The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-09
HIS OPPORTUNITY.

IllO vi i Ohl ONll l.
There was one sentence that Deacon
Chandler had never omitted from his pray
srs since he was converted and began TO
pray in the little wooden church on the |
hill. 1t was this, "Send TO thy servant, o
Lord, some great opportunity for doing
good"
Strange as # may seem, his prayers had
never been answered. The seasons rolled
around with their accustomed regularity
and brought increase to his flock and plenty
to his storehouses, and as yet nothing un
usual had happened. Still the worthy man
prayed on until Deacon Chandler's op
portunity" had come to be almost byword
with not few of the younger members OF
the congregation. And when he arose at
each meeting, and with bowed head uttered
the familiar petition, his eldest son, Tom,
away in the back part Of the room, was
mimicking his father, TO the intense amuse
ment of few unruly boys who were his
companions.
Tom Chandler was bad boy. There was
no denying that. Toms mother was the
last one to admitit but even she was forced
to own sorrowfully that Thomas was
little wild" Deacon Chandler in his own
family laid down the strictest rules, and
they were fearfully followed by all except
the eldest. Tom was incorrigible He
chafed under the home restraint, and his
natural wildness found vent In various
petty misdemeanors, which soon won for
him bad name in his native village. In
vain his mother besought him to mend his
ways; in vain his father placed him under
closer restraint and visited upon him more
dire penalties. 1t was no avail
One night Deacon Chandler entered his
home with a stern look on his face that
boded no good for whoever the culprit
might be- His wife looked up from her
sewing as he entered
Where's Tom2" he said shortly.
II don't know" was the reply why
is anything the matterl"
Before he could reply the door opened
again, and the subject Of their conversation
came in. He was a tall, weS built boy of
IS, but his youthful face was already
marked with the lines of dissipation, and
in his handsome brown eyes there was a
daredevil expression that spoke volumes to
one who understood it.
well, sirP was Deacon Chandler's greet
ing.
"Wellp" came in insolent tones from the
boy, who remained standing.
you are found out"
The stern notes of the father rang in the
mothers ears like a deathknelL
you may as well confess"
There is no need if you have found me
out" replied the boy defantly.
perhaps you would like me to tell Are
you proud that you and your gang have
been detected stealing fruit from Mr. Deans
orchard, and that unless / settle you will
hsa
removing the gates from half a dozen
houses in town and making a bonfire Of
them in my orchard LOTT"
Mrs. Chandler looked hurriedly up at her
son.
"Oh, Tom, it isn't soH Say it isn't" she
implored.
But he was silent Then the deacon CON
tinued:
II shall settle TO save your brothers and
sisters from disgrace, but from this night
you are no son Of mine disown you"
A slight pallor spread over the boys face
as he opened his lips to reply.
IAN right, father. If you had dealt more
gently with me, might have been a differ
ent boy now. | own that / took the apples
and helped to burn the gates. But there"
he burst out suddenly, ''what does it mat
teri won't stay to disgrace the family
any longer. I've been ready to go for some
time" And he glanced round the com
Portable room contemptuously
When he finished speaking, a mothers
hand was laid on his arm, and a mothers
voice, pitiful in its sorrow, said:
Don't go, Tom. Your father don't mean
it. He is very angry because you make him
so much trouble. Ask him to forgive you.
| am sure he will, if you will only try TO be
a better boy"
"Neverp' sternly interrupted the deacon.
He is no son Of mine, and my house is no
longer his home. Go, sir Do you hearr
you need not tell me twice" Returned
the boy "Goodby, mother Pm going"
and before they realized it the eldest son
had passed out of home life forever
After that life went on about as usual at
the Chandler farm The deacon still offer
ed his accustomed prayer, only there was
no Tom to make fun of him, for since that
night Tom Chandler had not been seen.
Deacon Chandler was still waiting for his
opportunity and still wondering, too, why
a chance so earnestly desired was so long
withheld Others all about him were doing
great things toward building up the king
dom, yet, search and wait as he would, moth
ing ever came ID Dis way.
So the time went on for eight OF ten
years, until one day Deacon Chandler
awoke suddenly to the fact that his wife
was slowly dying His love for his wife
was one of the things that no one doubted,
and when he noticed how pale and thin she
had become he spoke TO her at once in an
unusually anxious way.
rs there anything | can do for you,
wife2" he asked.
"No-l don't know as there is"
rs there anything you want"
Her eyes filled with tears
shall ! tell your" she whispered.
"Yes-do.'
Sadly aud firmly she told him then the
whole pitiiul story
II want my boy. want Tom TO come
back TO me He was my drstborn and /
cannot forget how / loved him when he was
a baby in my arms. Yes, and when he
grew to be a boy loved him still, and my
owe could have saved him. But you-you
we're so hard and cold with him. Conscious
3f your own virtue, you could not pity his
nfrmity and bear with him, as ! would
have done. No, hear me out, as he would
have spoken. You have always prayed
prayed to the Lord for some opportunity to
do some great good, and when it was here,
in your own son, you neglected it, You
might have been more gentle; you might
have led him out Of his evil ways, but you
would not, and all these years my heart has
been aching for a sight Of my SONNY eld-
est born"
The words came sharp and fast now and
ended IN a smothered sob
The deacon was surprised. Never before