The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-09-27
ROy's Lesson.

"I do not like him, and 1 have moth
ing whatever to do with him."
Roy Winslow spoke very decidedly;
he was rather apt to be positive in his
assertions.
"Are you sure that you are right to
do SOP" asked his mother.
Certainly; he is not the kind of fell
low l care to associate with, nor one
that l supposed you would approve"
answered Roy in slightly injured
tone of voice.
Circumstances alter cases, Roy. 1t
seems to me Joe has not much of a
chance to be different. He hasn't any
mother, you know, and his father is not
a very good man, l am afraid. If Joe
has nothing to help him at home, and
you boys all cut him, as you say you do,
what is left TO him but to go wrong?
Aren't you strong enough TO reach out
a hand and help up little, Roy?"
Roy's bright face clouded. Mission
airy efforts in the abstract were very
fascinating, but brought into new life
i'll the shape of helping some one
rather disagreeable, they suddenly be-
came very unattractive.
Pm sure don't know what l could
do for him." he said.
Ask God to show you," his mother
answered.
My mother beats any one / know
presenting a cause" Roy said once.
"She don't urge you much nor argufy;
she just lays your duty out so plain be-
fore you that you will never feel COM
Portable until you have done it,"
So now Roy found that he could not
be easy in his mind about Joe White.
1t was just as his mother said; his
home was very different from any of
the other boys, and he seemed to have
no one to help him as they did.
Roy was inclined to be a little of a
Pharisee; he had rather felt as if he
were naturally good, but somehow as
he thought of what his mother said, he
wondered if he would have been as
good as Joe in his place.
81 guess l am priding myself on my
mothers goodness instead of my own.
she has hard work getting me up to
rather shamefacedly, to himself, as he
thought it over. "I'm not so much of
a fellow as thought 1 was. l wonder,
now, if Joe would 60 to the social with
me to night, if asked him. Oh, dear!
it would be just horrid having to take
him. l wonder if doing good isn't
rather tough work anyway, when you
are doing it instead of thinking or read
ing about it? Well, I'll try to get Joe
to go tonight; perhaps we can help
him little"
And, having made up his mind, Roy
put on his cap and started for Joe's.
Joe himself was standing at his own
gate in an irresolute way. He had
come out of the house half an hour or
80 ago, and had been standing there
ever since, trying to make his mind
up what to do. Jim Morgan and Tom
Ryan had asked him to spend the even
ing with them; they would "show him
some fun" they said; but, rough as
Joe was, he hesitated. A faint men,
DRY of his mother chung to him; he
was sure, in his heart of hearts, that
she would not have wanted him to 60
with them. No, he knew well, if she
had lived, he would not have wante d
her to see him even speak to such fell
lows.
"But what can l do?" he said to
himself bitterly; "there isn't any one
at home, and the good boys won't have
me. might as well 60 to the bad and
done with it,"
How are you, Joe? l was just
coming to see YOU. Wouldn't you like
to 90 with me to the social tonight?
We have real good times, think. I'm
sure you would enjoy it. Come on,
won't your"
Joe turned and looked at Roy min
ute.
HE is just such boy as she would
have wanted me to be-" he thought.
an go with him."
So Joe went and Roy found him less
of trouble than he expected.
"But that's often the way, isn't it?'
he said to his mother. mo matter
how tough thing looks, it isn't usually
as hard as you expect when you really
get at it, And Joe puzzled me, some
how. l spoke to the boys, and we have
agreed to see if we cannot help him.
Come to think ourselves over, l, for
one, don't feel so sure that we're any
thing extry;' but we can all try to-
gether, can't we, if our mothers will
all help?"
81 want to thank you, Roy" said Joe,
months after, when he stood up before
the world and confessed his intention
to serve Christ henceforward. II want
to thank you for asking me to 60 with
you that night. 1t was the turning
point of my life, and feel, under God,
l owe everything to you"
"No you don't, Joe; you owe it to my
mother" answered Roy, gravely.
"Then God bless her!" said Joe fer
vently.
And in his heart Roy said "Amenl"
-Zion's Herald.