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diff --git a/16367-h/16367-h.htm b/16367-h/16367-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e5c5d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/16367-h/16367-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4623 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" + content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<meta content="pg2html (binary v0.18)" name="generator" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of + WATCH-WORK-WAIT; or, THE ORPHAN'S VICTORY + by Sarah A. Myers. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + <!-- + body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; } + p { + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + h1 { text-align: center; + margin-top: 4em;} + h2 { text-align: center; + margin-top: 3em;} + h3 {text-align: center; + margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; } + h4,h5,h6 { text-align: center; } + hr { width: 50%; } + hr.full { width: 100%; } + .foot { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 85%; } + .poem { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left; } + .poem .stanza { margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em; } + .poem p { margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em; } + .poem p.i2 { margin-left: 1.5em; } + .poem p.i3 { margin-left: 2.0em; } + .poem p.i4 { margin-left: 2.5em; } + .poem p.i5 { margin-left: 3.0em; } + .poem p.i10 { margin-left: 6.0em; } + + .quote { margin-left: 6%; margin-right: 6%; text-indent: 0em; font-size: 90%; } + .figure {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: center;} + .center {text-align: center; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + .center table { + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + img {border: 0;} +/*]]>*/ + // --> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Watch--Work--Wait, by Sarah A. Myers + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Watch--Work--Wait + Or, The Orphan's Victory + +Author: Sarah A. Myers + +Release Date: July 27, 2005 [EBook #16367] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WATCH--WORK--WAIT *** + + + + +Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Andre Lapierre and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1> + WATCH-WORK-WAIT;<br /> + or,<br /> +THE ORPHAN'S VICTORY.</h1> + +<h2> +by SARAH A. MYERS. +</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<h2>Contents</h2> +<table summary="TOC" width="60%"> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0001"> +CHAPTER I.</a></td><td align="left">WILLIAM'S FIRST GRIEF. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0002"> +CHAPTER II.</a></td><td align="left">TOILS AND TRIALS. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0003"> +CHAPTER III.</a></td><td align="left">AN ORPHAN INDEED. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0004"> +CHAPTER IV.</a></td><td align="left">WILLIAM AT HIS MOTHER'S GRAVE. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0005"> +CHAPTER V.</a></td><td align="left">WILLIAM'S NEW HOME +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0006"> +CHAPTER VI.</a></td><td align="left">A TIME OF TRIAL. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0007"> +CHAPTER VII.</a></td><td align="left">THE TEMPTER TRIUMPHS. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0008"> +CHAPTER VIII.</a></td><td align="left">GLEAMS OF SUNSHINE. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0009"> +CHAPTER IX.</a></td><td align="left">SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0010"> +CHAPTER X.</a></td><td align="left">MAKING OTHERS HAPPY. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0011"> +CHAPTER XI.</a></td><td align="left">A LABOUR OF LOVE. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0012"> +CHAPTER XII.</a></td><td align="left">RAYS OF HOPE. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0013"> +CHAPTER XIII.</a></td><td align="left">THE DAWN OF BETTER DAYS. +</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><a href="#h2HCH0014"> +CHAPTER XIV.</a></td><td align="left">WILLIAM'S SUCCESS. +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p class="center"><br /> +<i>Title Section and Table of Contents above added by transcriber.</i><br /></p> + +<hr /> + + +<a name="image-0001"><!--IMG--></a> +<p class="figure"> +<a href="./images/fp.png"> +<img src="./images/fp_th.png" alt="WILLIAM AT HIS MOTHER'S GRAVE." /></a> +<br /><b>WILLIAM AT HIS MOTHER'S GRAVE.</b><br /> + Taking a piece of paper and a pencil from his pocket, he<br /> +drew a sketch of the little square where his loved ones +slept.</p> + + + + +<a name="h2H_4_0001" id="h2H_4_0001"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h1> + WATCH-WORK-WAIT; +</h1> +<h3> + or, +</h3> +<h1> +THE ORPHAN'S VICTORY. +</h1> +<h2> +by SARAH A. MYERS. +</h2> +<p class="center"> +"Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.... They that seek +the Lord shall not want any good thing."—PSALM xxxiv. +</p> +<p class="center"> +London:<br /> +T. Nelson and Sons, Paternoster Row; Edinburgh; and New +York.</p> +<p class="center"> +MDCCCLXII. +</p> + +<hr /> +<p> +This little volume contains a simple record of the trials and +temptations which a poor orphan boy passed through a few years since. +It teaches that best of lessons,—the need of Divine help in the +battle of life. It shows that a child may attain a beautiful character +amid great trials and great evils. +</p> +<p> +The author assures us that the incidents in this delightful story are +real occurrences. Some of them are "stranger than fiction;" yet they +are not fancies, but facts. +</p> +<hr /> +<a name="h2HCH0001" id="h2HCH0001"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER I. +</h2> +<h3> + WILLIAM'S FIRST GRIEF. +</h3> +<p> +In one of the many beautiful spots which the traveller sees in making +a voyage up the Hudson, stands the village of M——. It attracts the +notice of all tourists, for it seems to occupy the very place in which +a painter or a lover of the picturesque would have chosen to place it. +Its inhabitants love to boast of its antiquity, for it was founded by +the original Dutch settlers, and its present settlers are mostly their +descendants. +</p> +<p> +At the time of which we write, no city fashions had found their way to +that remote spot. Its inhabitants were simple-hearted, pious, and +contented to live as their forefathers had done; and the place seemed +like a quiet little world within itself. None of the gross vices +always to be found in large communities were practised there. On the +Sabbath-day, when its only bell sent its voice distinctly over the +valley, the humble dwellers met in the single church, not only bound +together by the tie of human brotherhood, but by the sweeter ties of +Christian charity, to hear the word of God and perform the work of +prayer and praise. +</p> +<p> +Just at the end of the long street in this quiet village stood a +cottage, which, although very rudely built, attracted the attention of +the passers-by from the extreme neatness and order, those sure +attendants of the pious poor, which reigned around it. In winter it +looked snug beneath its coating of snow; in summer very beautiful, +glistening, as it then did, in all its fragrant adornment of +jessamine, honeysuckle, and sweet-brier. +</p> +<p> +But if its exterior was attractive, the family life within was much +more so. True piety and grace were found beneath that modest roof, +most truly illustrating the truth, that the high and lofty One that +inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and +holy place, dwelleth with <i>him also</i> that is of a contrite and humble +spirit. +</p> +<p> +For many years this cottage had been occupied by a watchmaker, a +German, who left his own country in early manhood, and came to the +United States to find the wealth which foreigners used to believe +could be gained here at once. This he never acquired, but he found +something better; for although in an out-of-the-way place he could not +expect to grow rich by his trade, he found a great treasure in his +pious wife, and enjoyed more of pure and real happiness than often +falls to the lot of man. His mind was originally one of strength, and +he had turned his meditations and prayers heavenward, and the promised +peace was vouchsafed. +</p> +<p> +He did not love his trade as well as he might have done; for having a +very remarkable talent for painting and sketching, which the beautiful +surroundings were well calculated to foster, he often found his +business of watchmaking irksome. Although frugal, industrious, and +possessing much skill as a seal engraver, in which art he received +employment from New York, he never was able to lay up anything, +although he could and did provide comfortably for his household. +</p> +<p> +His neighbours entertained for him a deep respect. He was of an +independent spirit, somewhat taciturn; and, from his retiring, +contemplative spirit, by some was considered stern. But his life was +so entirely blameless, regulated as it was by the purifying and +elevating influence of Christianity, that many reverenced him as an +"Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." +</p> +<p> +But Christians are by no means exempt from trials; indeed, the +children of God are called to pass through the sorest ordeals, and the +Raymonds had experienced many strokes of the chastening rod. When +their children were taken one after another, until only the last born +remained, they bowed submissively to this adverse visitation; and +although for a little while stunned in spirit, as was natural, they +murmured not, but were soon able to say with resignation, "The Lord +gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." +But turning toward the one left, it may easily be supposed that for +him they entertained a most anxious love. Nevertheless, no undue +indulgences were granted because he was the only one and the last. +They knew their duty as Christian parents too well for that, and +spared no pains, both by precept and example, to instruct him in the +lore that putteth to shame all worldly wisdom, and which only could +fit him for the trials of earth or the joys of heaven. Well was it for +the poor child that he had been thus taught, for the time was at hand +when he would require all the Christian's armour to fit him for the +great battle in which every one that lives is called to contend. To +some the strife is more severe than to others; but to all, if they +would win the goal successfully, a better strength than their own is +necessary, and to teach their child to rely upon the all-sustaining +arm, was the constant endeavour of these faithful parents. +</p> +<p> +A few years passed by, and their earthly comforts were not diminished; +they still occupied the cottage their own hands had beautified, and +having won the affectionate esteem of their landlord, a good old +baker, he assured them that he would never raise their rent or suffer +them to leave it. Their son William had reached his eighth year, and +was what might be called a good boy; for, having no bad example, and +being naturally of a docile disposition, and for the most part +obedient and gentle, there was little occasion for fault-finding. To +the anxious father the thought had often occurred, "What is to be his +future lot—in what line of business is he to be brought up?" and he +mostly concluded he could never bear a separation from this boy, who +was as the very apple of his eye; he would teach him his own trade, +which, although by no means a profitable, was at least a respectable +one, and would furnish a livelihood. There were times when, looking +into the intelligent blue eyes that would be lifted up so lovingly to +meet his gaze, he would wish that he might be able to educate his boy; +but almost at once he would conquer the longing, and say to himself: +"It is God who appoints to every man his station, and I must not +murmur because my child's lot is destined to be a lowly one. There is +danger in high places, and I ought rather to rejoice that our poverty +removes him far from the temptation he would meet with in a more +exalted station." +</p> +<p> +One evening, it was a dull and cloudy one near the close of December, +George Raymond came home seeming more than ordinarily cheerful, +greatly to the delight of his good Margaret, who did not like to see +him too thoughtful. "Times seem to grow better, wife," he said, after +he finished his supper; "I have had plenty of work at seal engraving +this last fortnight; it seems my work has been approved in the city." +</p> +<p> +"We have always had enough for the supply of our daily wants," +answered Margaret; "and we are told not to be too anxious about the +goods of this world." +</p> +<p> +"I am not very anxious," said Raymond; "at least not on my own +account; but sometimes I think if I should be called away, what would +become of you, Gretta, and little Will?" +</p> +<p> +"The Lord would provide for us, George, as he has ever done," was the +wife's reply; "he is ever faithful to his promise, and he has declared +that those who wait on him shall not want for any good thing." +</p> +<p> +"That is very true, Margaret; but we must use lawful means to provide +bread for our families," said Raymond; "but where is Will? I have not +seen him since I came in; neither did he come to meet me as usual." +</p> +<p> +"I am here, father," said a sweet childish voice; and creeping from a +dark corner between the cupboard and the wall, a little boy came forth +and stood at his father's knee, and, without speaking, looked up into +his face with an expression of more than ordinary meaning. Slight and +delicately made, he was easily raised to his usual seat on his +father's knee, when, kissing him affectionately, he inquired, "What +have you been doing all day, Will? I believe you have had no school." +</p> +<p> +"Wait, father, and I will show you," replied the boy, as he slid down +from his father's knee; and running to the corner from whence he had +come at Raymond's call, he returned almost immediately with two or +three half-sheets of paper in his hand. "I have been drawing," said +the little boy, as his father took the sketches and examined them with +a grave look. "Please do not be angry, for I did not take your +pencils." +</p> +<p> +"And how did you draw without pencils?" asked his father. "Let me see +what you have here;—a table, a chair, ah yes, and a house with trees! +Very good, William; but I would rather you did not draw any more." +</p> +<p> +The boy would have asked why, but taught that the parental wish was to +be regarded as a law, he tried to conquer the emotion which would +arise in spite of all efforts to restrain it. It seemed hard to be so +disappointed: he expected praise, and now, if he had not received +censure, certainly not the slightest approval was accorded. +Accustomed, however, not to question, but submit, the little fellow +threw his arms embracingly round his father's neck and bade him good +night, and having done the same with his mother, retired to bed rather +to shed his tears unseen than to sleep. +</p> +<p> +And he did weep! Poor little fellow, his grief was very great; and +although our readers may smile because he regarded the matter in such +a serious light, they must remember that this was almost, if not +altogether, his first sorrow; and we are far from believing the sorrow +of a child the trivial thing it is generally considered, and perhaps +but the beginning of other and severer trials. +</p> +<p> +But if the sorrow of childhood is severe, what a blessing it is that +its violence is soon over! anger seldom rests in the heart of a good +child, and as soon as the tears are dried, all is bright as before. +William's tears were very bitter, but accustomed always to ask the +divine blessing before retiring, he knelt down beside his little bed, +and prayed that if he had done wrong in drawing without asking his +father's leave, he might be forgiven. His childish petition, uttered +in the full confidence that it would be heard, brought comfort, as the +act of sincere prayer always does, and once more soothed and happy, in +a few minutes the child sunk into so deep a slumber, that he was +altogether unconscious of his mother's kiss, and the audibly uttered +blessing invoked upon him by his pious father. +</p> +<p> +There were two other hearts as sorrowful as his own, although tears +did not attest the depth of their emotion. Margaret was distressed in +her child's distress, and could not understand why her husband did not +praise what she considered the very creditable effort of her boy; but +she was too judicious to utter a word in his presence, much as she +sympathized with William. Raymond, however, was the most distressed of +all, and that, too, because he felt that a father's pride must be +sacrificed at the shrine of what he regarded as a father's duty; and +he experienced a severe pang, as, on surveying the child's sketches, +he dared not say one word in praise of them, although his very heart +bounded, lover of the fine arts as he was, at the promise of superior +talent they exhibited. After William had left the room he sat leaning +his head on his hand, quite unrepentant, however, for his seeming +harshness, but at the same time troubled that his views of duty made +it imperative for him to appear so. Margaret was the first to break +silence. +</p> +<p> +"George," said she, "why did you hurt poor William by not praising his +drawings? the child was so sure you would be delighted; and although +he knew where your pencils are kept, he never once asked for them, but +took the charcoal from the hearth. I cannot understand why you did +so." +</p> +<p> +"My dear Margaret," he replied, "I am far more grieved to be obliged +to look frowningly on that which, in other than our present +circumstances, would have given to me greater delight than to you or +my good child himself. William's sketches, rude as they are, evince +very extraordinary talent, but I should sin were I to encourage him to +pursue such a work. I know too well how absorbing it is; how hard it +is, when one's mind is filled with pictures of the grand and +beautiful, to work at a trade one does not like. The boy, most likely, +has genius; but even so, how is that genius to be fostered? I know, +too, how toilsome and difficult is the early path toward the art, and +how few, comparatively, ever gain distinction and reward." +</p> +<p> +"That is true," said Margaret; "I now understand and see that you are +right." +</p> +<p> +"Yes, Margaret," washer husband's reply, "I think I am right; remember +that it is the Unerring who has allotted our condition, and I have no +higher ambition than to see my only child grow up an honest man, +diligent in his calling, whatever it may be. My first wish is, that my +boy may be a Christian: it will never trouble me that he must work +hard and be obscure; for if he is pious, honest, and happy in his own +mind, he will be a greater man than those who fill high stations +without the qualifications I have named." +</p> +<p> +"He is such a good child," said Margaret, "I cannot bear to give him +unnecessary pain." +</p> +<p> +"The proper discipline does no harm," said Raymond; "and the Scripture +tells us that 'no chastening for the present is joyous, but grievous, +but afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to +them that are exercised thereby;' and as we are in the same place +commanded to 'make straight paths for our feet,' so in this instance I +have preferred giving my child present pain in order that he may +escape future and greater trials. Ah! Margaret, he may think I am +harsh in this case, as he cannot fathom my motive; and how often do we +judge hardly of the dealings of our kind heavenly Father when he +thwarts us in some favourite wish, or smiles not on our undertaking. +Be assured that only those who commit their way unto the Lord are +safe; and as I bear my boy daily upon my heart to the throne of grace, +and offer up the prayer of faith in the name of Him who hath promised +to hear, so truly am I assured that all that befalls us will be right, +and that although I may be removed from the earthly guardianship of my +darling child, I know that he will never want for any good thing. +Wife, we must teach him that his lot is to be a lowly one; but we must +also teach him that any station can be ennobled by the upright and +conscientious discharge of the duties belonging to it. But now, let us +have our usual worship, and then we will look in on William, and see +if his trouble is not all forgotten in sleep." +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0002" id="h2HCH0002"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<h2> + CHAPTER II. +</h2> +<h3> + TOILS AND TRIALS. +</h3> +<p> +When William arose the next morning, he met his parents with as +smiling a face as if his father had presented him with a case of +pencils, instead of discouraging his attempts at drawing. Nothing was +said on the subject, and the weeks rolled on quietly and peacefully as +before, until William passed his ninth birthday, and the +Christmas-time drew near. This is a festive time with most; and it +seems right that it should be so, for can man ever be sufficiently +thankful for the great gift of a Saviour, whose birth was heralded by +the songs of angels on that day? All nations observe their peculiar +ceremonies, but perhaps none are more faithfully observant of them +than the Germans in the little community of M——, most of whose +inhabitants at the time of which we write were descendants of the +original Dutch settlers. Many ceremonies and customs, relics of a +ruder age, and now nearly forgotten, were still practised. The +Raymonds, although pious, and more intelligent than most of their +neighbours, kept up many of the usages of Fatherland on the Christmas +occasion, perhaps more as wafting them back in remembrance of early +enjoyment in the home circle, than from any present love of the +festivity common at this period. +</p> +<p> +The joyful season drew nigh merrily, and in the watchmaker's family, +as in all others—for the very poorest look forward hopingly to +it—there was nothing but bright anticipations, which were for the +present realized. The Christmas cake was prepared in the most approved +old fashion; the dark-hued pine was duly ornamented, and occupied a +conspicuous place in the family room, and little William was made most +happy in the receipt of many gifts, although toy paints and pencils +were not among the number. +</p> +<p> +But what says the Scripture? "Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou +knowest not what a day may bring forth;" and the holy man who +admonishes to "rejoice with trembling," well knew the slender +foundation on which all earthly bliss is based. +</p> +<p> +The day broke bright and cheerful; the morning prayers, never +forgotten in this truly Christian household, were over, and the gifts +and greetings exchanged; the village bell rang out clear on the frosty +air, and sounded rejoicingly as it called the humble community to give +thanks in the little old-fashioned church, as the custom was on +Christmas-day. In the Raymond cottage the good dinner was eaten, and +when the sun had gone down behind the mountains, the Christmas-tree +was once more lighted up; and although not quite as well laden or as +brilliant as on the evening before, it nevertheless illumined the +cottage, and continued very attractive. It had been a happy day, and +as they sat beside their evening fire, thinking over the many +enjoyments and blessings that had marked its course, New Year's-day +was the next point of expectation, and many were the pleasures to be +enjoyed on that day, as well as many new prospects planned to be +executed within the year. Ah! they saw not how the dark wing of the +angel of Death was sweeping over them, nor could they forebode that +from this night their path was to be a stern and rugged one. +</p> +<p> +In the evening of the day after Christmas, when Raymond returned from +his work, he complained of feeling unwell, and his sickness increasing +hourly, his earthly course was terminated in a few days; and instead +of the promised pleasure on New Year's-day, his corpse occupied the +lowly room. It was a mournful New Year's-day in the home of the widow +and the fatherless. Margaret, passive in her affliction, for she was +stunned by its suddenness, sat gazing with tearless eyes upon the +corner where the dim outline of a human form was seen under its white +covering; and little William, turning his eyes alternately from his +pale mother to the corpse of his father, was too much awe-stricken by +the presence of the dread destroyer to utter a word. +</p> +<p> +It was not until after the remains of poor Raymond had been laid in +the grave, and the widow had returned to her desolate cottage, that +she experienced the full weight of her heavy burden. Even when death +comes slowly, when sickness, pain, and long suspense have made the +issue certain, it is hard for the bereaved to realize the dread event; +but when the scythe of the destroyer has passed so quickly over, when +the home is made so speedily desolate, and the place vacant, is it +wonderful that to the stricken mourner all seems dark, discerning no +light behind the overshadowing cloud? But none, dear reader, are +afflicted more than they can bear; the words of worldly wisdom would +fall upon the ear unheard, but the sacred balm poured out upon the +bruised heart by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, the +Comforter promised by our