, helping Regiu.
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 bis
hand kindly, saying: II 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 win
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 10
your hearth"
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 trues
George Kltngle, S's N. Y. Observer
-
Among the immigrants Of The
steamship Elder who landed at Castle.
II