Year: 1871

-
and trust IN vour generous soul Z
for pardon. ButI eaaac. stay here.
Listen, sir, and blame me if you |
Will, but believe me not lost yet. |
Ny father is poor, too poor to keep
me here 1 have learned the ways
Of the city. | have longed for
some Of those innocent, healthy
which have seen my
companions eujoying. For long
weeks together i have been with
out a peDnyin my pocket, and st
such times have felt much shame
in view of my extreme poverty.
My father has given me two dollors
one when he left me here, and one
when he came TO visit mo. But
what was that? nearly all oft went
for small articles / absolutely need
ed. Lectures, concerts and various
other kinds of healthy entertain
ments were visited bJ my eompan-
ions, but could not 90. At length
the fatal knowledge was mine that
others of my station had money for
such things-money that they took
from their employers with out leave
1 pondered upon il long aud deeply,
and in pondering J. was lost Yes
terday / took two--dOllars-"


Here the poor boy burst into
tears; but the merchant said not q
word. In a few moments Gilbert
resumed:


''You know the worst now. -
took II. and n part ,af it used iasI1 {
night: but y, want no more hours
hours Of agony such as L have pass
ed since that time. Here Is q dol
lar.and half, sir. Take it, and
when / get home will send you the
rest. o, let me go. for 1 cannot stay
where temptation hauuts me. Away
in the solitude ofIny fathers farm
| shall not want the money can
not have.


"You may say that l have had ex-
perience; but alas! that experience
only tells me that while l remain
here the tempter must be with Inc.
l would not long for what L cannot
possess. While / have wants and
desires, the wish must be present TO
crafty them. Let me go, sir; but
oh, tell not my shame!"


head. The merchant gaZed upon
him in silence, and a variety of
shades passed over his countenance.


Gilbert" he said at length, in a
low, kind tone, Eyou must not leave
me. For q few moments 1 win for
get the difference in our stations,
and speak as plainly as you have
spoken. / have been in the wrong,
i freely confess. l should have
known that temptation was thrown
in your way-a temptation that
should not be cast in the way of any
=, neAA
youth. Since you have been SO
nObly frank, viii be equally So
Forgive me the situation in which
placed you, and the past shall be
forgotten. Until this moment ney-
er thought seriously of this subject;
meyer before realized how direct
was the temptation thus placed be-
fore the apprentices OF our houses
But see it all now. L know that to
a poor boy, who has no money, the
presence of both money and costly
amusements must be too fearful q
temptation for ordinary youths. But
you shall not leave.


''From this moment l shall trust
you implicitly, and shall love you
for your noble disposition and fine
sense of honor. i shall not fear to
trust you henceforth, for you shall
have pecuniary recompense some
what commensurate with the labor
you perform. | have often blessed
the hour that brought you to my
store, for | have seen in you yalu-
able assistant; and if L have ever
held lingering doubt OF your strict
integrity, shall hold 1t no more, for
il requires more strength of moral
purpose to acknowledge, unasked, a
crime, than ii does to keep from
committing one Never again will
accept the labor or any person
without paying him for it, and then
If he is dishonest no blame can at
tach to me. You will not leave me,
Gilbert?"


The boy gaZed up into his employ
er's face, but for a while tears and
sobs choked his utterance. Mr..
Phelps drew him to his side and lay
ing his hand upon the youths head,
he resumed:


''If blame you for this moment
ary departure from strict honesty,
the love bear for your noble con-
fession vastly more than wipes it all
away. Henceforth you shall have
enough for all your wants, and when
the year is up we will make an ar
rangement that can but please you.
What say YOU, VIII you stay?"


'If-if-I only knew that you will
never abhor Inc for this"


"Stop, Gilbert, L have spoken to
you the truth and you need have no
fear. l will pay youS three dollars a
week for your own amusement and
instruction, and when you want
clothes and other matters of like ne
tcessity, if you viii speak to me you
shall have them. All the past is for
gotten, save your many virtues, and
henceforth 1 know you only for what
you shall prove"


. Gilbert tried in vain to tell his
gratitude, but the merchant saw it
all; and with tears in his eyes, he
blessed the boy, and then bade him
go about his work.


The year passed away, and then
another boy came to take Gilberts


place; for the latter took his station
in the counting room. But the new


boy came not as the boys had come


before. The merchant promised to


pay him so much per week, enough


for all practical purposes, and then


he felt that he should not be respon-


sible for the boys honesty.


At the age of seventeen Gilbert


Goodwin took the place of one of


the assistant book-keepers, and a.


nineteen he took his place at the


head of the counting room; for TO


an aptness at figures and an untir-


ing application to duty, he added


strength of moral integrity which


made his services almost Invaluable.


And now he has grown up to be


man, and the bright-eyed girl who
was so intimately connected with


that one dark hour of his life, has


been his wife several years. He is


still in the house of Mr.. Phelps, and


occupies the position of business


partner, the old merchant having


given up work, and now trusting


all to his youthful associate. Gil


bert Goodwin has seen many young


men fall, and he has often shuddered
in view of the wide road of tempta-


ton which is open to so many more;


and he will have no-persons In his


employ TO whom he cannot afford to
pay q sum sufficient to remove them
from inevitable temptation


DIsHEARTENERs.-It is cheap


and easy to destroy. There is not a
joyful boy or innocent girl, buoyant
with fine purposes of duty, in all


the street full of eager aud rosy
| faces, but a cvAic can chill and
dishearten with single word
-. L.