Saviour, soothes the soul into submission, +and whispers, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will not forsake +the widow, nor shall the orphan be forgotten." +</p> +<p> +It was not long until the pious Margaret recognised the hand by which +she had been smitten; and the first stunning effect of her grief being +past, with the same patient, humble, and calm spirit that had always +characterized her in her prosperous days, she prepared to make +arrangements for a more frugal course of life than that they had +hitherto maintained, although the housekeeping had always been of the +most simple order. She could not afford to keep the cottage in which +they had lived so happily; the vines her husband's hand had trained, +the flowers she had planted, the little garden which they both had +delighted to keep in order, must pass into the hands of strangers; and +the thought of leaving a place so dear by association gave an +additional pang to the grief already so great. She looked upon her +child, her last, her only treasure, and blessing God that this comfort +was still spared, she resolved to exert every energy in the endeavour +to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Great was +her adversity, but He who watches over the sparrow and feeds the raven +had raised up friends for her time of need. +</p> +<p> +The cottage in the suburbs was speedily let to another tenant; but +their landlord, Nicholas Herman, the baker, found a room, an attic +indeed, but comfortable, in a house adjoining his own; and from the +time in which she took possession both himself and his good wife +showed her every kindness within their power. But still she found +herself very poor; for after her husband's affairs were settled, and +the rent and funeral expenses paid, there was nothing left, and she +had to use such industry as she was able to pursue to maintain her +little household. Very simple indeed was their manner of living now; +but she knew no want, for having gained the respect and confidence of +the community in her prosperous days, she was supplied with work +almost constantly. +</p> +<p> +The winter was long and severe, and dark and dreary were many of its +hours to the widow. As the season advanced toward the spring, her +heart was illuminated by occasional gleams of light sent forth, not +only by hope's smiling in the distance, but from the sustaining +influence lent her by the hopeful spirit, ready obedience, and +untiring industry of her boy. +</p> +<p> +It is astonishing what a sudden change such a blow of misfortune often +produces in a child. We know not the mysterious workings of a child's +mind, or by what process such a rapid change is accomplished; but we +know from experience that the journey of a very few years in the path +of life can make even the very young sensible that this world is not +one of unmixed happiness, and that there is often but a step from +careless childhood to a painful maturity,—painful because unnatural. +</p> +<p> +Such was the case with poor Will Raymond; and new comfort dawned on +the widow's heart as she remarked his untiring efforts, not only to +cheer her, but to aid, by such labour as he was able to perform, in +their mutual maintenance. With a maturity of judgment hardly to be +expected in one of his age, he entered not only into all her plans, +but, during the spring and summer succeeding his father's death, went +regularly to some kind of work, by which he gained wages, small +indeed, but which, added to the general stock, would help to provide +against the severities of the coming winter. There are always some +kind hearts to be found in every community, who are willing to comfort +the feeble-minded, support the weak, and encourage all virtuous +effort, although the service rendered be but trifling. A kind-hearted +farmer, hearing of the little boy's exertions to aid his mother, +employed him to wait on his reapers during harvest; and as the time of +fruit-gathering and hop-picking in the autumn furnished plenty of such +work as he was able to do, all his time was, as one might say, filled +up. And when he brought home the hard-earned money, the fruit of his +toils, and marked the lighting of his mother's eye as he poured his +little treasures into her lap, child as he was, he felt there was a +sweetness in the gains of labour which no gifts can bestow; and +William and his mother were not the only ones to remark that bread +earned by honest toil is sweeter than any other. +</p> +<p> +There was another, besides the farmer, whose heart turned warmly +toward the fatherless boy. Old Nicholas Herman, the baker, was too +truly benevolent to forget his late tenant, and although not a rich +man, he had often something to send to the widow. He had learned the +beautiful precept: "Give bread to the hungry, and from the needy turn +not away;" and was a true believer in Him who said, "Inasmuch as ye do +it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me." +</p> +<p> +Kept busy and from home throughout the day, the mother waited +anxiously for the twilight hour, for then William would return, and +great was the joy of her heart when, with bounding step and cheerful +face, he entered the house. The night might be dark and stormy, but +his presence always made her sun-light; and the tempest might beat +upon her lowly dwelling, threatening its destruction, yet she heeded +it not, for her earthly treasure was beside her. Although much +enfeebled by grief, she spent no idle moments, but sewed, knit, or +spun. William, child as he was, did not fail to note the faded look, +and exerted himself not only to assist her in her household duties, +but learned to knit; for he thought no occupation, however feminine, +disparaging to his boyhood, if by it he could only lessen her labours. +</p> +<p> +These hours were spent with double profit, for she taught him while +she worked, and light from her window was seen to glimmer long after +most of the dwellers in her neighbourhood had gone to rest. She taught +him the ordinary branches of school learning, which she well +understood; but she was much more careful to impress upon his mind the +more important precepts of the gospel, that only true chart by which, +man can steer through life safely, and which wisdom, she told him, was +of more value than gold. She grieved not that his face was imbrowned, +or his hands hardened by labour: toil is man's natural inheritance, +and he is bid to rejoice in his "labour, for it is the gift of God;" +but she rejoiced in the maturing of his heart, and saw that the good +seed she was sowing was taking root. +</p> +<p> +She had, however, one trouble concerning him, and not being able to +discern clearly what was her duty, it gave her more anxiety than even +her poverty. His love for sketching could not be repressed. She saw +that he shared his father's talent largely, but remembering what her +husband's views in reference to the cultivation of the noble art of +painting had been, the struggle between maternal pride and the natural +yearnings of a mother's heart to gratify a darling and worthy child, +in opposition to what seeming duty demanded, can scarcely be imagined. +Her late husband's opinions, tempered as they always were by judgment +and prudence, had acquired a character of sacredness in her view; but +when William, in showing her his sums, showed also the rude but +spirited sketches he had drawn on the border of his slate, she saw +that the gift was from God, and she could not condemn, although she +dared not praise. She was afraid of entailing misery on him by +fostering a taste beyond what his means would permit him to gratify. +He had no present prospect but that of earning his bread by the sorest +labour. Even if his talent were an extraordinary one, it would take a +long time to cultivate it to a profitable point; and in the meantime, +how was he to be supported? +</p> +<p> +She told all this to her son; but when he begged her, as his only +recreation (for he never played with any boys except George Herman, as +good a boy as himself), to let him look over his father's portfolio of +sketches, could she deny the favour? or was she wrong? Nor could she +forbid some pen-and-ink sketches, in which she recognised familiar +objects, although she warned him against giving offence by +caricaturing; and while she described to him the wonders of this +glorious earth, with its embosomed treasures of mines and minerals, +and made him read in his Bible how God had created all and called it +good, she also showed him that man was the crowning work;—beloved of +God, notwithstanding his rebellion; made only a little lower than the +angels, crowned with dignity and honour; and so loved by the Saviour, +that he came to save those who otherwise would have been lost; and +still bearing much of the original impress in which he was created. +She explained to him how wrong it is to make game of the peculiarities +of any human being, ridicule his infirmities, or win a reputation by +exhibiting his defects; bidding him always, at the close of her +lecture, to read the sermon delivered on the mount, and to walk by its +rule, and he would not fail to do right. +</p> +<p> +There were times, however, when the mother's heart would almost +overcome this resolve. In her lonely hours fancy would portray her +son's future; and when does maternal hope discover aught but a +glorious one? She thought of what he might be, could he go abroad to +study the works of the old masters; how, with his genius (for she knew +not that <i>taste</i> was often mistaken for genius) and persevering +industry, her boy might yet win a high place in the world, as many +others as poor as he had done. But she was too sensible to let her +thoughts dwell long on this flattering subject, and resolved to do +what she considered right as present duty, committing the issue to +God, in whom she so implicitly trusted. +</p> +<p> +Christmas-day came round again, and it was a mournful one in the home +of the widow and fatherless. Margaret had changed much during the +year: her face was deathly pale, silver lines showed themselves among +her dark hair, and her usually placid and subdued expression was +exchanged for a look of pain. A harassing cough troubled her by day +and prevented her resting at night; an accompanying weakness created +some little anxiety as to what its issue might be; but, with the +hoping spirit which is ever attendant on that insidious disease called +consumption, she believed that the coming spring would restore her. +</p> +<p> +It came with its wealth of sunshine, and renovated the earth to +promise of fruitfulness and beauty,—beautiful type of the +resurrection, when man shall rise to glorious immortality. All nature +rejoiced in its presence; the flowers came forth and filled the air +with healthful odours; the birds warbled as they built their nests; +the merry children rejoiced as they played on the green, and exulted +in the liberty the vernal season bestowed. But to the widow spring +brought no renewal of health; and now, finding herself unable to wash, +she consulted a physician, who told her it was too late; the disease +had made large progress, and she could not live through the year! +</p> +<p> +Such an announcement would startle most persons. Death is so repugnant +to man's nature, that there are but few who do not shrink from the +dread encounter. Poor Margaret had more to fear than this. She dreaded +not only the misery and poverty her tedious illness would entail upon +them, but she wept the bitterest tears when she thought of her orphan +child, poor, alone, and uncared for, when she should be taken away. +She was, however, too sincere a believer to remain long within the +shadow of the cloud. The God in whom she had ever trusted was ever +faithful to his own word. Had he not promised, "Leave thy fatherless +children to me, I will preserve them alive?" and is not his favour +better than life! And when she prayed, "Father, if it be possible, let +this cup pass from me," like Him whose true servant she was, she also +added, "nevertheless, not my will be done, but thine." When does the +Christian fail to receive comfort, when the child-like submission +inculcated in the gospel is exercised? Is not the chastening rod in +the hand of a Father who wounds but to heal? and he, who sees the end +from the beginning, nevertheless afflicts his children. Margaret +Raymond was therefore able to give up all into the unerring hand, +knowing that He who feeds the raven and clothes the lily would not +forsake her orphan child, but lead him, it might be by a narrow and +rugged path—but such is the way that leads to the strait gate, and +all who find eternal life must tread it. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0003" id="h2HCH0003"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER III. +</h2> +<h3> + AN ORPHAN INDEED. +</h3> +<p> +The spring advanced into summer, and on one of its calm and bright +evenings, Margaret, exerting her little strength, took William to the +grave-yard, and both seated themselves on the little green hillock +beneath which George Raymond awaited in peace the resurrection from +the dust. No costly monuments nor storied urns were in that simple +grave-yard. Some plain marble tablets marked the resting-places of the +dead; but there were memorials of deeper meaning and more lovely. +Trees waved their branches protectingly over the little mounds; kind +hands had planted them with flowers and kept them sacred. Thus it was +a pleasant spot, and full of hallowed remembrances. Margaret had never +spoken of her coming death to her son; but now, seated on the spot of +earth which must ere long be opened to afford a resting-place for +herself, she told him that soon, in a few weeks most likely, he would +be an orphan indeed, alone in the world, and with no friend but God. +</p> +<p> +How can the sorrow and astonishment of the poor boy be described? +Motherless and fatherless! what a deep and painful impression did the +words of that truly pious mother make upon him! He had dearly loved +his father, but the exertion he had at once made to help to support +his mother had prevented his viewing that great loss in all its +magnitude; but now, to lose her on whom, since his father's death, he +had hung his whole heart, was an idea so terrible that he could +scarcely comprehend it. +</p> +<p> +"Mother," he exclaimed, as he threw his arms around her and sobbed +wildly, "you will not die! surely you will not! I cannot live without +you; I shall have no home,—nobody to love when you are gone." +</p> +<p> +Poor Margaret, controlling her own emotion, tried to comfort her +weeping child, and at last succeeded; for strength from above was +given to her heart, and words to her tongue. She spoke so convincingly +of God's wisdom, and goodness, and righteous dealing in all things, +that the boy's grief abated, his eye once more lighted up, and peace +returned to his heart. The assurance that God, the Father of all, who +never forsakes the creature he has made, <i>would</i> be to him more than +parents <i>could</i>, came plainly upon his soul, and filled it with trust. +</p> +<p> +"You will not be <i>alone</i>, my poor child," said Margaret; "God will be +with you. He has work yet for you to perform. See that you do all +<i>that he has commanded, and</i> in a <i>proper spirit</i>, and you cannot fail +to be blessed—not, perhaps, with earthly prosperity, but with that +better portion, peace of mind, a good conscience, and the hope which +maketh not ashamed, whose end is eternal life. Never neglect your +Bible or the duty of prayer; avoid all bad company; keep your heart +pure; and God will be with you, to bless and protect you." +</p> +<p> +As if endued with strength to utter a last solemn admonition, she told +him of the evil nature and power of sin, how it separated man from his +Maker; of the temptations to be met with in the world, from the +deceitfulness and weakness of the human heart, and the example of the +ungodly, with whom she begged him to have no communion. She spoke of +the necessity there was for constant watchfulness and prayer; told him +to avoid all exhibition of self-will or disobedience; but above all to +shun falsehood, that most ruinous of all vices, since it is the first +step on the way which leads to eternal death. She bade him remember +how the Scriptures teach, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out +of it are the issues of life;" and that it is ever open to the +scrutiny of the All-Seeing Eye. +</p> +<p> +William listened attentively to her teaching, and it took deep root in +his soul. Was he to endure the trial of temptation? or would it +perish, like the seed sown by the wayside? +</p> +<p> +There were no near relatives of the family, to whose care Margaret +could think of consigning her child. A distant cousin or uncle by +marriage, who kept a shoe store in New York, and who had visited them +sometimes, was said to be rich, and she thought that if he would +undertake the guardianship of the boy, and keep him in his family for +some years, he might at last be promoted to the rank of clerk. She +therefore wrote to him, and as a satisfactory answer was soon +returned, the arrangement was settled, the good baker promising either +to take the boy to New York himself or send him with an acquaintance. +</p> +<p> +And now she felt more at ease. She had made this plan, as she judged, +for the best; the rest she left to the never-failing Wisdom to order, +as was right. +</p> +<p> +A few days after her walk to the church-yard she was confined to her +bed, from which she never arose. The pastor visited her daily, and as +William never left her for a moment, he was always present at their +spiritual conversations. Oh, how powerful was the impression he +received; how it operated, not only on his present, but future life; +and how often afterward did he thank his heavenly Father that he had +been thus early and spiritually taught! +</p> +<p> +William was very young; but we know that children at a very early +period are able to comprehend the most important truths of God's word; +and the sanctifying blessing accompanying, they are, like Timothy, +made wise unto salvation. It was not until after his mother's funeral +that William knew he was to go to New York, to be a shoemaker's +apprentice, and he was greatly troubled at the prospect. He would have +preferred remaining in the village. There was, however, no employment +for him there, and he was hardly strong enough for steady farm work. +His friend the baker had taken him home on the day of the funeral, and +he was happy with that kind family, for George Herman was his friend, +and they loved each other so well that they could not hear the thought +of parting. The good baker would not hear of his going for a month or +two, or at least until the first violence of his sorrow was past; and +thinking it better he should he with companions of his own age, he +sent him to school with his friend George. +</p> +<p> +The rudiments of a kind of drawing were taught there, and although +nothing but circles, squares, triangles, and ovals were practised, the +teacher saw, by the borders of William's slate, which way his talent +led; and pitying the boy who would be obliged to make shoes for a +living, while gifted so far above the ordinary standard, he would +gladly have taught him for nothing had his friend the baker permitted. +But Mr. Herman knew the opinion of his parents on that subject, and he +felt that it would be wrong for him to encourage that which they did +not. William, however, although he took no lessons, learned a great +deal of the, to him, forbidden art, and went on contentedly, knowing +nothing of the teacher's proposal or his protector's objection. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0004" id="h2HCH0004"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<h2> + CHAPTER IV. +</h2> +<h3> + WILLIAM AT HIS MOTHER'S GRAVE. +</h3> +<p> +As the time appointed for his departure drew near, William's heart +became very sad. The prospect of being separated from his friend +George gave him no little pain. He shrunk, too, from the idea of +living with perfect strangers. +</p> +<p> +Time, however, waits for no one. The day but one before that on which +he was to set out arrived; and having gone around to say farewell to +his acquaintances, he made his last visit to the church-yard where his +parents lay buried. His mother had been peculiarly fond of flowers, +and when obliged to give up her garden, had beautified and planted her +husband's grave with some of the choicest of her treasures. Her only +recreation was this labour of love; for she took a mournful pleasure +in thus decorating the little hillock, and she spared no pains to keep +it in order. It is a well-known custom of the Germans to adorn graves +with flowers; and inheriting this feature of her country's usages to +the fullest extent, she had ornamented the little space allotted for +their burial-place with taste and beauty. +</p> +<p> +Now she was herself sleeping among the flowers she had planted and +tended, but no want of care was yet visible about the spot; kind hands +had made up the grave, and William had removed the roses she nourished +in pots, sinking them in the earth; and now, in the full bloom of +summer beauty, they were shedding their fragrance and leaves over the +little mounds. +</p> +<p> +The orphan boy came for the last time to visit the spot where his +dearest earthly treasure was buried. He knelt down beside the graves, +and wept as he prayed that God would go forth with and protect him in +the new station which he must now fill. +</p> +<p> +When calmness was again restored, he seated himself on a grave at a +little distance, and taking a piece of paper and a pencil from his +pocket, he drew a sketch of the little square where his loved ones +slept. There were no stones to mark the spot, but there was no need of +any; the adornment of the place would have told the traveller that no +memorial of that kind was necessary, for true affection was keeping +the record. The little drawing was finished, and once more he broke +into a violent fit of weeping, from which he was suddenly disturbed by +the sound of a footstep near him. He turned, and saw a stranger +standing behind him, whose countenance was not only most +prepossessing, but now wore an expression of sympathy that operated at +once upon the heart of the desolate boy. +</p> +<p> +William rose, and would have left the spot, but the gentleman laid his +hand on his shoulder, and inquired, "Who are buried in these graves so +beautifully adorned?" +</p> +<p> +"My father and mother," answered the boy, the tears again flowing from +his eyes. +</p> +<p> +"Father and mother!" repeated the stranger; "poor orphan, what a +treasure of love belonging to thee may be buried here! Have you +brothers and sisters?" +</p> +<p> +"No, sir. I have no near relations; I am now alone in the world." +</p> +<p> +"Who, then, is to take care of you now?" asked the stranger. +</p> +<p> +"My guardian, sir," replied William, "from whom I am to learn a +trade." +</p> +<p> +"That is well, my poor boy," rejoined the stranger. "God grant that he +may prove worthy of his trust, and be a parent to you. But a great +deal lies in your own powers. Be obedient and industrious, and thus +endeavour to win his confidence and satisfaction." +</p> +<p> +"I intend to do so, sir," replied William; "my parents always told me +obedience was right." +</p> +<p> +"Were your parents pious?" again inquired the stranger. +</p> +<p> +"Ah yes, sir, indeed they were," answered the boy. "I promised my +mother time and again that I would love God and keep his +commandments." +</p> +<p> +The stranger continued to gaze on the boy with much emotion. It was +evident, from the expression of his whole face, that his heart had +been subject to the transforming operation of divine grace; and he +possessed the true Christian spirit, which leads to the practice of +that Christian charity which "never faileth." He laid his hand upon +the boy's head, and said, in a solemn tone, "May God bless and care +for thee, poor orphan; may it be with thee as with the good seed sown +in good ground; where it taketh root, by the blessing of God it +groweth and bringeth forth fruit, even to a hundred-fold." +</p> +<p> +William looked up into the stranger's face in grateful astonishment; +just so had his mother often laid her hand upon his head and blessed +him; and now the stranger's caress did him good, although he did not +comprehend the meaning of his words. +</p> +<p> +"You do not understand me," said he; "I will explain. When you plant a +seed or little twig in the earth, It forms a root: you water it when +it is dry; the sunshine, the dew, and the rain, all refresh and +promote it's growth; so that at length it becomes a large and +beautiful tree. So when any one receives the word of God Into his +heart in faith, it will strike deep root, spring up, grow and ripen +with a rich increase, bringing forth abundantly those good fruits of +the Spirit 'which are through Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of +God.' But as, without proper attention, your tree would wither or grow +into wildness, so also is it necessary to nourish the good seed sown +in our hearts; and this can only be done by constant and fervent +prayer." +</p> +<p> +The stranger went on to explain, in such terms as a child could +understand, the operations of the Spirit of grace and the exercise of +faith. He told him of One who was mighty to save, who had said, +"Suffer little children to come unto me," and was ever near to those +Who trust in him; who would hear their prayer in distress, and aid +them In the hour of temptation. "But remember," he added, "there is no +true happiness except in the service of God; and to do this acceptably +it is necessary to 'watch and pray.' Watch that you may pray, and pray +that you may be safe." +</p> +<p> +William listened to the words of the stranger with an emotion +altogether new to him; he had heard such words before, but now they +were invested with a new meaning. Was it not the quickening influence +of the Spirit of grace that was now operating upon his saddened heart, +like the silent but refreshing dew on the arid earth? Our tale must +show whether the seed thus down by the way-side was to spring up, +perish, or bring forth fruit a hundred-fold. +</p> +<p> +The stranger saw the impression he had made. He would not interrupt +the workings of the child's soul by further words, and turning away +toward another part of the graveyard, he left the boy to his +self-communion. +</p> +<p> +After a while he returned, and found him still sitting on the grave +where all his treasure of love was buried; but he had ceased weeping, +and his countenance no longer wore the expression of despairing +sorrow; trust in God and faith in the promise of heavenly protection, +had strengthened his soul, and instead of the heart-breaking sense of +loneliness that had rested on him since the loss of his mother, he +felt the blessedness of assured protection from Him who has promised +to be the orphan's Father. He was holding the little rude sketch he +had made, to be treasured as a memorial of the spot so sacred, when +far away, and was gazing on it attentively when the stranger returned. +</p> +<p> +"Are you going to colour your sketch?" he asked in a kindly tone; "it +would make it more lively and natural." +</p> +<p> +"I have no colours, sir," replied William; "and do not know how to +paint. My father could paint, but he never wished me to learn; but +when I look on this little drawing, I can think of the bright roses +and the green grass here, and that will do." +</p> +<p> +"Give me your picture, my child; I will colour it for you," said the +stranger. "I am a painter, and have been staying for some days in the +village; come this evening to my room, No. 24, at the hotel, and I +will return your picture, and then you can tell me more of yourself +and your parents." +</p> +<p> +And now they parted, each one taking opposite paths, for their present +homes lay quite apart from each other. It was late before William +found time to go to the hotel, but when he asked the landlord to show +him to the painter's room, No. 24, instead of ushering him into the +presence of his unknown friend, the old man handed him a small packet, +telling him, at the same time, that the stranger had received +intelligence which had demanded his sudden departure, but that he had +left the packet to be delivered by his own hand. +</p> +<p> +These tidings fell like a weight of lead on the boy's heart; he would +gladly have seen that benevolent face again; but, unable to utter a +word or repress the tears that would force themselves into his eyes, +he took the folded package and went home. +</p> +<p> +The stranger had taken a hasty departure, but he had not forgotten or +neglected his promise; for, on opening the letter, there was his +picture coloured,—and on the back of it was written, "Watch, that you +may pray; and pray, that you may be safe." The boy's heart was touched +with even deeper emotion than before, and as he knelt down that night, +the last he was to spend in his native village, he prayed that God +would help him to nourish the good seed sown in his heart, and be his +Father and Guide in the new life on which he was entering. