Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-10-20

usuai ht INC Suunuler Iarm. Int
deacon still offered his accustomed
prayer, only there was no Tom tc
make fun of him, for since tha
night Tom Chandl had not beer
seen. Deacon Cha erw still wait
ing for his opportunity and still won
dering, too, how q chance so earnestly
desired was so long withheld. Other
all about him were doing great things
toward building up the kingdom, yet,
search and wait rs he would, nothing
ever came in his way.
So the time went on for eight or ter
years, until one day Deacon Chandler
awoke suddenly to the fact that hi,
wife was slowly dying His love fol-
his wife was one of the things that nc
one doubted, and when he noticed how
pale and thin she had become he spoke
to her ut once in an unusually anxious
way.
SIS there anything I can do for you,
wife ?" he asked.
Mo- don't know as there is
Is there anything you want"
Her eyes filled with tears.
''Shall I tell you?" she whispered.
"Yes-do."
Sadly and firmly she told him then
the whole pitiful story.
81 want my boy. / want Tom to
come back to me. He was my first
born, and | cannot forget how / loved
him when he was baby in my arms
Yes, and when he grew to be boy |
loved him still, and my love could have
saved him. But you-you were so
hard and cold with him. Conscious
of your own virtue, you could not
pity his infrmity and bear with him,
as | would have done. No, hear me
out, b" 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 u sight
of my sonny eldest born"
The words came sharp and fast now
and ended in smothered sob.
The deacon was surprised. Never
before had his wife questioned his wis
dom or censured him for what he did.
But the mother love so strong in her
had welled up and filled her heart to
overhowing, and she must be heard.
Her words had their effect, too, for
Deacon Chandler saw, rs he had never
seen before this, his mistake and the
bunnnrtsx nf tha far.r.,,t L. l. 1
SO often breathed out to His Heavenly
Father when he was an unmerciful-
nay, even cruel parent. How he had
prayed for an opportunity of doing
good, and when it came let ii pass
nay, threw it away willfully. He was
man of few words, and those he spoke
now carried healing balm to the heart
of the woman who had SO loved her
wayward boy.
81 have been wrong, wife. Can you
forgive me?"
"Oh, freely !" she answered him.
He read i'll her wistful eyes the I'M
spoken wish and answered it,
81 will find our boy and bring him
home" he said
"And no matter how sinful ne is or
how he has fallen you will bring him
home to his mother?"
II will. And she was satisfied.
To those who wish TO learn all things
are plain, and Deacon Chandler traced
hls son, by constant effort, to small
Western city. OF the fact that he was
there he became convinced, but could
learn nothing more. 4 week found
him standing in n railway station of
the city Of c., incuiring of the by
ISLANDERS ii they knew Thomas Chan
dler.
"Know Thomas Chandler? Waal,
reckon | do, drawled one loafer who
was warming himself in the sun.
''Can you tell me where | can find
him2" asked the deacon.
"Waal, | kinder reckon about this
time er day he's ter be found over to
the Senter House
Having learned where the Senter
House was. Deacon Chandler walked
slowly up the main street of the we'll
kept western city How should he
hnl rom2 lle inferred, from the
manner Of the man with whom he had
just talked, that has hon was still the
Wild young man he had turned from
home so many weary years ago. But
Il did not matter. lie had promised
the mother and then Was not here his
he would sea that he
sfasped u noa aud would save his son
A any cost
Ills meiitaiiuus we're cnt short las
lhe gilded sign directly Ia 'front.' OF
hls oges and ho saw ia large letters Sen
Ior House. lie was almost ashamed o.
ash this geHtlrmpulY fellow about his
rrlng son, bat he did
II am a stranger here, slr, e he he
gam. "tau Ynu tpil mp where I can
.'Hi Thomas Chandler
"ies sir. answered the brick olork
fheu he tHrnri ia "a hos Nhn ainni
near ana stiA ',,a aul ilnd Mf
handler
Tho hny spri aaaY uu hs rfraud
iui Deacon Chandler waited ihsH
iH hafi ateNa x manh Hurprlhel .
,niea eailei Father anl ha
.Hnka up aui cas- his apa tHi whore
aas ghe sinful i'mlHaiei man hD Dad
huHaht ~ aeef iiffa Nas 4 Wfil i
lre a aHA rfnap.feas lonklHs maH,
InlilHs 4at D. haHI e. hIm sHi Nd .
iiHs him NrlHaHr AAi "a aas i0m