Year: 1870




thought itaA matser-of couxse that Fran


should become the same and learn the busi


ness from his father. And yet Franz
wanted to become q shoemaker, snd gav


his parents NO rest I'LL they had given thei


consent: will now tell you whyhe wishe<


could not understand it f0r many years
and when they had grown old and he wa


able to support them, he cared Tor then
| m0st tenderly as long as they lived, ani


told them also why. he had become q shoe


maker. When Frank was q little boy he
expected to be weaver like his father
He went to school, and like most boys was
diligent and then again indolent. At home


ne was not very good, and as his father
dealt severely with every act of dis
obedience, it happened that Frank was
often punished. He had but few pleasures;


often his parents earned but little; often


their means were hardly sufficient to buy
food for the little family, and their clothing
at times was very scanty TT -happiest
days in Franks life were when the teacher
took an excursion with his scholars into the
country. He looked forward to this time
with delight. Sundays also made little
change in his dreary life. In the forenoon
afternoon to Sabbath-school. This he en-
Joyed very much; but when he returned
home and had to sit still to learn the long
lesson his father had given him, and which
was SO hard for him to commit to memory,
he thought the week days were almost
better than Sunday.


Frank was twelve years old when the
teacher one Saturday told his class to pre-
pare for next Wednesday to take long
excursion: At home he was very faithful,
and begged his mother to fix his Sunday
clothes as well as possible. All was ready
IN due time-but shoes were wanting.
What could be donel The father said,
Frank could go without shoes; he would
not be the only one. Tuesday came. To-
morrow the excursion was to be. Then
the teacher sent Frank with q note to the
house OF rich gentleman. He rang the
bell, entered and handed the note, but had
to wait alone in the hall for an answer.
He looked around and saw a table with
several pairs of nice shoes, and pair of
boots. "Oh," thought Frank, these boots!
II they were only mine. They surely would
Mt !" servant appeared with the reply
Just then and Frank was left alone again.


What did he dof He took the boots and
himself in the open air, he hardly knew
what had become of him. His conscience |
burned like fire and said: "Thou hast
stolen n Then he looked again at the boots |
md thought: "To-morrow I might wear
;hem-that is all want them for. If i |
carry them back secretly, it will not be
stealing. One day cannot hurt them much" |


"But if my father should find it ,out!" |
The fearful voice of self-accusation and ex- |
,usiDg thoughts warred within. When he |
lad reached home, the first thing was to |
lide the boots in the stable. o, how rest
ess his sleep was all night! In every newJ
lream he saw the boots before him. Early
n the morning Frank hurried to reach the
Before leaving home, he
vent to the stable and took the boots, and
Ifter walking short distance he put them
N. He entered the scbool-hOuse we'll
!ressed. All were happy, but several of
hem were in their bare feet. Frank was
Jpon the road the boys sang and jumped,
he girls gathered flowers and made gar
ands and were full Of joy. Frank looked
7ith envy upon the cheerful boys with bare
BET, and thought again and again: "Only
it we're not for these bOOts!"


When one and another boy looked down,
g was frightened and dreaded being asked
here he had got the nice boots. At last
last evening came. Frank came home
Il tired out, he took off the boots before
ntering the house, and thought: !" Oh that
had never seen them! But when he
,oked at them, he noticed with terror, that
,ey were torn They could not be re-
ad stolen Sorrowfully he went to bed.
e could not pray. The whole night
rough fearful dreams haunted him, and n
hen he awoke in the morning and heard
eople talk, he imagined something would
3 said in regard to the boots. By day and z
ght he was disturbed by the thought, it
ould come to light. The severity of his b
ther, the sorrow of his mother, the dis
ace before the people-all stood in the q
rongest light before his soul. In this
ate of feelings he threw the boots into the
ater. Several times he was ready to go


the rich gentleman to confess all to him,
ut he did not do it. Whenever he had to
,ss his house, he tried to quiet his con-
fence with good resolutions for the future,
1T he was not happy. He made up his .
ind to become q shoemaker, and then the |.
st pair of boots he made should be for
q gentleman. Then he would ask his
rdon.


This was the reason why Frank gave his y
rents no rest, till they gave their con- m
Mt and took him to a shoemaker to learn
at trade. The master praised Frank for 10
3 faithfulness, and he truly deserved it, af
r he worked hard. When he was ad-
need, his first work was to make pair oil
fine boots. Now the conflict commenced l..
resh. Should he confess what nobody "
ew, and no one accused him of? And is
t lie felt that all seeing eye of God in his
art. No! he must efface that black stain.
wv he asked God earnestly for true
urage, and with beating heart he. went
Q night to the gentleman, asked him to
,ept the pair of boots he had made, and
liver him from his guilt.


The rich gentleman was greatly surprised;
had never heard word about the miss
, boots. Frank told all-his sins-his
r-his weight of care, and how that on ~,
ker. The gentleman accepted the
,fi up1 co v,laoao6 with Fra eli n