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0005" id="h2HCH0005"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<h2> + CHAPTER V. +</h2> +<h3> + WILLIAM'S NEW HOME. +</h3> +<p> +Great was the change our poor boy experienced between living in the +country and in the city. Instead of the brightly flashing river, with +its sail-boats and schooners, the pleasant village environed by +verdant meadows and flower-filled gardens, there was nothing but long +rows of tall, stately houses, looking coldly grand, or narrow streets +and dark lanes, where mud and filth mixed together were suggestive of +cheerlessness and poverty. His heart sunk within him as he walked +along the busy streets, where many people were passing to and fro, +bent on their various errands of duty or pleasure, and felt that in +that hurrying crowd there was not one to care for him, and among that +wilderness of houses he had no home. +</p> +<p> +The shoemaker to whom he was apprenticed had once been a different man +from what he was at present. During Raymond's life, and while on terms +of intimacy with him, he had borne the reputation of a pious, and +certainly was an industrious and thrifty man; but failure and the loss +of an excellent wife had wrought a sad change in his character and +temper; and having married a second wife, who turned out a virago and +a shrew, there was little hope of his improving. He was still +industrious, and owing to his former reputation for honesty and doing +good work, he still retained many of his old customers. He had a small +shop in a public part of the city, where he took the measures for +shoes or sold those on hand; but he lived in a low-roofed, +comfortless-looking house, far down the city, where he had also a +shop, in which he kept a journeyman or two to do the mending, which +was all sent there. +</p> +<p> +There were no children to gladden this sullen household by their +mirth, and there was no piety to send its gleams of sunlight to lessen +the gloom that dwelt within its precincts; there was no one there who +loved God and honoured his laws, neither did the words of prayer or +praise ever ascend from the family altar. They were contented to live +for this world alone, caring nothing for that heavenly inheritance +promised to those who love God and keep his commandments. Poor +William! this was a dreadful place for him to be, with every +inducement, from bad example, to stray from the true path in which he +had until now been trained to walk; how great was the danger that he +would now follow the leading of those to whose guardianship he had +been thus mistakenly committed. A letter which he wrote to his friend, +George Herman, will, perhaps, explain something of his condition and +feelings:— +</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p> + Dear George, +</p> +<p> + I should have written to you long ago, as I promised; but I + am kept all the time so busy, and now I am afraid Mr. Walters + will scold me for wasting time. I call him Mr. Walters (the + others call him master), and not uncle, for he is not my + uncle, although his first wife was my aunt. I do not like + this big city of New York, everything is so different from my + own home when my dear mother was alive. You never saw + anything so grand as the houses here; but I would rather be + back, living in the smallest house there, than have to stay + in this great city, where there are so many rich people, and, + yes, George, a great many more poor folks than I thought were + in the whole world. I have cried so much since I have been + here; Mr. Walters is almost always in a bad humour, and I + cannot bear to mend shoes; I would almost rather do without + wearing them. There is always a great pile of torn boots and + shoes lying in the corner, and I have to help to mend them. + Oh, how much pleasanter it was to work for the farmers round + M—— all the week, and then go to church on Sunday! They + have the grandest churches here, and I have heard beautiful + music from the organ when I passed or stood at the door; but + I have never been inside of a church since I left M——, for + none of our people ever go, nor do we have any family prayer. +</p> +<p> + There is one thing, however, in New York that I do like; you + ought to see the beautiful picture-shops in Broadway. I + cannot help drawing a little, although I resolve every time + shall be the last. I did a very wrong thing two days ago, + which I must tell you of. I do not love Mrs. Walters, for she + is always scolding me, and she has a very sharp nose and + chin. I had a piece of chalk in my pocket, and I drew her + likeness on the end of the work-bench. Jem Taylor, our + journeyman, laughed so, that Mr. Walters would know what + amused him so. When he saw it, he beat me with a last, and + hurt me greatly. I cried, not for the beating, but because I + felt I had done wrong. I remembered what my dear mother said + about caricaturing, and I was so sorry I had done it. I + begged Mrs. Walters' pardon, and told her I never would do it + again; and, indeed, I never will. I am afraid I shall become + a bad boy here. Jem Taylor swears dreadfully, and tells so + many falsehoods. He is the only one here who is kind to me; + but when I hear his oaths, and know that he is saying what is + not true, I cannot like him. My mother always warned me so + against saying the least thing that was not true. Ah, if she + had known what kind of people these were, she would never + have placed me with them. But I will try to please them, and + try to be content; and I do pray every day that I may not be + tempted to lie and swear like those with whom I am obliged to + live. There is a good old man, a tailor, who lives next door + to us. He is going to M——, and will give you this letter; + so good-bye, dear George, and do not forget your friend, +</p> +<p style="text-align: right;"> + William Raymond. +</p> +</div> + +<p> +He sealed the letter and sent it by the tailor, and he felt +somewhat happier, for he had some faint hope that his kind friend, +the baker, would interfere in his behalf. He had not, however, +magnified the misery of his condition; for not only did he feel +keenly the want of such comforts as he had enjoyed in his humble +home, but his life was rendered miserable by the injustice and +severity with which he was treated. His master was a man of +violent temper, who, finding he possessed little aptitude for +shoemaking, tried to make him love it, first by flogging, and +afterwards by half-starvation; following in the last-named measure +the advice of his miserly help-mate, who believed it the best way +of developing genius. In vain did William try by gentleness and +zeal to soften their harshness; he had no one to interfere in his +behalf, and he was made boy of all work, and scolded and blamed +from morning till night. None loved him, and while he pined for +the loss of the affection he once enjoyed, he found no one to +love. No one treated him kindly, and gladness became a stranger to +his heart. +</p> +<p> +In the midst of Sabbath privileges, he was in danger of becoming a +heathen. He could not go to church or Sabbath school, because he was +wanted to assist in the regular Sunday cooking; he heard no word of +prayer or psalm of praise, and he might well have exclaimed with the +Psalmist, "I looked on my right hand, but there was no man that would +know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul." +</p> +<p> +Still, he could not at once forget the teachings of his early +childhood. He prayed that he might be kept from the power of the +wicked, and the great and mighty Hearer of prayer was indeed his +guard. His eye fell kindly on the desolate boy, and was only preparing +him by present trials for future good. Still our young hero was not +without faults. There was a little spice of pride in his composition, +and, as we have learned from his letter, he hated the humble trade to +which he was apprenticed. This was wrong: there is no occupation, +however lowly, which cannot be made respectable by the proper +discharge of the duties belonging to it; and if our young readers will +remember that all their needs and changes are known unto Him who +bountifully supplieth all, they will also recognise how possible it is +to honour Him, whose servants they are, by an upright walk and +conscientious advance in the allotted path. +</p> +<p> +But there were some pleasures for the poor boy even here, although +deprived of home comforts. How kindly has God appointed that the +elastic spirit of childhood cannot be crushed! and to one of the +fanciful and enthusiastic temperament of our hero it was indeed a +great blessing. The objects met with in a great and populous city are +always striking; and our little shoemaker, as he walked through the +streets, felt himself elevated, not lowered, by the grandeur around +him. It showed him what man was enabled to do by energy and industry, +and he determined that, although obliged to cobble at old boots and +shoes for the present, it should not be so for ever. As he was made +errand boy, he was obliged to be often in the streets; and then the +pleasure he enjoyed in standing before the windows of the +picture-shops, made him forget the tears which he so often shed under +his master's caning, his mistress's continual fault-finding, and his +meagre fare. Sometimes, while gazing on the works of art, so +entrancing to a child with the soul of a painter, he also forgot how +the time passed, and, having far exceeded that demanded by his errand, +was on his return accused of playing the idler, and received an +idler's reward. +</p> +<p> +Even this could not cure him of his love of pictures. Like one who had +found a treasure in a desert, he was not to be deterred by the +difficulties in the way to its enjoyment. He did not persist in the +course which would have provoked Mr. Walters' anger, but started off +on a full run from the time he left the house, not stopping until he +had delivered his freight of boots and shoes; and feeling that the +remainder of the time was conscientiously his own, he spent it, +without compunction, in the contemplation of the art he so much loved. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0006" id="h2HCH0006"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER VI. +</h2> +<h3> + A TIME OF TRIAL. +</h3> +<p> +A time of trial was approaching, a trial that was to decide whether +the good seed sown by the pious parents had taken root in good soil, +and was able to endure the ordeal of strong temptation. +</p> +<p> +Jem Taylor, the only one who ever showed poor Will any kindness, +knowing of his great love for painting,—for to him only had he shown +his little charcoal sketches—had no regard for truth, and, on account +of his naturally kind and liberal disposition, was only the more +dangerous as a companion for our hitherto differently trained hero. +Seeing him one day returning exhausted and out of breath, his hands +trembling so that he could scarcely hold his work, he began to +administer the palatable poison which every human heart is only too +ready to receive. "I tell you, Bill," said he, "you are the biggest +blockhead I ever saw. If you like to look at the pictures, stand at +the windows as long as you please, and do not run yourself to death. +Just look at the other shoemakers' boys; they hang their string of +boots and shoes over their shoulders, and go whistling and singing +along the streets quite at their ease, playing marbles at the corners +for pennies with the newspaper boys;—they know how to lie it out so +as to escape beating, and have always some coppers in their pockets. +When old Walters rates you for staying, cannot you say that Mr. +So-and-So made you wait so long before he would give you the money; or +that Mrs. Somebody was not at home, and the cook told you to stay, for +she would be back in a minute, and you could not be paid until they +were tried on?" +</p> +<p> +Will was startled. He let the shoe he was mending fall from his hands, +and gazed with terror and astonishment on his reckless companion. +</p> +<p> +"Why, that would be—lying!" said he slowly and in a low voice, as if +he dreaded to utter the hateful word. +</p> +<p> +"To be sure it is lying, and nothing else," answered Jem, laughing; +"everybody lies, cannot you do so too?" +</p> +<p> +The blood mounted to the temples of the indignant boy, spreading its +glow over his fair forehead, and causing his usually gentle eyes to +flush with righteous anger. +</p> +<p> +"I a liar! I tell a lie?" he cried. "No! not to escape a beating every +day will I tell a falsehood!" +</p> +<p> +"And why not, you silly jackanapes?" asked his ungodly comrade, in a +tone of derision. +</p> +<p> +"Because my parents taught me it was sinful, and God has forbidden +it," said William. "My mother always told me that lying was the first +step in the road to ruin; and I read in my Bible that no one 'that +loveth and maketh a lie' can enter into that Holy City of which God +himself is the glory and the light." +</p> +<p> +Dear young reader, how glorious is the majesty of truth! The +dissipated and sin-loving journeyman, long since made familiar with +vice, could not listen unmoved as the boy uttered the scriptural +denunciation in the solemn and reverential manner he had been taught +was proper, it was long since Jem Taylor had heard any word from that +holy book, and now, awed by the dignity of the truth, that great +principle of Christian life and conduct, he made no answer, but +continued to work in silence. Perhaps he might have resumed the +subject; but Mr. Walters came in and commenced the usual +fault-finding, and Jem answering reproach with reproach, there was +nothing more said. +</p> +<p> +One day soon after, William was directed to go to the upper shop for a +pair of white satin shoes, which he was to carry to a wealthy lady who +lived during the summer months in a handsome cottage in the suburbs. +How happy he was at thought of seeing something like the country once +more! and he started off at full speed, his elastic spirit happy and +hopeful as if it had never known a sorrow. The sunshine was so +cheering, and rested so brightly on the spires as it bathed them in +its golden radiance, that his whole mood partook of the genial glow. +He had reached the upper part of the city, and was quite in the +neighbourhood of the house where the shoes were to be left, when a +large dog coming round the corner at a speed as rapid as his own, ran +directly in his way, and threw him over. There had been a heavy shower +in the early part of the afternoon, the gutters were still full of +water, and although he was not hurt by his fall, yet in the shock the +shoes were dashed from his hand, and fell into the muddy bath. +</p> +<p> +With feelings of terror not to be described, our poor hero saw the +black fluid streaming over the beautiful shoes; and after having stood +for a moment as if paralyzed, he plunged his hand into the filthy pool +and drew them out. +</p> +<p> +He might have served as a study for a painter as he stood surveying +the consequences of the mishap; his countenance expressed almost every +emotion of the human mind, as he held up the shoes and tried to wipe +away the black mud which dyed them, until at length, finding all his +efforts ineffectual, he burst into a fit of passionate weeping. +</p> +<p> +Do not think his tears were puerile; his spirit was naturally strong, +but he was only a child, and his bodily frame weak from want of +nourishing food. +</p> +<p> +Bitter was his grief; and altogether at a loss how to proceed, for a +moment he was tempted to resolve never again to face his unkind +guardian, and seek another home, no matter where; he believed he could +not be worse off. But those early teachings drawn from the Scripture +rules, which had been so prayerfully impressed upon his plastic mind +in the little cottage at M——, now came back upon his heart; the +remembrance of his parents came vividly before him, and he determined +to act as they would have advised—namely, openly and according to the +truth; he would be upright, let the consequences be to himself what +they might. +</p> +<p> +Providence, however, that so kindly watches over all who put their +trust in him, and suffers none to be tempted beyond what they can +bear, had raised up a friend to help in this hour of need. +</p> +<p> +Attracted by the beauty of the sunset, an old gentleman of most +reverential aspect was looking from the window of one of the +handsomest houses in the square, but was not so lost in contemplation +of the clouds that he had not observed poor William and pitied his +misfortune. +</p> +<p> +"Did your father send you with these shoes, boy?" said he; "why do you +cry so bitterly about the misfortune which cannot be helped?" +</p> +<p> +"Dear sir," replied William, as he raised up the ruined shoes, from +which the muddy water was still dripping, "I have no father nor mother +now; my master will be very angry and beat me. I am sure I could not +help it;" and a fresh flood of tears proved his grief for the +disaster. +</p> +<p> +"How much did he tell you to ask for the shoes?" inquired the old +gentleman. +</p> +<p> +The boy named the amount, at the same time wiping the shoes with the +corner of his blue blouse. +</p> +<p> +"Here, boy, give this to your master to pay him for the shoes," said +the gentleman, throwing him some money from the window; "and here is a +shilling for yourself; I think you are an honest boy, so keep that to +indemnify you for your fright." +</p> +<p> +William was amazed, but before he had time to thank the kind stranger, +he had turned away, and the vacated place was filled by a +different-looking object. A little, mirthful-looking, fair-haired +girl, about seven years old, carrying a doll nearly as large as +herself in her arms, looked from the window, and seeing our poor hero, +burst into a loud fit of laughter, for which he could not account. +Although anxious to know the cause, he was too bashful to ask the +reason, and as she retreated almost immediately, he, after waiting a +few minutes in hopes the gentleman would re-appear, was compelled to +retrace the way which led to his cheerless home. +</p> +<p> +"What have you been doing, you idle scamp?" exclaimed Mr. Walters, as +he entered; "have you been fighting with street-boys, or wrestling +with chimney-sweeps? Look at yourself, what a figure you make with all +the mud of the street on your face!" and pushing him before a small +looking-glass that hung in the shop, bade him account for the +"condition of this beautiful visage." +</p> +<p> +The poor boy had dried his tears with the same corner of his blouse +with which he had wiped the gutter-soiled shoes, and had thus +transferred the black mud to his face; and as he surveyed his changed +countenance in the glass, he recollected, and was at no loss to +account for the little maiden's burst of laughter. Forgetting that his +stern master stood beside him, and the bitter tears he had so lately +shed, with that buoyancy of spirit which is the peculiar property of +childhood, and surmounts all rules, he laughed aloud until recalled to +his usual gravity by some blows on his shoulders from his master's +heavy hand. "How dare you laugh so impertinently in my presence?" he +asked, while administering the remedy of the strap, which he +considered a specific for all misdemeanours; and now not only stopped +the poor boy's laughing, but caused him to tremble under the +undeserved punishment. +</p> +<p> +"Where is the money for the shoes?" he thundered forth, when he found +time to speak. +</p> +<p> +William handed it to him, and detailed the whole circumstance, not +concealing that the gentleman had given him a shilling for himself. +</p> +<p> +"Give it here," said Mr. Walters; "boys like you, who have everything +found them, have no need of money; it only serves to lead them into +mischief;" and taking up his hat, and bidding his wife have supper in +half an hour, he left the shop. +</p> +<p> +"Bill Raymond, you are one of the grandest of donkey-headed fools I +ever saw in my life," said Jem Taylor, as soon as they were alone, +after examining that the door leading to the kitchen was shut. "Why +did you give him the shilling, which was your own? The price of the +shoes, too, you might have kept, for your honesty did not save you +from a beating. Why did you say anything about it'! I would have taken +the beating and kept the money." +</p> +<p> +We have mentioned how Will met and triumphed over the first +temptation; and when Taylor had repeatedly afterward assailed him with +like arguments, he had never wavered; and the only consequence of his +advice had been to create dislike and mistrust of one who could +advocate a practice so entirely at variance with the law of God. But +now he listened to the tempter, and without reproof of the sin which +he could not fail to recognise. +</p> +<p> +"After all," said he to himself, "Jem Taylor is right; I get beaten +whether I am honest or not, and that money would have bought me many +nice things. Yes, and I am so often hungry; and when I see the street +boys spending pennies at the cake stalls and I have nothing, it makes +me so angry; and I cannot bear this old Walters. I know I will not be +so foolish another time; but I will keep at least the money which is +given to myself, and take good care he shall know nothing about it." +</p> +<p> +And why was his frame of mind so changed? Why did he view the +deception as less repulsive than at first? The reason is easily told: +he had relaxed his watchfulness in adhering to the path of duty, and +although careful still to say the prayer taught him by those whose +memory was as vividly dear as ever, it was more the form of words than +the heart-prompted petition. Alas! the poisonous influence around him +was beginning to tell, and he would soon throw off the only armour +that could shield him from the temptations of the wicked, or guard +against the more insidious attacks of his own deceiving and deceitful +heart. He was not more happy, although in liking Jem Taylor better he +had become more, reckless, and listened to his advice more patiently +than at first; and although he still prayed, "Lead me not into +temptation, but deliver me from evil," he did not take in its +spiritual meaning, and forgot the Saviour's injunction to "watch" as +well as "pray." +</p> +<p> +But God, who knows all man's weakness, and whose mercy exceeds even +man's sin, raised up at this time a friend for the desolate boy—it +seemed as though to preserve him from the peril with which he was +menaced. There were but one or two of the neighbours who ever visited +the Walters, for the master was too surly and the mistress too +penurious to exchange hospitality with any one. The tailor, next door, +could come but seldom, as he was always busy; but the watchman of that +district, who lived but a few doors distant, and whose wife sold Mrs. +Walters milk, came more frequently than the tailor, and as he was a +conversable man and understood politics, Walters was rather glad of +his coming than otherwise. Will was generally sent for the milk, and +his pale face and dejected look awakened the sympathies of this honest +and God-fearing couple. They soon learned that he was an orphan, and +Thomas Burton, the good watchman, having noticed the harsh treatment +he received, and not at all ignorant of Jem Taylor's character, and +the danger he was in of being led astray, determined to watch over +him, and, if possible, prevent his being ruined. He therefore +encouraged him in every way he could, and the gleams of sunlight his +kindness and sympathy shed on the dark path of the orphan boy, showed +that he was no stranger to that "charity" which, taught by the gospel, +"never faileth," and is "kind." +</p> +<p> +After the first temptation to falsehood, William had avoided Jem +Taylor as much as possible; but now, in consequence of his "consenting +to be enticed to sin," he rather shunned the good Burtons, and took +more pleasure in listening to the slang of the shop than in his own +thoughts. He suffered his mind to dwell on the advice given him in +relation to the price of the shoes and the shilling, and grieved over +the loss of both, until he no longer considered that keeping the price +of the shoes would have been a dishonest act. He began to be of Jem's +opinion, that he had shown himself a blockhead, and resolved to act +differently in future. "But, indeed, I would have liked to thank that +good old gentleman," said he to himself; "although I was none the +better for the money. It is a pity he does not know that Mr. Walters +took it all; but I will try not to think any more about it. I know now +what I will do," he cried, as a sudden thought struck him; "that +little girl with the large doll must be his daughter, so I will make a +pair of little shoes for the waxen lady." +</p> +<p> +William carried his purpose into execution. In the evening, when the +working hours were over, he gathered up some scraps of red morocco +which had been thrown aside as useless, and carried them up to the +attic where he slept, so that as soon as daylight appeared he might +begin his work. This he did, and had cut out and nearly half made a +pair of doll's boots before the usual time of going to work. He could +not, however, find any red ribbon with which to bind and tie them; +some bits of blue were lying about, and as he had not a penny to +purchase that which was suitable, he was obliged to use it. The next +morning saw them finished, and wrapping them up in a small packet, he +put it in his pocket, and went to his work quite happy that he had +been able to accomplish his task without the knowledge of his master. +</p> +<p> +The new satin shoes, made in place of those which had fallen into the +gutter, were finished and brought in by evening, and although it was +almost sundown, and the walk a long one, William was only too happy to +be charged with their delivery. He set forth cheerily, and as he +approached the house from whence the money had been thrown him, his +heart beat joyfully—yes, that was the very window where the kind old +gentleman stood; and, a better sight than that, the outer door stood +open. It was but the work of a moment to seat himself on the broad +marble steps and write on his packet, with a bit of lead pencil, "The +shoemaker's boy returns thanks for the kindness of the other day," and +placed it in a corner of the vestibule, where it could not fail to be +noticed. +</p> +<p> +This done, he set off at his usual rate of speed, and without once +looking round to see if he had been observed, he hurried on to the +dwelling of the lady for whom the shoes were made. She was much +pleased with them, paid the price, sent a new order to Mr. Walters, +and gave him a sixpence for himself. William, altogether rejoiced at +receiving the gift, trifling as it was, resolved in this case to do as +Jem Taylor advised; he would <i>not</i> give it to Mr. Walters; and if he +asked anything about it, he would <i>say</i> he had received nothing. "No, +I will spend it before I get home," he said half aloud, and took the +direction which led to a baker's shop, where he would buy and feast +upon rolls. +</p> +<p> +But something more attractive in the shape of a picture shop came +before him; rolls and gingerbread were forgotten in the delight he +experienced in feasting his eyes on some paintings in the window. "I +really will try to draw that old man and his dog," said he to himself; +"but then I have no paper; ah yes, the sixpence the lady gave me!" and +with the welcome recollection he turned away from the tempting sight, +purchased some paper and ran home, which he reached in good time. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0007" id="h2HCH0007"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER VII. +</h2> +<h3> + THE TEMPTER TRIUMPHS. +</h3> +<p> +"Did the lady give you nothing more?" inquired Mr. Walters, as William +handed him the money for the shoes and mentioned the new order. He had +been pleased with the boy's ingenuous honesty shown a day or two +before, and was now in a more sunny humour than usual. The old +watchman, too, had come in for a half-hour's chat, and was sitting in +the back shop, from whence Mr. Walters had come. "What did she give +you?" he repeated, as he saw the boy hesitate. +</p> +<p> +William blushed, stammered something inaudible, and looked at Jem +Taylor, who, as master's back was turned so that he could not see him, +made signs to our hero to conceal the truth. "I am sure she gave you +something," cried the master, now growing angry; "tell me the truth +this moment." +</p> +<p> +The poor boy now recollected that he had spent part of it, and was +more embarrassed than at first; the nods, winks, and smiles of the +vicious journeyman were aiding in the struggle to conquer the boy's +virtue, and at last triumphed. The anger of Mr. Walters was now fully +aroused. He seized his young apprentice by the shoulder, and in a +voice of thunder repeated the question; to which, pale and trembling, +more from the terrible conflict within than dread of the uplifted arm +of his cruel master, he answered, "<i>I did not get any money!</i>" +</p> +<p> +Dear young reader, the first step on the downward road is the only one +that costs, the rest are easy; and our poor hero, the child of +Christian parents, the subject of many prayers, had listened to the +voice of the charmer, and now he stood on the verge of the dangerous +boundary line. Was he to fall, or would God, whom he had been taught +to love and honour, shield him in his perilous situation? Ah yes; for +is there not One who, loving the wretched and suffering children of +the earth—One who, touched with the feeling of man's infirmities, +took on himself the likeness of sinful flesh, and dwelt among them, +administering mercy to all? Wherefore in all things it behoved him to +be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and +faithful High Priest, to make reconciliation for the sins of the +people. For being in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, he +himself having suffered, he is able to succour them that are tempted. +</p> +<p> +And there were purposes of mercy in store for the orphan boy, when the +chastisements with which God sees good to inflict on the children of +his love should have passed away. This trial of his power to resist +temptation was <i>permitted</i>, in order to show him that a better +strength than his own was necessary, and that it is only through the +divine Helper that any can be delivered from the power of the great +enemy "who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." +</p> +<p> +Mr. Walters at once recognised the falsehood our poor hero was tempted +to tell; and although he was in the habit of beating him for almost +every offence, the chastisement on this occasion exceeded any that had +gone before. Severe indeed were the blows rained down on his back and +shoulders; less, indeed, intended as a punishment for the falsehood, +than a pouring out of his own wrathful spirit on the child, who for +the first time had manifested a spirit of opposition to his will. +</p> +<p> +Poor boy, every bone in his body ached; but what was that in +comparison with the anguish of soul he endured? Conscience, that sure +monitor, proclaimed with its still small voice, "Thou hast sinned +against God;" and he longed for the hour when he could be alone, and, +like erring Peter, "weep bitterly." +</p> +<p> +It was Saturday evening, and work was left off at an earlier hour than +usual. And well was it for our hero that Jem Taylor was too much bent +on the pursuance of his own low pleasures to remain a moment after the +signal was given to cease work. Perhaps more poison would have been +instilled into the soul which had been found vulnerable; perhaps such +a line of proceeding prompted as would have proved, if not ultimately +successful, at least productive of much suffering; for the blessed +Scriptures tell us that "transgression shall be visited with the rod, +and iniquity with stripes." +</p> +<p> +He was sitting alone in a corner of the shop when the shrill voice of +Mrs. Walters was heard calling him to "go to Burton's for milk." He +obeyed, and wiping his streaming eyes, with an attempt to look +cheerful, he entered the neat little room, where he found his friend +Thomas, who had left the scene of strife unobserved. +</p> +<p> +"Sit down, Will," said he, in a kindly tone, that, going straight to +the boy's heart, once more unlocked the fountain of his tears; "the +old woman is taking her bread out of the oven, but she will be here in +a moment." +</p> +<p> +"I dare not stay," replied the boy; "I must go home and come back +rather than wait. Mrs. Walters always scolds if I stay." +</p> +<p> +"I will go with you and carry your excuse," rejoined Thomas; "but +there is one thing about which I have long wanted to ask you. I never +see you dressed clean on Sunday, or going to church. Have you never +been accustomed to hear the word of God preached on the Sabbath, or +attended a Sunday school? It is no wonder that falsehood dwells in the +hearts of those who do not honour the ordinances of God; or that lies +are spoken by such as do not know that 'He who is the Truth abhors the +lying lips.'" +</p> +<p> +The tears of the orphan boy now flowed freely, and a deep blush +mounted to his temples. "O Mr. Burton," he sobbed, "how gladly would I +go to church and Sabbath school, as I did when my parents were living; +but I fear I am growing wicked, for at times I have bad feelings, and +to-day I told"—he could not bring himself to say a lie—"what was not +true." +</p> +<p> +"I know you did," said Thomas; "I was in the back shop and saw you +punished. God grant you may never need another chastisement for the +same cause. But here is the old woman, and although I would like to +talk to you a little, I must not suffer you to do wrong by staying a +moment longer than necessary. How would you like to go to church with +me to-morrow afternoon?" +</p> +<p> +"If I only could," replied William, "I would be glad; but I have a +great deal to do on Sunday, and I am afraid Mrs. Walters will not like +to spare me." +</p> +<p> +"I will ask her, and I am sure I shall not be refused," said Thomas; +"but here is your milk—come, I am going with you." +</p> +<p> +Mrs. Walters, either being in a better humour than usual, or wishing +to appear amiable to her respectable neighbour, not only took no +notice of William's rather long stay, but consented he should spend +Sunday evening with the watchman. +</p> +<p> +Great lightness of heart would have been his in consequence of this +consent, had not his spirit been weighed down with the burden of his +sin. He felt how blunt are all the arrows of adversity in comparison +with those of guilt; and how insignificant are all the trials imposed +by cruel men, contrasted with the pain of soul caused by the sense of +having displeased God. +</p> +<p> +Twilight came on, and with it he sought the quiet of his comfortless +attic. Its rude walls and squalid furniture were, however, not now +noticed; its privacy and seclusion were all that his soul desired. He +threw himself on the pallet which served him for a bed, and wept +bitterly as he thought of his parents, who had taken so much pains to +teach him to abhor a lie, and recalled the words of his mother, who +constantly admonished him how much better it was to suffer wrongfully +than do wrong; and bitter was his self-reproach, that for the sake of +a paltry sixpence he had told a lie, and in doing so sinned against +the God of truth, whose word declares that "lying lips are an +abomination to the Lord." +</p> +<p> +Oh, how guilty he felt! how humbled in his own estimation! and with +deep and bitter repentance he bewailed his error, and entreated pardon +from Him who for Christ's sake will always hear the penitent when they +pray, and help them in their time of trial. "My heavenly Father," was +the language of his anguished heart, "I have sinned, and am most +unhappy; save me from temptation, or give me strength to resist when +it comes." +</p> +<p> +It was long before the violence of his grief passed away, and when it +did, feeling no inclination to sleep, he went to his trunk for his +Bible, which latterly he had somewhat neglected. As he turned over the +articles which lay within it, most of which he had brought from home, +and which served most vividly to recall the happiness of his earlier +years, his eyes rested upon the portfolio of his father's drawings, +which lay on the bottom, and on which he had not lately looked. As he +opened it a folded paper fell from between the leaves. He took it up +and opened it—it was the little drawing which he had made in the +church-yard; and as he gazed on it he recollected the stranger who had +coloured it, and with remembrance of him came that also of his +spiritual conversation. He read the words written on the back: "Watch +and pray, that ye enter not into temptation;" "Watch that you may +pray, and pray that you may be safe;" and the tide of tears once more +burst forth. +</p> +<p> +"I was not watchful," he said; "I did not pray as I ought; but I will +try never to forget my duty again." +</p> +<p> +His tears could not soon be restrained; but as he read such passages +from his Bible as his mother had taught him to understand, +tranquillity gradually stole over his heart, and although he still +wept, his tears were not so bitter as at first. Oh, blessed religion +of Christ! that can bring a balm for every human grief; that tells the +weary and heavy laden where to go for rest and solace; that tells the +desolate of a home and inheritance in a land where there is no sorrow; +and bids the sin-sick not despair, for there is mercy in Christ for +all, and God hath no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but would +rather that the wicked turn from the evil of his way and live: it +tells of a love which does not willingly afflict, but when, in +mysterious but unquestionable mercy, it lays the cross upon our +shoulder, it also gives the support of its divine strength, "making +the rough places plain to our feet, and the darkness to be light about +our path." He who bore a cross, "the heaviest cross," can also lighten +the burden of all our trials; and although he may not see good to +remove them, he can remove their oppressive weight by the bestowment +of the spirit of patience, which teaches implicit obedience to our +heavenly Father's will. And now, as the refreshing dew falls silently +and unseen upon the sun-scorched earth, and all nature revives to +renovated life, so did the gentle but powerful influence of the gospel +precepts shed peace and hope upon the heart of this desolate boy. +Trusting in the orphan's God, who has declared "he will never leave +nor forsake those who call upon him," he grew calm as he recalled the +abundant promises of God, and, comforted by the holy assurance they +afforded, his agitation subsided into calmness, and at last he sunk +into a calm and quiet sleep. +</p> +<p> +The Sabbath morning rose bright and beautiful, and the sacred silence, +evident even in the crowded city—for the usual sounds of labour and +of sport are hushed—was soothing to the sin-wounded spirit of the +poor orphan boy. His first thought on awaking was the remembrance of +his sin; his first work, to ask forgiveness and seek strength for +present duty and future trial; and in the stillness of heavenly +communion he found the peace promised to all who trust in the Lord. +Pale and serious, but with a happiness to which he had long been a +stranger, the influence of the Holy Spirit was operating upon his +heart. He felt that he had been in danger of straying from the fold of +the Good Shepherd, and that he had in mercy been saved by the trial +which showed him that he dared not trust to his own strength. Nothing +occurred to mar the quiet of the day. Mr. Walters was quiet, though +somewhat moody; his wife did not scold as usual; and when, in the +afternoon, Thomas Burton came in for our poor hero, there was no +objection made to his going, but permission given for him to stay with +the Burtons until bed-time. +</p> +<p> +Walters could not well refuse Thomas any favour. Not only was he +obliged to respect this humble Christian for his consistent walk, but +he owed him a large debt of gratitude; for when he and his family all +lay ill at one time of an epidemic fever, the Burtons, when no one +else would go near the house, waited on them day and night. He was a +little mortified that the good watchman had been witness of his +violent behaviour on the day before,—he feared some expostulation on +the part of his worthy neighbour; but Thomas wisely forbore to say +anything at present in the boy's behalf, thinking he could serve him +better by silent observation, and not interfering until a suitable +time. +</p> +<p> +Very pleasantly did this Sabbath-day pass with William. How he enjoyed +the service in the plain church where the Burtons worshipped! It +reminded him of home days, and in the softened mood of his heart every +word uttered by the preacher told. The beautiful words of the text, +which the Saviour spoke to his disciples, "Let not your heart be +troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me;" and its following +words, in which the Comforter is promised,—came like healing balm +upon his wounded spirit, and he bowed his soul in humble gratitude to +the great Head of the Church, who, in suffering him once more to enjoy +the privileges of the sanctuary, had also satisfied him with spiritual +food. +</p> +<p> +The evening passed pleasantly away, although the conversation, turning +on the events of the preceding day, brought a blush to William's pale +cheeks and tears to his eyes. The old watchman, although rude and +uneducated, was yet a true Christian, and as such, admonished the +desolate child with all the tenderness of a father. When our hero told +him how he had been tempted to run away on the day the shoes fell into +the gutter, and how harshly he had been treated, not only on that +occasion, but always; and how hard it was for him to observe the rule +of duty, which he well knew, when Jem Taylor, the only one who ever +showed him any kindness, was always advising him to pursue a course to +which the human heart is naturally inclined, but which his conscience +told him was wrong. +</p> +<p> +"That is all very true," said Thomas; "but you must remember that all +set out on a race for one stopping-place, to which there are two +roads. You have read in your Bible about the wide and the strait gate. +'Enter in,' it says, 'at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and +broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that +go in thereat. Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that +leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' Now, my boy, God +has taken away your earthly joys, and made the way narrow to you; +hedged your path with thorns, and caused you to weep bitter tears +every day. We know, too, that no affliction for the present is joyous, +but grievous: and as our light afflictions, which, in comparison with +eternity, endure but for a moment, work out for us a far more +exceeding and eternal weight of glory; so God has filled your way with +trials, difficulties, and thorns, that, taught so early in life to +deny self and fight against sin, you, as you progress, will find the +narrow path grow easy and pleasant, and find at the end everlasting +life. Now, the temptations of Jem Taylor are easily resisted, if you +will read your Bible <i>prayerfully</i>. 'Thy word is a light unto my feet +and a lamp unto my path.' 'Through thy commandments I get +understanding,' says David; 'therefore I hate every evil way.' And if, +when tempted, you strive mightily, and call for help on Him who hath +promised to aid in the hour of trial, he will bear you through the +whole conflict safely, and at last give you a crown of life." +</p> +<p> +William drank in the old man's words, and could have listened longer, +but it was growing late. The good watchman must be at his post; and +even while speaking he was putting on his overcoat, and, taking up his +lantern, was soon prepared to traverse his nightly round. +</p> +<p> +Having promised he would return William safely, he proposed that they +should leave together; but not before Mrs. Burton had wrapped up half +a dozen nice rolls, which she gave him; and William, looking up in the +old man's face, said, "You will not forsake me?" +</p> +<p> +"No, boy, no, that I won't," was his reply; "but try to do all that +conscience tells you is your duty, and then you will have a better +Friend, worth more than a whole host of mortal men." +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0008" id="h2HCH0008"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<h2> + CHAPTER VIII. +</h2> +<h3> + GLEAMS OF SUNSHINE. +</h3> +<p> +The night passed by, and although William had not slept during its +early hours, he rose as soon as it was light, and after offering an +earnest prayer that Heaven would shield him from temptation that day, +he wrote a letter to his friend George. We will not detail what the +epistle contained, but merely mention that, after stating many +circumstances that had occurred, it ended by telling what a kind +friend had been raised up for him in the old watchman. He did not +conceal the fact of his being very unhappy; but while he told of his +comfortless home, he also declared his resolution to try to be +contented with his present lot and like his trade. Thomas Burton had +told him that his heavenly Father had allotted to every one his proper +place, and to murmur would be sinful. He concluded by saying that he +would be diligent and faithful, trying in all things to please his +master, until his term of apprenticeship should have expired. "Then, +dear George, I will go back to M——. I never shall want to stay in a +big city; for although there are many fine things here, finer than I +ever saw in our little village, there is more wickedness, and it is +harder to be good where there is so much bad example." +</p> +<p> +At this moment his mistress called him to come and make the fire, and +hastily directing and sealing his letter, he thrust it into his pocket +and proceeded to do her bidding. +</p> +<p> +Notwithstanding considerable languor hung about his bodily frame, and +his bones and muscles still ached from the effects of the boating, he +felt a more peaceful frame of mind than he had known for weeks before. +The knowledge of having done wrong is always the first step toward +amendment. He not only felt that he had been guilty of more sins than +lying, but, viewing those minor faults in a different light than +formerly, he determined to watch over his heart carefully, and avoid +giving any cause of complaint in future. "Watch that you may pray, and +pray that you may be safe," were words that floated in his mind all +the morning as he sat hammering shoe soles; and he would not laugh at +any joke of Jem Taylor's against his master, although for some time +past he had enjoyed hearing him ridiculed. +</p> +<p> +Late in the afternoon Mrs. Walters came in, and, giving him a pair of +leather boots, told him to take them to Mrs. Bradley, the wife of a +market gardener who lived outside the city. It was fully three hours +after his scanty dinner had been eaten, and supper would be over ere +he returned. Growing boys are always hungry, and he was about to +venture to ask Mrs. Walters for a lunch to serve in place of the +evening meal, when he remembered the rolls given him by Mrs. Burton, +and which were still in his trunk. He hid the little packet in his +bosom, intending to eat its contents on his way home; and after having +put his letter in the post-office, he set off to accomplish his +errand. +</p> +<p> +One might have thought the walk, and the variety always met with in +the streets of a large city, would have exhilarated him; but, whether +owing to the condition of his bodily health, this was not now the +case. He passed the picture-shops without noticing the treasures in +the windows; the silver-ware and fanciful ornaments of the jewellers' +establishments served only to remind him of the vanities of earth, and +his own poverty; and as he looked upon the gaily-dressed crowd that +was thronging Broadway, among which there was not one whose face was +known to him, that painful sense of desolation which comes over one +when he feels alone in a crowd, saddened him almost to tears. He +recalled the happy days of his early childhood, and even those when, +after his father's death, he had been compelled to labour to assist +his mother. Ah, how light it all seemed in comparison with the +hardship of his present lot! Notwithstanding the comfort he had +enjoyed on the previous day, and his renewed determination to do his +duty and trust in God, his heart grew sick at the prospect of the long +years of wretchedness and bondage yet to be endured before his +apprenticeship should end; and he wished to die. "I am the most +unhappy being on the face of the earth," he said, as he wiped away the +tears with his ragged sleeve; "but still I will try to do right. Ah, +if Nicholas Herman knew how unhappy I am, I am sure he would try to +get me away!" He had by this time reached the city limits, and the +gardener's cottage, with its high enclosing palisades and espaliers +hanging with tempting fruit, was visible. The hedge which bordered on +the roadside was green, and its verdure attractive to one accustomed +to country life. Bounding over the ditch which separated it from the +common path, he was about to continue his walk along its margin, when +his step was arrested by a sound of distress. He looked round and saw +a little boy, barefoot and thinly clad, sitting on the ground and +weeping bitterly. A little basket, half filled with chips, told what +his occupation had been, while his pale face and meagre form were such +as to awaken pity in the heart of the most careless. William was not +so absorbed in his own distress that he had no sympathy to bestow on +another. He stooped over the boy, and, as he kindly took him by the +hand, a tear, which his own circumstances had called forth, fell upon +the boy's cheek, and caused him to look up in surprise. +</p> +<p> +"What are you crying for?" asked William; "are you afraid, or has any +one hurt you?" +</p> +<p> +The little fellow only answered by questioning: "You are crying +yourself;" said he; "are you as hungry as I am?" +</p> +<p> +"Are you really crying for hunger! that is dreadful!" rejoined +William. "I know what it is not to have enough to eat, but still I +never have been so starved as to cry about it." +</p> +<p> +"Neither grandmother nor I have had anything to eat since morning, and +I am very hungry." +</p> +<p> +"But what are you doing here?" inquired our hero. +</p> +<p> +"Just gathering some sticks, to make a fire for grandmother, who is +sick, and cannot spin now," answered the boy, still weeping. +</p> +<p> +"Have you no parents to take care of you?" again asked William. "What +is your name, and where do you live?" +</p> +<p> +The boy answered that his name was Ned Graham, and named a street at +no great distance from the place where they were, and which was well +known to William. He said that his parents were both dead; that while +his father, who was a carpenter, lived, they had been very +comfortable; but that now, as his grandmother was very old, and +himself too young to do anything to help to make a livelihood, they +were often hungry. "Grandmother spun and knit until she became sick, +and the neighbours still sent us in something; but they are poor +themselves, grandmother says; and this morning, when old Annie +Michael, who supports herself and children by washing, sent us some of +her breakfast, grandmother said she could not bear to take it." +</p> +<p> +William had no rejoinder to make, for self-reproach was busy at his +heart. But a little while ago he had thought himself "the most unhappy +being on the face of the earth," and now he could not help feeling +that the condition of poor little Ned was far more wretched than his +own. His food, indeed, was coarse and scanty enough; but then he had +his regular meals, while this poor child and his infirm grandmother +were obliged to subsist on the charity of the poor, which could not be +very regularly or liberally administered. +</p> +<p> +"I am surely very ungrateful to my heavenly Father," said he, half +aloud. "Hereafter, when I am disposed to complain of my food, I will +think of this poor boy. But stop; I had forgotten the rolls Mrs. +Burton gave me. I am not very hungry now;" and taking the packet from +his bosom pocket, he gave it to the little starveling. +</p> +<p> +"I am not to have them all?" said Ned, as he broke one off, and began +to eat it. "Do you not want some yourself?" +</p> +<p> +"No," replied William; "I will get some supper when I go home; so +carry half of them to your grandmother, for you are both hungry, and +have no supper to expect." +</p> +<p> +And now, although hungry himself, with what pleasure did he give his +rolls to one whose want was far greater than his own! He felt, in this +denying of self, how great was the luxury of doing good; for mercy— +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i4"> "Droppeth as the gentle dew from heaven. </p> +<p class="i2"> Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; </p> +<p class="i2"> It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes." </p> +</div> +</div> + +<p> +Having finished his errand to the market-gardener's wife, and received +a new order for some children's shoes, he took little Ned by the hand, +and, having left him at his home, and looked in on the sick +grandmother, he went back to his master's house, which now wore a more +comfortable aspect than it had ever done before. So true is it that +God accords to none unmitigated misery; and there are few, if any, +who, like our hero, are tempted to believe themselves the most +wretched beings in the world, who need anything but to look around +among their fellow-men, to find that they are not the only or the +greatest sufferers. Neither should any allow themselves to think that +poverty and misfortune form the chief misery of man. None but the +guilty are completely wretched; and trials are but necessary +discipline to bring the soul from earth to heaven. "Before I was +afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy law," are the words of +David; and how many can be found ready to acknowledge that "it is good +for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth: for the. Lord will not +cast off for ever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have +compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies." +</p> +<p> +And so from this time, although the treatment he received at his +cheerless home was no better, the change which had come over his +spirit since his late humiliation, had urged him to fly to the throne +of grace for protection against the weakness of his own heart, and +also made the hardships he endured seem less. He grew more mature by +the severe discipline which, sanctified by the Spirit of grace, was +purifying his soul; and he pursued the homely trade which at first he +so disliked, and tried to conquer self by hurrying past the +picture-shops, which were so great a source of attraction at first, +and now regarded them as forbidden fruit. Not that they were less +attractive, but his own heart told him, and so did his friend, Thomas +Burton, that God appoints to every one such a sphere of action as is +suited to his nature; and although to one has been committed but one +talent, while another has five, and another ten, the principle on +which each is improved is the same. The great work each one has to do +is within his own breast, and he that would gain the crown promised at +the end of life's course must run the race in the spirit and temper of +the gospel, which are humility and meekness. +</p> +<p> +In consequence of this subdued spirit and a greater readiness to obey, +his harsh guardians relaxed so far as to yield to the persuasions of +the good watchman, and suffered him to go on Sunday afternoons to +church and Sabbath school, as well as sometimes to spend the evening +with himself. +</p> +<p> +And this, dear reader, proved like a fountain of sweet water in the +wilderness; and, as an oasis in the desert, furnished rest and +refreshing, which strengthened him to bear up against the hardships +and trials of the week. And as, in hearing the Scriptures expounded +and learning their soul-comforting lessons, the word, as the Psalmist +says, became "hidden in his heart," it proved more precious to him +than the "gold of Ophir." It taught him to guard against the +deceitfulness of his own heart; to discern temptation, however +speciously veiled; pointed out the way to escape when sorely beset; +and showed him where, when "weary and heavy laden," to seek for rest. +Duty was made plain; and, taught to understand his own errors, he also +understood by what means to guard against them. He now walked +according to the scriptural rule, and found his reward in the peace +promised unto those "whose mind is stayed on God, and trust him." +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0009" id="h2HCH0009"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER IX. +</h2> +<h3> + SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. +</h3> +<p> +Mrs. Bradley, the wife of the market gardener, was a kind-hearted +woman, and William having often been sent to her house with shoes, an +acquaintanceship grew up between them, which, our hero found, turned +out most unexpectedly to his advantage. +</p> +<p> +As she stood or sat in her place at the corner, surrounded by her +fresh vegetables, for which she had always plenty of customers, she +often found herself in want of some one whom she could trust to carry +a bunch of asparagus or a basket of spinach to some purchaser's house. +From what she had seen of William, she was assured he would do an +errand faithfully; and although he could not come regularly, she often +waited for his appearing rather than trust another. For these little +services she always paid him liberally, and had he been less +conscientious than he was, he might have turned this kindness to +considerable advantage; but his conscience told him he must not +neglect his master's business. +</p> +<p> +He mentioned this to the good woman, who, seeing its propriety, was +careful only to give him such commissions as he could fulfil without +wasting the time belonging to his employer; her good opinion being +only increased by his scrupulous fear of doing wrong. +</p> +<p> +Very happy indeed he was to have some money of his own. Mr. Walters, +being somewhat ashamed of his conduct as exhibited before Jem Taylor +and the watchman, had never since asked him what he got from the +customers; but Mrs. Walters often borrowed our hero's change, as she +said,—but which loans were never repaid. William, however, true to +his resolution of adhering to the truth, never denied having money +when she asked him; but, we must confess, he gave it with a pang, for +he wanted his scanty means for a more important purpose, namely, to +feed the hungry. The rule of life to which he was now adhering forbade +him to do evil that good might follow, and knowing that if he received +the money it would not be long in his possession, he would only take a +portion of these earnings, and begged Mrs. Bradley to give the rest to +little Ned Graham, whom he would send to her house. +</p> +<p> +She inquired who Ned Graham was, and having heard, declared that +"nobody should starve in her neighbourhood; she would not only give +the little boy the pennies, but see after the old woman." +</p> +<p> +It was only when sent on some errand to the neighbourhood he could +look in on old Mrs. Graham and her grandson; but when he did, his +heart was filled with such joy as made him forget that he had ever +suffered or been sad. The "cup of cold water," given in the spirit of +Him who went about doing good, insures its own reward; he had extended +the sympathy and kindness due by the bond of human brotherhood to +those more destitute than himself, and he found himself blessed. The +cold looks and cheerless meal that awaited him on his return home, had +now no power to dim the cheerful light of his soul; and when he lay +down on his hard pallet, and slept as only childhood can sleep, +dreams, born of the holy duty which had that day been performed, +hovered around his pillow, shedding an influence not less bright than +had been his waking joy. +</p> +<p> +Although, the prevailing temper of his mind was peace, its rule was by +no means steady; many a cloud alternated with his sunshine, many a +trial awoke the natural spirit, and many a temptation enticed him to +sin. But in his Bible, now never neglected, he found not only a +buckler that made him proof against every besetment, but experienced +that each promise there will be found a staff to lean upon, able to +bear our whole weight of sin, of sorrow, and of trial. By the glorious +example of sinless purity, yet of lowly meekness and complete +submission to a Father's will, as exhibited by our blessed Saviour, he +learned to practise the "charity" which "suffereth long," and "beareth +all things;" so that even Mrs. Walters was obliged to acknowledge that +really "Bill was not a bad kind of a boy." +</p> +<p> +None are, however, free from sin, and the boy had many struggles +against the natural inclination to do evil; he was also often sorely +tempted; but sufficient grace was given by Him who hath promised that +none shall be tempted above what he is able to bear, to make a way of +escape. +</p> +<p> +The summer of the second year had passed away, and the advance of +autumn had somewhat shortened the days, not, however, yet so much so +as to make it necessary to light up the shop. Jem Taylor always went +away at the close of working hours, and as William was the only one +who boarded with the Walters, he was constantly left alone. +</p> +<p> +One evening Mr. and Mrs. Walters went out together to a place of +public amusement, and having great confidence in "Bill," although they +treated him most unkindly, they left him in charge of the house. +</p> +<p> +Taking a seat in the unlighted shop, the lad looked through the open +door on the passers-by, and his heart grew sad at the thought, that +among them all there was no one who cared for him. Naturally of a +gentle and loving spirit, he longed for suitable companionship on +which he might lavish his wealth; but, except the Burtons, with whom +he could spend but little time, there was no one from whose influence +gleams of sunshine could steal in upon his heart and cheer its +desolation. "I have always heard it said," was his musing thought, +"that if one were kind and affectionate, he would be sure to receive +love in return. I do all I can to please Mr. and Mrs. Walters, but I +am certain I shall never be able to win their love, and I am <i>so</i> +lonesome." +</p> +<p> +By this time the twilight had deepened almost into night, rendering +objects nearly indistinct. The passing crowd had gradually grown less, +but our hero neither noticed the increasing gloom nor the comparative +quiet of the street, until aroused by the sound of music. Some German +street musicians still abroad were playing the sweet and touching air, +"Why, O why, my heart, this sadness?" and the sounds awoke a different +train of meditation. How often had he heard that strain at home, and +now, how vividly the happy scenes of the once happy times enjoyed +there came up before him! The poverty, privation, toil, and sorrow +borne there, lost half their magnitude; every joy was reflected back +ten-fold. He felt as does some sailor on a stormy sea, and looked back +to its shelter from the jealousies, trials, and turmoils of the world, +as the storm-tossed mariner would have regarded the quiet haven he had +left for ever; the recollection of all that had once been his within +those humble walls was too much for his lately acquired heroism; the +long-sealed fountain was opened, and he wept as he had not done for +many months. +</p> +<p> +It was not until the music died faintly down the long street that he +recovered his calmness. The tears, however, had proved salutary; and +when he wiped them away he felt but the more resolute in his +determination to do right, let the sacrifice cost what it might, than +ever. "I will be contented," was his mental resolve, "I will endeavour +to grow up good and useful, trying to fulfil worthily the duties +required by my heavenly Father. I have murmured much; a good, faithful +servant does his master's will <i>cheerfully</i>, but I have not done so." +</p> +<p> +Something rubbing against his feet disturbed his train of thought. +What could it be? He looked down to discover, and in the dim and +uncertain light saw a small object moving about on the floor. Again it +came near: first a gentle mewing, then a low purring sound was heard; +and next, something, which he knew at once was a kitten, jumped up +into his lap, and, as if glad to have found a resting-place, nestled +down to take a comfortable nap. +</p> +<p> +This movement, however, was not at once permitted; for gently removing +the little intruder, he lighted the gas in order to see what kind of +feline specimen had thus come voluntarily to seek his acquaintance. +The little animal's appearance was greatly in its favour; there were +many cats in the neighbourhood, some of them frightened-looking and +half-starved creatures, but this was a beautiful little grey and white +kitten, which had evidently been some one's favourite, for it was very +tame, and had a blue ribbon tied round its neck. But what was he to do +with it? Mrs. Walters, he knew, was a sworn enemy to cats and dogs, +and, had opportunity been allowed, would have waged a war of +extermination against both races. He dared not keep it, and yet how +could he resolve to drive it out into the street, where it would be +sure to be killed? "The poor thing has strayed from home," said he to +himself; "I wish I knew what I ought to do; stay—if I keep and feed +it with the milk I get every day for Mrs. Walters, that will be no +better than stealing; and if I tell her it is here, she will drown it. +I wonder if Mrs. Burton would like to have it; but, indeed, I would +like to keep it myself, I am often so lonesome. But I will get Thomas +to try and find out who it belongs to, and tell them—" +</p> +<p> +He could not finish the sentence, for he was still hesitating as to +what was the line of duty. The little creature, however, pleaded its +own cause. As he took it up and petted it, it nestled up close to his +cheek, and mewed gently, as if uttering a petition for mercy. William +could not resist the appeal. Right or wrong he must keep it; so he +carried it up to his garret, and covered it up in his bed, after which +he returned to the shop to resume his watch, and think how his kitten +was to be cared for—and, far more important, how he was to coax Mrs. +Walters into a cessation of hostilities against the feline tribe, at +least so far as to tolerate the little wanderer. +</p> +<p> +His uncle and aunt arrived in due time,—the lady in high good humour, +which our hero thought it a pity to disturb by mentioning the presence +of an unwelcome guest. He would tell her in the morning; but when the +morning came, she was in such an angry mood that, as he was well +aware, no benevolence was to be expected from her then. However, the +kitten must be fed, and to do this he was prepared. He found an old +bowl, which had been put in the garret with some cracked crockery. +This he took along when sent on his daily errand for milk for the +family, and, having a penny or two in his pocket, he told Mrs. Burton +about his kitten, and asked if she would not sell him some every day. +Pleased with the conscientiousness which prompted the boy to buy food +for his favourite rather than take a crumb from his employers without +their permission, she told him he might keep his pennies, for she +would give him a little milk every day for his cat. "But, Billy dear," +she added, "you had better tell Mrs. Walters all about it. Do +everything open and above-board. Don't be ashamed or afraid of +anything but sin. She must find it out at last, and will be more angry +with you for hiding the matter. Always come straight out with the +truth; you will find it the right way in the end." +</p> +<p> +The old watchman promised to try to find the owner of the kitten, at +the same time advising our hero either to tell Mrs. Walters the truth, +or bring the little animal to his house, as his wife, he said, "had +quite a fancy for four-footed pets." +</p> +<p> +William, however, could not at once decide to part with his new +acquaintance, since he felt certain that in either case parting must +be the consequence. His indecision, however, was attended with a more +speedy result than he anticipated, and not less painful than sudden. +He had kept the kitten a few days, but in those few days he had +learned to love the little thing dearly. Its graceful gambols amused +him; and whatever might have been the kind of home from which it had +strayed, it certainly showed itself as happy in the boy's rude +garret-room as it could have been anywhere. As every day increased his +attachment for the playful creature, so every day made the duty of +telling Mrs. Walters of its presence or giving it to Mrs. Burton the +harder. He had at length nearly resolved to do the latter, when an +incident occurred which showed him how necessary it was always to be +prompt in the discharge of duty. +</p> +<p> +One day Mrs. Walters had occasion to search for something in an old +chest which stood in William's room; and the poor kitten, never +dreaming what an enemy was near, crept forth from its hiding-place in +the bed, and began fearlessly to gambol around one who had no kindly +sympathies to awaken. As she looked round to see if she could discover +from whence the intruder came, she espied, in a corner, the old bowl +still half full of milk, and a few crumbs of bread beside it, and was +at once assured that William had brought the cat from some place—thus +outraging her authority and braving her prejudices. +</p> +<p> +There was but one course for a nature like hers to pursue. She saw no +beauty in the graceful limbs, neither had she any respect for the +mysterious principle of life—that gift which none but the great +Creator can bestow, and cared not how recklessly she destroyed it. +Burning with anger against our hero, she snatched up the unconscious +kitten and descended to the shop, where, finding no one but Taylor and +the object of her present wrath, she poured out a volley of reproaches +with a rapidity which excluded all possibility of being answered. +</p> +<p> +Both were too much startled to attempt to speak; indeed there was but +little time allowed, for, even during the first ebullition of fury, +she advanced to the open door and flung the unhappy kitten as far as +she could into the street. This seemed to satisfy her, for she at once +left the shop, and very soon after was seen going down the street. +</p> +<p> +William, by this sudden movement, was thrown completely off his guard, +and anger, fierce and violent anger at such an outrage, took +possession of his soul. Well was it for him that time was not allowed +him to speak, for he would have uttered words afterwards greatly to be +regretted. A few moments, however, were sufficient to quell the +tempest. "Doest thou well to be angry?" were the words that arose +first to his mind; and with them came also thoughts of One who taught, +"Resist not evil," nor render railing for railing. But why should such +cruelty have been shown to the poor kitten? and the thought that +perhaps he had done wrong in keeping it without Mrs. Walters' +permission gave him great pain. If so, he was content to bear any +outpouring of her wrath without endeavouring to excuse himself; but +still, he was determined to tell her how he had procured the milk for +his kitten, lest she should think him a thief. +</p> +<p> +As he sat bending over his work, one tear after another fell upon the +leather he was hammering, and his evident distress awoke the +compassion of Jem Taylor, who, as we have already said, was not +hard-hearted, and was always ready to pity the poor boy, who suffered +daily under the iron rule of those who cared not for the happiness or +misery which were in their keeping. We cannot follow the journeyman +very far through life, but let us hope that the mercy which is +extended unto all reached unto him, and taught him how evil were his +ways. The time, however, was not now. The law of God had not been +impressed on his heart in childhood; he looked upon lying as a venial +offence, and had never learned that "no one who worketh abomination or +maketh a lie shall dwell in the city of which God is the glory and the +light." Happy was it for our poor hero that the good seed had been +sown early and prayerfully by his humble but pious parents; but for +this he must have fallen before the tempter. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Walters had gone out to purchase leather, and the time was +favourable for the thoughtless journeyman to pour in the poison so +well calculated to destroy the soul. "That's a terrible tempered +woman, Bill," said he, "and if I was in your place I would run away. +How she did pitch your poor cat into the street! If it had been mine, +I tell you, I would teach her better in future: instead of sitting +there and crying like a great baby, I would plan how I could help +myself. Why could not you have told her you did not know anything +about the cat? Cats run about everywhere; and where people are so hard +as old Walters and his wife, a little lying is no harm. It is very +silly in you always to tell the truth. The old man, indeed, does not +ask you for your money now; but when she wants to borrow it, you never +tell her you have none, although any one can see you do not like to +give it. Now, quit being such a fool, and take care of number one. I +can tell you of a variety of ways in which you can cheat her." +</p> +<p> +William sat opposite to the tempter, but did not once raise his eyes +to meet those he felt were resting upon him. He trembled. It was +almost beyond the power of childish resolution to resist the dark +power that was ready to impose a bond which would have sealed his +ruin; but he had learned too much of the true wisdom taught in the +Bible to surrender willingly to the influence of evil. He felt the +weakness of his own heart, but knew also from whence only help could +come. He continued to work in silence at the shoe he was making, but +at the same time he lifted up his heart in prayer: "Heavenly Father, +suffer me not to be led into temptation," was the fervent petition +which issued from the secret chamber of the inner shrine; and He who +seeth in secret heard and answered. +</p> +<p> +Jem Taylor, mistaking his silence for assent, went on: "You have it +harder than any 'prentice boy I ever saw. Not a chap in all New York +would put up with such victuals as you get; and then to be rated and +called a thief because you stole a drop of milk for the poor kitten, +was too outrageous! Such people as these deserve nothing better than +to have lies told them every hour in the day; and, besides, I would +help myself to whatever I could find in the cupboard,—pay yourself, +boy, for the money the old woman borrows." +</p> +<p> +"O my dear mother!" thought William, "when you so often told me of the +temptations I should meet with in the world, I could hardly believe +it; but now I know what it is to be tempted, and that if left to +myself I must fall." +</p> +<p> +Finding he still did not answer, Jem, nowise discouraged, went on: "A +day or two since, when the old woman went to market, she forgot the +key of the cupboard and left it in the lock, and the door swung most +invitingly open. There was a cut pie and a plate of cakes. I told you +to go quickly and help yourself, for no one would see you, and I would +not tell. It was but fair you should take the worth of your money; but +you were too great a blockhead. You looked at the good things there, +and came away empty-handed. Strange, you would steal milk for the cat, +and scruple to take a cake (which, I am sure, you earn hardly enough) +for yourself." +</p> +<p> +William now raised his eyes, and as he looked straight into the face +of Jem Taylor, the latter could not bear the bright and radiant holy +expression lent them by the influence of truth, with which his soul +was filled. It was now his turn to look down and work in silence, +while the boy was speaking. +</p> +<p> +"Jem," said he, "I did not steal the milk; I told Mrs. Burton about +the kitten, and she gave it to me. And when you wanted me to take the +cakes, you did say that no one would see me, and that you would not +tell. I steal, Jem! No, I could not steal if I were starving; for +although assured that no man saw me, where could I go to escape the +searching eye of God? I saw the closet open, and the way clear, but I +felt no wish to take what was not my own; I was hungry, and the pie +tempting, but my conscience, like a strong man, held me back. No, Jem, +my mother told me that our heavenly Father numbers every hair of our +heads, and I will never run away, lie, nor steal; and no distress +shall make me willingly wander from the right path; living or dying, I +will try to keep all his commandments, and leave all my affairs to Him +who cannot do wrong." +</p> +<p> +Oh, glorious and holy majesty of truth! who can resist its power? and +now the journeyman, although ashamed to meet the glance of a child +whose principles were based upon the law of Him who is the Truth, +recognised its beauty and its force. He was addicted to low and base +pursuits and pleasures, but the signature impressed originally on the +heart of man, although half effaced, was not entirely obliterated, and +he shrank back as from a superior power; for he felt as if a child had +been commissioned to judge and condemn him. +</p> +<p> +A certain eloquent writer has said, "Every one is a missionary for +good or evil, whether he designs it or not; he may be a blot, +radiating a dark influence over the society to which he belongs; or he +may be a blessing, spreading light and benediction over his own +circle,—but a blank no one can be!" And the two we have been +describing belonged to these classes; one was the leaven that sours or +corrupts, the other the salt that silently operates; each was +performing a mission for eternity. Which one, dear young reader, was +to meet approval or endure judgment in that great day when all shall +stand before the judgment-seat? How long the better emotion which had +been created in the heart of Jem Taylor lasted, we cannot tell; he +began to talk on other matters, and for a long time there was no more +temptation from that quarter. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Walters came in soon afterward, and having heard of the affair, +was ready to renew the strife with our poor hero; but as Thomas +Burton, making a most opportune visit, bore testimony to the truth of +our hero's story, no further punishment than the loss of the cat was +deemed necessary. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0010" id="h2HCH0010"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER X. +</h2> +<h3> + MAKING OTHERS HAPPY. +</h3> +<p> +William had always been a delicate boy, although, while in the +country, his health was good; but now the confined air of the shop, +and the odour of the leather, and the stooping posture consequent on +his trade, began to tell painfully upon him. He wondered what was the +matter that he did not now ever feel bright and hopeful. He went about +his work mechanically, was listless and silent. His features assumed a +cast of anxiety unnatural in a child, and painful to notice. Still, no +duty was neglected, nor did the Walters notice the change in his +looks, since all allotted services were duly rendered. The young +spirit was gradually yielding to the oppressive yoke, although +patiently borne. But although cast down and perplexed, it was not in +despair. The light commanded by "God to shine out of darkness" still +illumined his heart and gave him comfort, and at the source ever open +to the broken-hearted he could still appeal. Without the support of +that "arm" which is never "shortened that it cannot save," he could +not have borne up under the hardships of his present lot. +</p> +<p> +He was not sent quite so much into the street as at first; for he +could now make shoes, and his work was valuable to his master. He did +not often see little Ned Graham, as it was only on Saturday evenings +that he carried home the week's work; but he always saw Mrs. Bradley +at her place in the market, and through her sent the pennies he was +able from time to time to gather. +</p> +<p> +One day Mr. Walters came in from the upper shop with a pair of shoes +in his hand, which he told our hero to carry to Professor Stewart's, +No. 200 —— street. He obeyed at once, for he was glad to breathe the +open air; but the walk was not productive of the same pleasure as +formerly. His mood was sad and his step feeble; although the air was +only clear and bracing, it sent a chill through his weakened frame, +turning what had once been his favourite recreation into positive +pain. The variety met with in the streets had no power to attract his +attention; the pictures in the windows had lost their charms; the +flashing waters of the noble bay covered with vessels, from whose +mast-heads floated the flags of many nations, failed to awaken his +admiration; it requires lightness of heart to enjoy the beauty spread +around us. +</p> +<p> +Thus, depressed in body and spirit, he wandered on, mechanically, +noticing nothing until he had nearly reached No. 200. Some one called +him. It was little Ned Graham, who, as usual, was getting pieces of +boards and chips at a new building which was going up. Very thin +indeed was his clothing, and far from healthy were his looks; but the +natural buoyancy, which even the hard hand of poverty could not +entirely crush, remained, and his whole countenance lighted up at the +sight of his friend William. +</p> +<p> +"What now, Ned?" said the latter as a ray of cheerfulness shot over +his sad heart, on seeing the happiness meeting with himself gave to +the boy; "where are you going so far from home, bare-footed and half +bare-legged, on such a cold day as this?" +</p> +<p> +"My feet are a little red," said Ned, looking down at his red-hued +supporters; "but I don't mind it much, when I can get such heaps of +wood for the carrying. There was a fire up our way not long ago, and I +got ever so much. We have a great pile now, and grandmother can keep +the fire going. I want to carry all I can before the snow comes, for I +don't expect to have any shoes. But why have you stayed away so long? +Mrs. Bradley gave us the pennies you sent, but grandmother said she +'wanted to see yourself to thank you.'" +</p> +<p> +"I have done nothing worth thanks, Ned," said William. "I only wish I +could." +</p> +<p> +"Grandmother said you had been a good friend to us, although you are +but a boy, and only a shoemaker's ''prentice,'" rejoined Ned; "for you +did not only send us the pennies, but Mrs. Bradley too. She has been +so good to us; and when we thank her, she says we ought rather to +thank you. She gave me these trousers; and although they are too +short, I do not care for that, or that the street boys call me 'duck +legs.'" +</p> +<p> +"It is our heavenly Father whom you ought to thank, rather than either +of us," added William, not noticing the last part of the speech; "but +here is No. 200; stay; let me see. I do believe it is the very house +in front of which I dropped the shoes; that is certainly the window +where the old gentleman stood." +</p> +<p> +He rung the bell at the basement door as he spoke. A voice from within +bade him enter. He did so, and found himself in a neat room, furnished +with many books. A middle-aged gentleman sat at a table writing, but +laid down his pen in order to see what the intruder wanted. William +stated his errand. +</p> +<p> +"Ah, yes; shoes," said the gentleman; "I do not know anything about +them; my wife is not at home, but you can come again to-morrow, and +see what she says. You look tired; there is a shilling for you." +</p> +<p> +William took the money, but as he did so blushed deeply, and seemed +about to return it. +</p> +<p> +"Why, what is the matter, boy?" asked the gentleman; "do not you think +it enough?" +</p> +<p> +"O no, sir; indeed not that; indeed it is more than enough; but—" +</p> +<p> +"But what?" inquired the gentleman. +</p> +<p> +"I do not want to take it now, so I will send somebody—a little +boy—for it to-morrow." +</p> +<p> +The gentleman, who now began to suspect that all was not right, looked +very grave, as he repeated the words, "You will send for it to-morrow. +Boy, tell me what this means. It is certainly very strange behaviour. +Nay, you cannot go until you tell me." +</p> +<p> +William saw it was best to tell the truth, and he did so in as +straightforward a way as possible; and stating at the close that as he +believed he should be questioned whether or not he had received money, +he preferred the gentleman should give it to a boy whom he would send, +so that he might be able to say with truth he had not received any +money. +</p> +<p> +"Your motive is a good one," said the gentleman; "but you must be very +careful, lest, while you are serving your fellow-creatures, you offend +God. Truth in all things, my boy; let the truth always be spoken, and +leave the issue to One who is himself the Truth. No matter under how +amiable a pretext any one violates the divine law; it is no less a +violation of that pure and holy law; and although there are many who +consider that only the falsely spoken word which passes over the lips +is a lie, there are many other ways of outraging the truth. The acted +lie, perhaps more common than the spoken, is not less hateful in the +sight of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold sin without +abhorrence; and all deception, however skilfully veiled from human +perception, is falsehood in his sight." +</p> +<p> +"I am sorry, sir," said William; "but I did not know how else to do; I +did not know that would be lying." +</p> +<p> +"It would be a shifting of the truth, an evasion," said Mr. Stewart. +"If you hope to run your earthly career with safety or success, let +truth be the foundation on which you build it. Falsehood <i>must</i> have +an end, but truth will triumph. Then why distort, or seek to disguise +it, since the Scriptures tell us that 'obeying the truth purifies the +soul?' 'Who shall abide in God's holy hill? who shall dwell in his +tabernacle? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and +speaketh the truth in his heart.' Here is your money, to do with as +you please: you can send the boy, however, to me; if he is as poor as +you say, he must be looked after." +</p> +<p> +"He was at the door just now," said William, as he looked up and down +the street; "but he must have gone home with his chips, as I do not +see him." +</p> +<p> +"Very well," was the answer, "send him to-morrow." +</p> +<p> +A person entering now interrupted the conversation, and our hero +departed on his way. As he turned the corner he found little Ned, who, +not yet tired of gathering sticks, was adding to the weight of his +basket by some spoils from a lumber-yard. He delivered the message +from Professor Stewart, and having given him the shilling just +received, he bade him buy bread for his grandmother, and once more set +off at a round pace for home. +</p> +<p> +His steps were, however, not so rapid as to banish thought, and +although he dreaded the reproach he would meet, when, if questioned, +he should tell how he had disposed of the money, he never for a moment +swerved from his determination to tell <i>the whole truth</i>, let the +consequences be what they might. He was not, however, so much taken up +with his own affairs that he had no sympathy for others. The figure of +little Ned Graham, in his thin clothing, thankful for the slight +warmth afforded by the worn linen trousers which left his meager limbs +bare more than half way from the knee, came still between him and the +dark shadows which his own trials cast upon his naturally bright and +hoping spirit. "I am wrong to be so depressed," he said to himself; +"we may see blessings in every lot, if we are willing to do so; and +poor little Ned is as bright as a lark because he can get wood for the +carrying, although he was shivering with cold, and his face looked +pinched as if he were only half fed. Stay; let me see; I wonder if I +cannot make some sort of shoes for him! There is a pile of old boots +and shoes in the back shop, which Mr. Walters said were not worth +mending, and he would have carted away. I will ask him about them, and +if he has no use for the things, I will make a pair out of the best of +them." +</p> +<p> +There is no better cure for our selfish sorrow than to plan or execute +something to alleviate the sufferings of others, and now the impulsive +and naturally energetic spirit of our little shoemaker experienced a +sudden rebound at the prospect of what he could do, which beguiled him +back to at least comparative happiness, and lightened for a time his +bondage of depression. +</p> +<p> +Smile not, dear young reader, that the task was so easily +accomplished. It costs but little to bestow happiness or comfort on +another; but small as is the outlay, nothing brings better interest, +as our poor hero experienced in the sunshine poured in so suddenly on +his lately clouded spirit. +</p> +<p> +He returned to his home with a lighter heart and more buoyant step +than had accompanied his going forth; and felt not only resolute, but +fully armed to bear whatever reproach or violence he might meet, when +he should be questioned about the money, and declare the truth. His +fears on this occasion were without foundation. Mr. Walters was +satisfied with his reasons for having left the shoes, and asked no +further questions; and Mrs. Walters, not wanting "change," said +nothing about borrowing; so William, truly thankful that all had +passed over so quietly, retired to rest, wearied indeed in body, but +happier in mind than he had been for many days, dreaming not only of +the pleasure he should have in making the shoes, but in seeing little +Ned's black eyes dance for joy in receiving them. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0011" id="h2HCH0011"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER XI. +</h2> +<h3> + A LABOUR OF LOVE. +</h3> +<p> +In the morning, William did not wait for Mrs. Walters' usual shrill +call of "Bill, get up and make the fire;" for, filled with the project +of pursuing a labour of love, he was up with the dawn, and having +performed all his allotted tasks, he had time to turn over the whole +heap of worn-out shoes, which lay piled up in readiness for the +scavengers. Was it not a little surprising that one who so cordially +disliked shoemaking should voluntarily undertake a task so repugnant +as this! Was it not a proof that he was achieving that moral heroism +so beautifully lauded in the Scripture? "He that ruleth his spirit is +better than he that taketh a city," does not only apply to the +restraining of the temper; other discipline is included in its +meaning. Does the "charity which, seeking not her own," but denying +self, and sacrificing inclination at the shrine of duty, or in the +endeavour to bestow comfort upon the needy, require no effort in its +practice? It does indeed; perhaps stronger than to rule the tongue and +temper; and although we must admire the moral hero who sets himself +firm as a rock to bear reproach in silence, there is more calm +grandeur in steady sacrifice of self when performing a repugnant task +from a true spirit of benevolence. +</p> +<p> +It was not, indeed, without some effort, or many temptations to turn +away and leave his project unaccomplished, that William persisted in +his search. Sad to tell, he could not find what he sought, and he was +turning away discouraged, when Jem Taylor came in. +</p> +<p> +He inquired what Bill had in hand now; and our little shoemaker having +told him, he burst into a loud laugh, and declared he could do better +for him than that. "I have a pair of shoes," said he, "of which the +upper leather is pretty good, but the soles are all gone; you may have +them to cut up for your bare-legged friend. But what are you to do for +soles?" +</p> +<p> +"I never once thought of that!" replied William, and his countenance +expressed how great was his disappointment. +</p> +<p> +"Don't look so down in the mouth, Bill," said Jem, good-naturedly. "I +suppose. I need not tell you to slice a piece off from old Walters' +leather, for you would consider it stealing, which I don't; but your +cake shall not be all dough, for all that. I'll buy you a piece of +sole, and bring all together to-morrow." +</p> +<p> +William thanked the journeyman again and again, and was more than ever +grieved that one who knew so well how to be kind should be so resolute +in his practice of evil, and pursue a path which he had often +confessed he knew to be a wrong one. +</p> +<p> +There was an unusual press of work, so that for several days he could +not go for the shoes left at Professor Stewart's. No message +concerning them having been sent, William was a second time despatched +to No. 200 —— street. +</p> +<p> +Once more he rang the bell at the basement door; the same voice bade +him enter; and, seated behind a pile of books, with a pair of gold +spectacles on his nose, was the same gentleman who had given him the +shilling and the lecture on falsehood. He was writing so busily that +our hero was obliged to stand for a moment or two unquestioned; but at +last he looked up, and in seeming amazement at the presence of a +stranger. "How long have you been here, and what do you want?" was the +abrupt salutation. +</p> +<p> +"I brought a pair of shoes here some days ago," was the reply; "Mr. +Walters sent me to-day to see if they would suit, as he did not +receive any message from the lady." +</p> +<p> +"Shoes, shoes," said the gentleman, musingly; "I have some +recollection about them; yes, and your face too; you told me about the +little boy to whom you gave the shilling. Well, the little ragamuffin +came, and I believe he is not unworthy. But whether he is or not, he +is very poor; and if we try to serve none but the worthy, I am afraid +a great many would suffer. He is too young to do much, so I told him +to come here once every week, and we will give him something." +</p> +<p> +"The shoes, sir," asked William; "what answer am I to take about the +shoes?" +</p> +<p> +"They were for a lady, I have some indistinct recollection," rejoined +the gentleman smiling. "They are lying just where you put them down; +only see what a memory I have; I have not once thought of them since. +Pull that bell, if you please; somebody will come and tell you all +about it." +</p> +<p> +Our little shoemaker did as he was desired, and an elderly +serving-woman almost immediately answered the summons. +</p> +<p> +"Is Mrs. Stewart at home, Katie?" asked the gentleman, dipping his pen +in the ink in order to resume his writing. +</p> +<p> +"No, sir; she has gone up to your son's. One of the children is sick, +and she said it was likely she would have to stay all night," was the +reply. +</p> +<p> +"I think, boy, your best plan will be to go there with the shoes," +said the professor; "it is not far: just keep on up this street until +you find yourself almost to the country; you will there see a house +built in cottage style, standing back from the street in an enclosure: +my son, Mr. Stewart, lives there; ask for Mrs. Stewart and tell her of +the shoes; she will decide whether or not to keep them." +</p> +<p> +He turned once more to his writing and William was obliged to depart. +Although the day was dark and gloomy, he was too glad to have an +excuse for extending his walk; and caring neither for the cold wind +that rushed by at intervals, and sent the few leaves that until now +had clung to the lindens whirling in the air, nor that the short day +was approaching to its close, he walked on rapidly, and was soon at +the point of destination. +</p> +<p> +The description of the house had been too accurately given for its +features to be mistaken; plain but elegant, its exterior bespoke the +pure taste of its possessors. +</p> +<p> +There were several steps leading up to the entrance door, which, +retreating into a kind of recess, occupied the middle of the building, +and opened into a hall with parlours on each side. +</p> +<p> +William ascended the steps and rung the bell. More than one summons +was necessary, and while he waited for somebody to come he had time to +look round; and he did gaze into one of the basement rooms, in which +were several children. It seemed to be used partly for school +purposes, and partly for play; it was not certainly the regular study +hours, for there was too much inattention, although a governess was +present and giving directions. A girl of twelve years old was +practising a music lesson; and a younger one, seated at a table, was +writing—all three of the inmates too much occupied to observe the +young intruder, who was now so near the window that he could hear part +of what was said. +</p> +<p> +"You play too fast, Clara," said the teacher; "if you do not count +your time, you will never excel in music." +</p> +<p> +"Agnes, do not sit so crooked at your writing; it is ruinous to your +health. Be careful to spell every word properly; for those who do not +learn to spell well while they are young, can never acquire a correct +knowledge of it." +</p> +<p> +Our little shoemaker stood looking through the window with a pleasure +nearly allied to that which had once enchained him before the +picture-shops. What was it that so fettered his attention that he did +not remark the presence of the servant, who had at last answered the +summons of the door-bell? Was it the quiet and beautiful specimen of +home instruction he was witnessing? Was it the neat and tasteful +furnishing of the apartment,—the handsome but now unoccupied +writing-desk, which was provided with every thing necessary, from a +pen-knife down to a pen-wiper? Or did something in the shape of an +old-fashioned sofa in the corner, on which sat three large dolls, +claim the observation which was so intense as to amount to absolute +rudeness? Yes, it was one of the leathern ladies that awakened such an +extraordinary interest in the boy; for on its feet were the red +morocco boots, bound and tied with light blue ribbon—very untasteful +was the contrast—which he had made out of gratitude for the kindness +shown him on the day in which he dropped the shoes in the gutter. +</p> +<p> +"What are you staring in there for, boy?" said a broad-faced Irish +girl, giving him a pull. "Sure don't you know it's not civil to do the +likes of that? tell us what it is ye want, and then take yourself +off." +</p> +<p> +William stated his errand, and the ruddy damsel, satisfied that he +meant no harm, said she "did not know whether ould Mistress Stewart +was in the place, but she would go and see." +</p> +<p> +Thus left, there was time to renew his observations; and just then the +door of the basement room opened, and a delicate but bright-looking +boy of fourteen, with a gun in his hand and a game-bag over his +shoulder, entered. "O Clara! such a pleasant day Harry Clinton and I +have had! I have shot a round dozen of birds, and he has more! But +tell me, is little Frank any better?" +</p> +<p> +"O yes, a great deal better," answered Clara, "so that grandmother—" +</p> +<p> +Biddy now interrupted the speech by her presence, and telling our hero +that she had been "hunting the ould lady up stairs and down stairs, in +my lady's chamber, and everywhere, without finding her, she went till +young Mistress Stewart, and she tould her she was not in it, but was +away an hour ago." +</p> +<p> +It was now growing late, and our little shoemaker thought his wisest +plan was to carry the shoes home for the present; he felt that he had +already wasted too much time, and that he would most probably find the +Walters displeased at the delay. He turned most reluctantly away from +the window, unwilling to depart from a place where such a new and +strong interest had been created, but there was no help for it; and he +pursued his way with a feeling of regret, as he contrasted the +circumstances of those happy children with his own. This mood could +not continue long; he felt that it was wrong; he would not murmur, but +submit. +</p> +<p> +With his usual openness he explained to Mr. Walters the cause of his +delay; for which he received the usual amount of grumbling, with a +threat for the future he should be made to stick to his last, and +learn how to use time—a threat which was at once put into execution, +for the next day he carried the shoes to Professor Stewart's himself, +and the affair was ended to his satisfaction. He was, as he had been +threatened, kept closely to work; but although his work was even more +joyless than ever, he was not without a gleam of sunshine in his +heart, lent him by the prospect of being able to prepare happiness for +others. +</p> +<p> +Time passes on rapidly, but with equal pace, unheeding whether, as a +"swift-winged and beautiful angel," he opens flowers on the way for +some, or, as a "relentless, unsparing destroyer," he nips the budding +hopes and scatters the blight of disappointment on others; but still +bearing the record of each minute to eternity, the gliding hours are +silently working for all. Their passage had seemingly, as yet, brought +no change in the circumstances of our little shoemaker; unloved and +unloving, as at first, the days had rolled away with dull and leaden +weight, until they approached the second winter since he had left his +home at M——. +</p> +<p> +The shortened days and lengthening nights brought with them +anticipations of Christmas festivals; and when the snow began to fall +the winter pleasures began, and preparations were made for the +amusements always got up for the holidays. What kind of enjoyment had +William to expect, further than to stroll through the streets and +survey the treasures in shop windows, none of which would find their +way to him? and yet, strange to tell, he too looked forward to the +coming festival with hopeful anticipation. +</p> +<p> +No preparation was made at Mr. Walters'; for no child of the house or +young relative of the family gladdened the dull atmosphere of that +sombre home; but William had been silently at work, getting ready that +which was to give happiness to others, and the pleasure arising from +such labour always brings its own reward. +</p> +<p> +As the time of rejoicing drew near, his memory carried him back to his +once happy home in M——; and as it is natural for childhood to love +to dwell only on life's brightest spots, so he recalled mostly the +period before his father's death, when all had to him as yet been +sunshine. The mysterious preparation—the Christmas-tree hung with +glancing lights and fairy gifts so bewitching to children—the +trembling joy with which each packet or article was examined,—all +this, although the child of poor parents, had been his to enjoy; but +on this Christmas-day he had nothing to expect. +</p> +<p> +As he was going along the street one day, when sent on an errand, he +passed by a church which was being adorned with evergreens, as is the +custom with many of the Episcopalians. The work had been finished, and +the sexton was sweeping the refuse branches into the street. An idea +struck him; he would have a Christmas-tree—a very small one, indeed, +but then even a green branch of spruce would make things look more +Christmas-like. He picked one up, and carrying it home, concealed it +in his attic; for he feared if he showed it to Mrs. Walters, she would +serve it as she had done his cat. +</p> +<p> +The twenty-fourth of December came, and our hero's heart beat high, +half with joy, half with apprehension. He had his plan, but there was +another will than his own to determine its being effected. Jem Taylor +had gone up the river a few days before, to spend the holidays with +his mother, and the other journeymen had given up work early on the +day already mentioned. +</p> +<p> +Jem, however, who really liked our hero, had given him a shilling as a +Christmas gift; this, with some pennies from his friend the +market-woman, made him feel rich, and he resolved to spend it in +Christmas gifts. Yes, Christmas gifts, dear reader; but there are +different kinds of such. He would not spend his little store in +bonbons and cakes, which do no good; tea, sugar, and other like +necessary articles, could be put up in horn-shaped papers, and be hung +on his branch of evergreen; and then, if he only dared go out on +Christmas day, how nice it would be to set it up in old Mrs. Graham's +room! +</p> +<p> +Most children, in giving Christmas presents, expect to receive in +return. Not so our little shoemaker. But he, too, had his equivalent; +yes, more—the approbation of his own heart, which is always the +reward of a disinterested action. Mrs. Burton, too, gave him a small +mince-pie, when he went in the morning for the milk; this, too, was +saved for the great occasion. +</p> +<p> +The afternoon came, and with it two pairs of children's shoes, which +one of the journeymen had tarried to finish, were brought in. +William's heart beat almost audibly; they were for his friend, Mrs. +Bradley. Should he be the errand-boy on this occasion? A petition to +be permitted to spend Christmas eve from home had been trembling on +his lips all day, but each time, when about to speak, his resolution +failed. But now the words. "Bill, run off with these shoes to Mrs. +Bradley, the market-woman," filled him with delight, and emboldened +him to beg for the remainder of the evening. Seeing there was no one +left to work, Mr. Walters assented, and with great joy of heart the +little shoemaker prepared to enjoy his long-anticipated festival. +</p> +<p> +He had ornamented his little tree to the best of his ability, by tying +to the branches bits of coloured leather which he had cut into stars +and other shapes, with some ends of ribbon picked from the odds and +ends of binding used in the upper shop. He had also bought a candle or +two, which he cut in pieces, and fastened them on by bits of wire. The +other articles, together with some matches, he placed in a little +basket of his own, and then putting his green branch under his coat, +thrusting the shoes he had made for little Ned in his pocket, and +carrying those intended for Mrs. Bradley in his hand, he set forth up +Broadway, not envying one individual of the splendidly dressed crowd +that was thronging the great thoroughfare. +</p> +<p> +He found Mrs. Bradley in the kitchen, fully occupied in all the +mysteries of boiling, baking, and stewing, preliminary to the setting +down of a country Christmas supper. A large plate of mince-pies, +flanked by smaller ones filled with cakes of various shapes and sizes, +stood temptingly conspicuous on the table. Sausages were frying in a +pan on the store, and a large coffee-pot sent forth its steam, at once +savoury and inviting. "I am glad you have brought the shoes, Bill," +said the good woman, continuing to bustle about; "your master is +certainly very punctual, and his shoes last as long again as those you +buy. I suppose you do not have much Christmas doings at your house—I +am so busy just now; a whole tribe of country cousins have come down +the river to spend the holidays, and I am bustling to get the supper +over. But what have you there under your coat?" +</p> +<p> +"Well, now, Bill," said she, when William told her, "if you ain't a +good boy there is no such thing in the world. Open your basket, and I +will give you something for the old woman and your young ones too." +</p> +<p> +A sausage or two, a pie, some tarts, and sundry other good things, +were speedily transferred to William's basket, and with such unsparing +hand, that it was filled to overflowing—in that respect resembling +the heart of our little shoemaker, which was now filled with delight. +He forgot that he was suffering from bodily ailment, that the past had +been dark and comfortless, that on the morrow no new cheering was to +be expected, but his sole enjoyment would be the remembrance of the +transient gleam of sunshine now falling on his gloomy path. He tried +to speak his thanks, but she would not listen. "It is nothing," she +said; "we have to work hard, but still we have plenty, and why should +we not give to others who have so little, and are not able to earn? +Now do go along about your business, Bill, and let me take up the +supper, for the chicken is stewing to rags;" and, quite as happy +herself as she had made the orphan boy, she proceeded to finish her +culinary work. +</p> +<p> +A few minutes' walk brought William to the room occupied by old Mrs. +Graham. It was a poor place, in a basement half under ground. Cold and +damp, it was altogether unsuitable for an invalid; but she said she +liked it, for the other dwellers in the house, mostly washer-women, +were decently-behaved people, and as kind to her as their means would +allow them to be. Suffering so much from rheumatism that she was +confined to her bed, she was, however, not idle, but propped up and +busy knitting, when William entered. +</p> +<p> +"Ah, ah! William Raymond, is that you?" said she; "come in and tell us +why you have stayed away so long." +</p> +<p> +This was soon explained, and the treasures exhibited. The miniature +Christmas tree was lighted up, and made to stand, by some process of +childish ingenuity, on the table; the shoes which William had made out +of Jem Taylor's "upper leather" were displayed, and, on being tried +on, were found to fit; and, last of all, the treasures of the basket +were spread forth. It was long since such a meal had been eaten in +that lowly room, or since its inmates had been so cheerful; and, dear +reader, what was the cost of the whole? Happiness can be bestowed at +small expense, and there are none so poor that they cannot give it. +True charity, which some call "the first-born of religion," makes +others' wants their own, and— +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i10">"Amid life's quests</p> +<p class="i2">There seems that worthiest one, to do men good."</p> +</div></div> +<p> +The old grandmother looked with great interest on the sports of the +children, and joined in the praises Ned bestowed on his <i>semi</i>-new +shoes. It seemed surprising to the latter that his friend Bill could +accomplish a task so wonderful as to make a pair of shoes; and while +he danced round the room in perfect delight, he begged his grandmother +to put him at once to a shoemaker, so that he, too, might do men's +work. +</p> +<p> +William stood by the bedside of the aged invalid, and watched her +faded lips as they moved in grateful prayer. His whole soul, filled +with the secret pleasure of a generous act, was yet more moved by the +blessings invoked on him by one so old, and, there was no doubt, truly +sincere. It seemed as if nothing could increase his present happiness. +</p> +<p> +"Where did you get all these nice things?" asked the old woman; "this +is an unexpected feast for me." +</p> +<p> +William, taking no more credit than truth demanded, explained how he +had proceeded,—some, the smallest portion, was purchased, the other +was from the kindness of others. +</p> +<p> +"Say rather the kindness of Providence," replied the old woman. "The +One who provides for the sparrow put it into their hearts, so let us +thank him first of all; and for you, my good boy, may the blessing of +God, which alone maketh rich and addeth no sorrow, rest upon you for +ever." +</p> +<p> +There is a world of meaning in that simple petition; and if the prayer +of the righteous will from the lowliest hovel climb to heaven's height +and bring a blessing down, he was certain to receive in answer a +greater and more precious treasure than the gold of Ophir. +</p> +<p> +Greatly did our little shoemaker enjoy his childish liberty on this +evening, which passed away too rapidly for him. All enjoyment must +have an end, and although by no means wearied of it, he was at once +ready to go home when Mrs. Graham reminded him of the hour. He ran off +at full speed, trusting to be at home before the usual time for +shutting up the house, and had proceeded more than half way, when the +city clocks striking ten changed his late happy mood to one of +apprehension. Mr. Walters, he knew, would not wait a moment, even on +Christmas eve, for anybody, and he trembled at the thought of what the +morning might bring. +</p> +<p> +His fears were not groundless, for he found the front door locked, and +he feared to be obliged to pass the night in the open air. Great was +his embarrassment; what was he to do? who would aid him? He thought of +his friend Thomas Burton, the watchman; he might have a key which +would open the dead latch, but he was already on his round, which, +although in the same district, was at a distant point. +</p> +<p> +The moon was shining brightly, making objects appear almost as +distinct as by daylight The crowd had gradually fallen away, until the +streets were almost empty; and as he sat in lonely self-communion on +the door-step, the increasing cold warned him that he could not remain +there until morning. Exercise was better than inaction; he thought he +would walk up the street, and meet, perhaps, Thomas, or else some +other guardian of the night, who would advise him what to do. But the +watchmen seemed all to have left this part of the city, for none +appeared. As he was still turning over plan after plan for effecting +an entrance, it occurred to him that from a shed in the rear of the +building, which could be gained from a narrow street or alley running +parallel with it, he could enter by an unshuttered window, provided +the sash was not fastened down. He resolved upon trying, and turning +into one of the public streets, which would bring him sooner to the +place desired than that by which he had come, he walked swiftly +onward. He had not gone far before some object glancing brightly in +the moonlight attracted his observation. +</p> +<p> +He took it up, and found it to be a small steel-clasped purse; and +from some indications about it, he concluded it had been dropped by a +child. The next movement was to open it. Two little gold dollars first +glittered before his eyes, then some small silver coin, and last of +all a five-dollar gold piece carefully wrapped in paper. +</p> +<p> +His first feeling was rapture: if what he had done for the Grahams had +brought so much happiness, both to them and himself, would it not be +increased ten-fold now when owner of such wealth? But then the thought +occurred, "It is not mine; somebody must have lost it; somebody maybe +that was poor; yes, I will give it back again; to-morrow I will ask +Thomas Burton to inquire in the neighbourhood and find out the owner." +This seemed the only proper course, and putting the purse in his +pocket, he went on the way proposed to himself, and succeeded in +gaining entrance to his room without disturbing the family. +Notwithstanding the severe exertions and excitement of the day, he +found himself unable to sleep; racking pains shot through his limbs, +and feverish oppression prevented rest until near morning, when he +fell into the unrefreshing stupor, rather than sleep, produced by +exhaustion. +</p> +<p> +From this he was aroused by the usual call to get up and make the +fire. He obeyed, although his aching head and prostrated strength +scarcely permitted a movement. Serious sickness, long threatening, had +at length seized him; and having with the utmost effort dragged +himself down to the kitchen, he was barely able to kindle the fire, +before he fell fainting on the floor, where Mrs. Walters found him. +</p> +<p> +Virago and shrew as she was, she could not look at him as he lay there +so death-like, without a feeling of compassion. She had him carried to +his room in the attic, where she attended him with perhaps as much +sympathy as was compatible with her rude nature. For many days he lay +in a dreaming kind of stupor; yet the images which forced themselves +on his mind, although vague and fitful, were by no means painful; +sickness had overtaken him in the midst of right doing, and the +impression left by the high and holy duty in which he had last been +engaged remained, to shed an influence stronger than the pressure +caused by bodily pain. "Fear not, I am with thee; be not dismayed, for +I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; I will help and uphold thee," +were words which floated continually in his mind, although seemingly +insensible to all outward objects. +</p> +<p> +For many days little hope of recovery was given by the physician, +called in at the pressing instance of Thomas Burton, who declared he +would pay the expense himself; and Mr. Walters, dreading the +consequences to his own reputation should the boy die without medical +aid, had consented. Skilful treatment, youth, and a good constitution, +effected a change which, with good nursing, would have rapidly +restored him to health; the latter, however, was entirely wanting, +Mrs. Walters believing that if she kept from scolding, and brought him +warm drinks, she laid "Bill" under life-long obligation to her for +good nursing. +</p> +<p> +On the day before New-Year's he was altogether better; he could think +of previous occurrences, and spoke with Thomas Burton of many things, +but not until the evening of that day, when Jem Taylor got up to see +him, had he thought of the purse, which was still in the pocket of his +vest. +</p> +<p> +The presence of Jem, as if associated with money, somehow recalled the +recollection of his finding the treasure; and he could not, weak and +unable to consider consequences as he was, refrain from telling him +all about it, and begged him to inquire in the neighbourhood who had +lost it. +</p> +<p> +"You are green as ever, Bill," said Jem, who, nevertheless, was full +of his own kind of sympathy for our hero; "you might as well look for +a needle in a hay-stack as for the owner of a purse in New York. The +only way is to advertise it, and make whoever answers describe it. But +if I were in your place I would keep it. Finders are keepers; but if +you don't like to spend it all yourself or change it, just give it to +me. The one who has lost it may be rich, and by this time has +forgotten it. You are now recovering from sickness, and will want +oranges and such things; I can get all that you ought to have, and +nobody be any the wiser." +</p> +<p> +Poor William, weak and sick; the tempter was again there—a messenger +of Satan ready to overthrow the faith which until now had sustained +him. "Finding is not stealing," was the specious whisper; "and many +keep what they find." +</p> +<p> +For a moment only he swerved. He spoke no word; and while Jem watched +his pale countenance, as it changed with the varied emotions which +were struggling in his heart, he could scarcely understand the +feelings which swayed his own. The conflict was severe, but short, as +it always is where strict integrity has been the ruling principle, and +truth the bulwark. The flush faded from the brow; leaving it deadly +pale, as he firmly said,— +</p> +<p> +"No, Jem, no; I will not do it. Let me die, but I will not sin against +God." +</p> +<p> +Exhausted by the effort he had made, he burst into a violent fit of +weeping, alarming Jem greatly, who feared for the results. But tears +were soothing to the sick boy; for tears are said to make the depth of +grief seem less, and prove a balm to the soul. None are wholly evil, +and some touch of nature now smote the heart of the reckless +journeyman for a moment, as he once more recognised the holy majesty +of virtue exhibited in a child. But how many thoughts can flash upon +the soul in an instant! In that short space a picture of his own life +was placed before his mental vision; and as he contrasted his own +course with that of the sufferer before him, he felt, for the moment, +willing to change places with him. He waited until the strong burst of +feeling had passed over, and his intended victim once more lay still +and death-like before him. He dared venture no further, and his eyes +were something moist, and his voice assumed a softer tone, as he rose +to take leave for the night. +</p> +<p> +"Billy," said he, "you are a good boy; I wish I was half as good, but +I know I need not try. But I still am of the mind that if I had found +that money I would have a right to spend it; but I won't say any more, +for I see you are very weak. Can I do anything for you before I go?" +</p> +<p> +"You can," replied William; "ask Thomas—no, he is not at home—tell +Mrs. Burton to send him in the morning." +</p> +<p> +"I believe the old man is your spiritual adviser," returned Jem; "but +I will do as you wish, and come again in the morning; so good-night." +</p> +<p> +Left to himself, the sick boy almost immediately fell asleep, or +rather into the heavy stupor produced by exhaustion, and which does +not shut out the sense of painful realities which surround. Feverish +startings and tossings proved that the soul was not sharing the body's +rest, and dreams, which are said to be of real events the forms and +shadows, disturbed him with dark and monstrous images, the fitful +phases of which, as they changed, grew yet more fearful and torturing. +His mother, pale and anxious as she looked before her death,—purses, +money, prisons, and judgment-halls,—all came up in disjointed medley +together. Beads of sweat standing upon his brow showed how great was +the suffering, which still increased until, with a start, he awoke. +</p> +<p> +Oh, what a relief it was to find all only a dream! The piece of candle +left by Mrs. Walters had long since burned out; but the room was not +dark, for the bright moon poured in her soft rays, and through the +little window he saw the stars, looking calm, as though they were the +eyes of angels keeping watch over the slumbering earth. He knew not +the hour, but, dreading to fall asleep again, endeavoured to keep +himself awake by recalling those events which his sickness had made +him partially forget. The purse, the temptation to keep the money, the +resolution to do right, and the dread of being obliged to yield to Jem +Taylor's persuasions, were the agitating subjects that occupied him. +</p> +<p> +The city clock chimed twelve, the watchman called out the last hour of +the year 1830, and the interruption was grateful and salutary. With +that mysterious quickness of which mind only is capable, he was +dwelling on some long-closed pages of the past, painfully but +profitably associated with the close of the old year and beginning of +the new. Their pleasant cottage at M——; the sad event which, on the +last New-Year spent there, had impressed his soul too vividly ever to +be forgotten; all that his mother had told him of that pious father, +of whom he would have remembered but little, but that his lifeless +image was so strongly associated with New-Year's day; her impressive +admonition on the last anniversary of his death, before her own, when +she had entreated him to depart not from the God of his father, but to +walk so as to be able to claim the promise vouchsafed to the children +of the righteous,—now came up before him, and the memory brought both +comfort and strength, admonishing, too, where help, in such weakness +as he felt his to be, was only surely to be found. +</p> +<p> +Our little shoemaker well knew where to apply for such strength as he +needed. He knew that the Saviour said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the +Father in my name, he will give it to you; ask, and ye shall receive, +that your joy may be full;" and he prayed that he might be able to +resist the power of the tempter; and, in the assurance that the prayer +would be heard, his soul grew calm, and he at length sunk into a quiet +slumber, from which he did not awake until the morning was somewhat +advanced. +</p> +<p> +It was with a feeling of terror that he beheld Jem Taylor standing by +his bed. The temptation to retain the spoils of the purse for his own +use was again urged; but, spiritually resolute, this time William did +not waver. He was not only altogether determinate in declining to use +the money for himself, or share it with Jem, in order to secure his +silence, but refused to show him the purse, although he offered to +advertise it. Finding him strong in his purpose, Jem left him; and as +Thomas Burton came in in the course of the day, he gave the purse to +him, to do as he thought best with it. Having done this, his heart +felt much lightened. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0012" id="h2HCH0012"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER XII. +</h2> +<h3> + RAYS OF HOPE. +</h3> +<p> +From this time our poor hero began to recover; and, although hope is +said to be the best physician in the world, and he had nothing now to +hope for, it was surprising how rapidly he improved. The return from a +sick-bed to the active duties of life, the change from the close and +darkened chamber to the pure air of heaven and the glorious sunlight, +has a wonderful effect in restoring health. He was soon able to make +his appearance in the shop; and, to aid his entire recovery, he was +permitted to be much at Thomas Burton's, where he was really happy. It +was not long before he was able to go to church and to Sabbath school. +Greater than ever seemed the privileges; none are truly valued until +deprived of them. His heart was full of joyful praise on the day when +he first was able to serve the Lord by worshipping in his holy temple. +More contented than he had been since leaving his home at M——, he +found himself at times almost happy. And why, dear reader, was it so? +His outward circumstances were the same; the sun, which shines in +equal brightness upon the just and unjust, had received no additional +lustre since he had wandered, sad and desponding, unheeding its glory +and uncheered by its beams. But now what made the difference? The +sunshine within, the sure possession of a heart at peace with God, +which warms and cheers with its own light, even when the creature's +way is rugged and dark. That made the poor boy's spirit so peaceful. +</p> +<p> +And, now the poor child, whose path had indeed been through the deep +waters, was soon to be lifted up above the lowly and distasteful +station, so repugnant at first to his feelings and taste, with which +it had been his trial to struggle, and his triumph to conquer; and +"according to the days in which he had been afflicted was he now to be +made glad." Comparative prosperity was soon to be enjoyed; but would +he endure the trial of its deceitful ray as well as he had that of the +obscuring cloud? We shall see. +</p> +<p> +Months passed away with little change. Mrs. Walters resumed her +scolding and commanding, while Mr. Walters grumbled and found fault to +his heart's content. But Jem Taylor, kinder than ever to our hero, no +longer assailed him with temptation to do wrong, for he felt that +"Bill's" integrity was not to be moved. +</p> +<p> +Thomas Burton had found, from a newspaper, the owner of the purse, who +was a boy and the son of a distinguished artist living in the suburbs. +As he described the low-storeyed house, with its wealth of natural +beauty without and tasteful embellishment within, William's heart beat +loudly; surely that boy was one of the happy children whom he had seen +on the day he peeped into the school-room; and a feeling of +disappointment stole over him that he had not been able to deliver the +purse himself. This, however, soon subsided, when Thomas told him that +the family were all from home, and that he had left it with an old +gentleman, who was the only person he saw. +</p> +<p> +The gloomy days of winter had long passed by, and spring, with its +green grass and many-hued blossoms, had cheered the country with its +beauty; but now its task was ended, and the glowing summer was at +hand. The weary dwellers of the pent-up city were leaving in search of +pure air and variety; the dust-covered marble steps in front of many a +shut-up house proclaimed it deserted for the season, and business, +much to Mr. Walters' dissatisfaction, was very dull. Shoes, however, +had to be worn, and as he still continued to furnish the needed +article, he was often called upon, although not quite so frequently as +in the winter. +</p> +<p> +One day he came in with a pair of prunella boots in his hand, which he +told Bill to carry to the house of Mr. Stewart, a painter who lived in +the outskirts of the city. "They are for Mrs. Stewart, to whom you +took a pair of shoes last autumn," said he. "Go straight to Number 200 +——Street, and then keep on to the end of the street. The family, it +seems, have gone there for fresh air, as if they could not breathe +that of the city as well as others." +</p> +<p> +Never had he received a more welcome commission. He even felt as if he +could have embraced his stern master for such an indulgence. The day +was so fine, he had longed to get out into the sunshine, and now the +prospect of a long walk to the beautiful cottage of Mr. Stewart filled +him with the liveliest joy. +</p> +<p> +He was quite busy putting strings into a pair of boots for a lady, but +joy lent him speed, and in a few moments his task was finished, and, +stringing up the shoes and putting on his cap, he was soon on the road +to —— Street. +</p> +<p> +His steps were light, and so was his heart. He wondered if he should +again be able to look into the school-room and see those happy +children; and so great was his haste to be at the end of his journey, +that the gay pictures in the shop-windows had not power to tempt him +to linger a moment. He passed Number 200, where all was closed, and +keeping on to the end of the street, soon came in sight of the +cottage, which looked far more lovely now, robed in the rich garniture +of summer, than when he last had seen it. The branches of the climbing +plants, then bare and leafless from the breath of frost, were now +hiding the walls with a more beautiful tapestry than that woven by the +hand of man; twining their flexile vines together, they mounted even +to the roof, or, covered with many-hued flowers, hung loosely down in +long reaches, giving out sweet odours as they waved in the summer +breeze. It was a fitting abode for one who was a lover of the +beautiful, as all painters are supposed to be. +</p> +<p> +He opened the gate, walked up the gravelled path, and ascended the +high steps. He did not, however, at once ring the bell; he thought he +would first take a look at the school-room. The windows were closed, +as if the room were unoccupied, and a feeling of disappointment crept +over his heart, which was again exchanged for a more hopeful mood, +when, continuing to survey the other parts of the building, he found +the door of a room on the opposite side open, and filled with objects +more attractive to his eye than even those he had seen in the +school-room. +</p> +<p> +It was evidently a painter's studio, for it was fitted up with +everything requisite for the study of the glorious art. The walls were +hung with pictures, several busts and statues were ranged round on +brackets, detached models of portions of the human frame cast in +plaster were on the table; but the easel, standing near the door with +a picture more than half finished, interested him more than all the +rest. Several tubes of colour lay on a chair, and a prepared +pallet-board, with some brushes beside it, seeming to have been just +now in use, gave reason to conjecture that the occupant of the room +was not far off. +</p> +<p> +William, forgetting that he had not rung the bell, wondered why no one +came to the door, and half attracted by the view of a painter's room, +and half urged by the wish to find some one to whom he could deliver +his message, he cleared the steps at a bound, and stood before the +open door. He looked within; no one was there; and as he stood he +could plainly see the picture, which was a Scripture subject. Was it +wrong that he ventured, the shoemaker's boy with a painter's heart, +step by step quite within the precincts of that chamber? So lost in +pleasant observation was he, so perfectly guileless, he never once +thought that, however innocent, his motive for intruding might be +mistaken. He stood rapt and immovable before the picture, forgetful of +everything but his present enjoyment, so that he did not hear the +opening of a door behind him, nor that a footstep was approaching. +</p> +<p> +It was Mr. Stewart himself, who, having left his studio but a few +minutes before, was now returning to his work; and as his eyes fell +upon this unexpected guest, he at first was disposed to believe him +some young vagabond who had come in to pilfer. But the statue-like +attitude of the boy, the fixed look with which he surveyed the +picture, and the gaiter boots which dangled by their connecting string +from his arm, his whole appearance making him a fit subject for study, +soon banished suspicion, and with all the sympathies of a most +benevolent nature aroused, he stood silent for a moment, for he +hesitated to disturb so visible an enjoyment. +</p> +<p> +But as there was no knowing how long the survey might last, he at +length advanced, and touching our little shoemaker on the shoulder, +said, in a playful tone, "Why, boy, you must love pictures as well as +does a painter; have you not been dreaming long enough? Tell me, now, +what brought you here?" +</p> +<p> +Fully aroused, William turned to answer and apologize; but when he +looked into the face of the gentleman before him the words died on his +lips. Mr. Stewart himself was not without astonishment, as, when +William pulled off his cap, he recognised the features of the orphan +boy in whose grief he had long ago sympathized so deeply, and he once +more spoke. +</p> +<p> +"I believe we have seen each other before," said he; "are you not the +boy I met in the grave-yard at M——?" +</p> +<p> +"Yes, sir," answered William; "and I have got the little picture which +you coloured for me still." +</p> +<p> +"You are, then, really the same boy?" said Mr. Stewart; "but tell me, +how did you get here? and what are you doing in this room?" +</p> +<p> +"Oh, sir," he replied, as he blushed deeply, "please forgive me; my +master sent me with the shoes, and when I saw the door open and the +picture, I could not help it. Indeed I did not mean any harm." +</p> +<p> +"I believe you," rejoined Mr. Stewart; "and now tell me how you got to +New York, and what you are doing." +</p> +<p> +Our little shoemaker did so with his usual openness and candour; and, +accustomed never to swerve from, the straightforward and direct line +of truth, the stamp of that virtue was so apparent in all he said, +that the kindly sympathies of Mr. Stewart were once more awakened in +his behalf. He was, however, too prudent to excite any hope which he +might afterward be obliged to crush; so telling our hero where to go +in order to deliver his errand, he took up his pallet and began to +paint. +</p> +<p> +"Stop one minute," he called, as William was leaving the room. "Have +you any friends in the city? and where do you live?" +</p> +<p> +William replied that he had no real friends but old Thomas Burton the +watchman, and his wife. Mrs. Bradley, the market-woman, had been very +kind to him too, but it was the old watchman who took him to church, +and when he was troubled about the purse, had taken it to the right +owner. The sounds of swift footsteps were now heard, and a +bright-looking boy of fourteen came bustling in at the door. "Father," +he said, "grandfather wants me to take a drive with him; can I go?" +</p> +<p> +"Stay a moment first, George," answered Mr. Stewart. "I believe you +lost your purse on Christmas eve, at least I heard you lamenting +something of the kind. You recovered it, and you said you wished to +reward the finder; did you ever do so?" +</p> +<p> +"No, father," replied George, "I did not. An old watchman who brought +it told grandfather that a shoemaker's boy had found it, but was then +so ill that it was most likely he would never recover, and so—" +</p> +<p> +"And so, George, you never inquired whether he lived or died," said +Mr. Stewart. "That is the true spirit of the world, to care only for +self. George, I believe this is the boy who found it; thank him, at +least, if you do not reward him." +</p> +<p> +"I do not want any reward for giving to another that which was his +own," said the little shoemaker; "but if Master George chooses, he can +give something to little Ned Graham, who needs it very much." +</p> +<p> +"And who is little Ned Graham?" inquired Mr. Stewart, smiling. +</p> +<p> +Our hero explained in as few words as possible; at the close of which +narration Mr. Stewart, making no remark, turned once more to his +easel, and George conducted the little shoemaker to the room where he +was to leave the shoes. The old lady was pleased, and William, having +received the money for them, ran swiftly homeward, never once dreaming +of the good that was in store for him. +</p> +<a name="h2HCH0013" id="h2HCH0013"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER XIII. +</h2> +<h3> + THE DAWN OF BETTER DAYS. +</h3> +<p> +Mr. Stewart, kind and benevolent as he was, never suffered himself to +be carried away by any impulse, however generous it might be. On the +day which we have named as the second time of meeting with our hero, +when he resumed his pallet-board and began to work on his picture, he +did so with an attention which seemed to rest only on the creation +before him, as if he were forgetful of all lower subjects, or that +there was such a being as a shoemaker's boy in the world. +</p> +<p> +But the beautiful images that rose from under his hand did not shut +out the figure of the orphan boy as he had twice seen him,—once +beside the grave of his parents, and again in his study. He was not so +absorbed by the love of his art that there was no room in his mind for +the reception of those higher subjects which relate to man's ultimate +destiny. He felt that every one is sent into the world for a great +purpose,—that no man must live wholly for himself, but, partaking of +the spirit of the Saviour, labour for the good of others. The counsel +given long before to the shoemaker's boy, when he met him in the +church-yard at M——, has already proved that he was one who had +admitted the truth into his heart, and the root it had taken there had +only been deepened by the passage of time. And now, as he sat bringing +form after form into beauty from the lifeless canvas, his mind was no +less busy than his hand. How could he serve the interests of true +religion by interesting himself in the fortunes of the orphan boy? And +little Ned Graham,—he, too, was a desolate child. Would William +always remain firm in his integrity, when, growing to manhood and left +unrestrained, he should have full liberty to do as he pleased? He had +acknowledged how easy it was to become used to sin; that, but for the +influence exerted by the pious old watchman, he might at this time +have been far advanced in the road to ruin. Thomas Burton was old; +many things might occur to separate William from that Christian +companionship, and then, could he continue pure in such an atmosphere +as he should be exposed to? And little Ned, was he not rapidly +learning the manners and habits of a street boy? Such were his +thoughts; and with that charity which is expansive in its exercise, +and never faileth in the heart in which it hath taken root, but always +delights in doing good, he resolved to be the helper of these two +orphan boys. But, with the prudence which ought ever to characterize +every Christian effort, he began his task with caution, lest the +endeavour to do good might only be productive of harm. +</p> +<p> +Little Ned and his good old grandmother were at once cared for; a +commodious dwelling was provided, a physician called in, and the +suffering invalid restored to comfortable health. Mrs. Stewart gave +her suitable employment; and honest Mrs. Bradley, now that she was +within a more convenient distance, did also a Christian's part, +ministering to her constantly in some good deed. Ned was no longer +suffered to run in the streets gathering chips, or asking pennies from +strangers, but placed at school, where, we are happy to say, he made +such progress as to give great satisfaction to his generous guardian. +</p> +<p> +It was not quite so easy for the Stewarts to dispose of William; and +many were the consultations between Professor Stewart and his son as +to how he could best be served. Believing that Mr. Walters was a most +unsuitable person to have the rule of a boy like William, and pitying +the ignorance in which he was being brought up, he yet hesitated +whether it was his duty to interfere, as he had been given into +Walters' care by his mother. He feared, too, that in exciting wishes +toward other pursuits, he might create a new disgust toward the humble +but respectable trade, the "gentle craft," as shoemaking has been +termed, and which has furnished so many remarkable men; for our +readers are not ignorant that many distinguished as patriots, men of +letters, and useful members of society, have come from the shoemaker's +bench. +</p> +<p> +While William, therefore, continued more contentedly than ever to +hammer the soles of the new shoes and patch up the old, Mr. Stewart +was taking silent but effective measures for bettering his condition. +He first went to the old watchman, from whom he heard much in behalf +of our hero, and which served to strengthen him in his benevolent +project. He found out from the old man, too, that Mr. Walters might be +induced to give up the boy; the physician who had attended him in his +severe sickness had declared the stooping posture and confinement of +the shop very injurious to him,—that his constitution was by no means +strong, and that he would never be of robust health. Thomas, delighted +that our hero had found a friend like Mr. Stewart, spoke fully on the +merits of his character, and the discomforts of his situation, and the +great danger he was in from evil companionship. This last feature of +the case had more weight with Mr. Stewart than all the rest. He knew +that perseverance under untoward difficulties often accomplished great +things in bringing out strong points of character; that no position in +life, however humble, is an actual bar to intellectual and moral +improvement; and that where there is a <i>will</i>, there is always a +<i>way</i>. And he knew, too, that the "eye of the Lord is upon them that +fear him, that his ears are open to their cry, and that he is able to +succour them, being tempted;" and, therefore, he pondered the matter +well in his own heart, and consulted often with his father on the +expediency of removing William from the guardianship of Mr. Walters. +</p> +<p> +A conversation with that worthy at last decided the matter. "Bill will +never make much of a shoemaker," said he; "the doctor is of opinion +that stooping will bring on consumption, and I see he gets very pale +if he works steadily. He'll never be of much use to me, now that he is +getting too old to be an errand boy; and as just at this time I have a +chance of getting a stouter boy for a ''prentice,' you can make what +you please of him, if you pay me something for his time." +</p> +<p> +The bargain was soon concluded; and William, who, kept in happy +ignorance of what was going forward, had suffered no anxiety, was +amazed beyond the power of language to describe when he was told that +he must give up shoemaking for the present, and be the protégé of Mr. +Stewart, and take time to recruit his health. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Stewart said not a word about his becoming a painter; he knew too +well how often taste is mistaken for genius, and how many fail of +reaching the high standard proposed by themselves at first setting +out. Nor, much interested as he was, that interest increasing every +day, in our hero, did he at once take him into his own family, as, if +we were writing a romance, we might imagine him to have done; no, he +resolved to try and test his capacities for some time before he would +decide for what post to fit him. +</p> +<p> +He boarded him with old Mrs. Graham, and sent him to school, where the +orphan boy soon became a favourite, maintaining the same pious +humility which marked the little shoemaker. Great was the satisfaction +of Mr. Stewart as he looked in on the little circle which clustered +round old Mrs. Graham's now cheerful hearth. How much is promised to +him who giveth only a cup of cold water in the spirit of Him who went +about doing good! And the benevolent painter felt the reward of his +good deed fall, like the dew from heaven, refreshingly on his own +spirit. True, his protégés were very lowly; but God is no respecter of +persons, and in radiating this light around the humble dwelling from +which sincere petitions for blessings upon him were daily invoked, Mr. +Stewart proved himself possessed of the true spirit of Christ. +</p> +<p> +As time rolled on, he became more satisfied that he had done a good +work in removing William from Mr. Walters. He was often invited to +join the family circle; and as he remained not only unspoiled, but +showed that the intercourse was profitable for the growth of his true +character, a closer intimacy at last took place between the little +shoemaker and George Stewart, which merged into a friendship that +lasted through life. George possessed much of his father's talent, but +weak health prevented his making any great advance in the art, and his +early death was the first cloud which overshadowed the brightness of +the family circle. +</p> +<p> +While the prospects of our little shoemaker were thus improved, he was +by no means so dazzled by his comparative prosperity as to forget his +old friends. Thomas Burton and his good old wife were visited as +regularly and loved as well as ever; and, too happy and full of +gratitude to Heaven for the changed circumstances so kindly +vouchsafed, he sometimes went to see his old master; and, far from +hating the lowly trade as he had once done, he would on such occasions +occupy his old bench and sew a shoe. Jem Taylor was truly glad at +witnessing his improved appearance, and, finding that prosperity, +instead of puffing up his vanity, had only made him more humble, began +really to believe that virtue is its own reward. May we not hope, +since none are beyond the reach of mercy, and since, although the +crimes of the sinner may be as scarlet, we are told that, washed in +the blood of the atoning sacrifice, they can all be cleansed away, +that the influence shed by William's resolution to suffer wrong rather +than sin, brought him at last to recognise the beauty of holiness, and +induced him to seek for pardon where it may be found? +</p> +<p> +But William's old friends in M——, were they forgotten? No; he had +written constantly to George Herman, telling of his troubles, and now +he wrote to assure him how happy he was. Would our readers like to +know the contents of his letter. We can give them an extract from it. +Here it is:— +</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p> + Dear George, +</p> +<p> + I know you will be glad to hear how happy I am, and I know + you will wonder when I tell you of all that has happened. You + know I told you of a gentleman whom I met in the grave-yard + the day before I left M——, and who coloured the little + picture I had drawn. Well, he is a great painter, and as my + health was bad, he persuaded Mr. Walters to give me up to + him, for a while at least, or until I get strong. He gives me + drawing lessons with his own son, who is a very good boy, and + very kind to me; but he does not encourage my giving up my + trade altogether, for he says that many shoemakers have + become great men, and that it is the trade which, of all + others, has produced most remarkable men. He told us about + Crispin, who lived long ago, and about Holcroft, and Gifford, + and Sherman, and John Pounds—the last named being only a + cobbler, and yet he spent most of his life in teaching the + poor. He says that I must draw every day, and by the time the + hot weather is over, he will be able to tell whether or not I + have any real talent, and whether it will be worth while to + continue my drawing lessons. Ah, George, if he says I will + make a painter, then I shall give up shoemaking; but if the + contrary, I will "<i>stick to my last</i>," and continue a + shoemaker contentedly so the end of my life, because I shall + believe it my proper place. I go to school now, and for the + present board with old Mrs. Graham, and feel more like being + at home than I have done since I left M——. I would like so + to see you and your good father; and as soon as I have money + enough of my own, I will go to M—— and see you all. + Good-bye, dear George, and do not forget your friend, +</p> +<p style="text-align: right;"> + William +</p></div> +<a name="h2HCH0014" id="h2HCH0014"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> + +<h2> + CHAPTER XIV. +</h2> +<h3> + WILLIAM'S SUCCESS. +</h3> +<p> +About ten years after the date of William Raymond's letter to George +Herman, a young man with a knapsack on his back and a stout staff in +his hand, was seen approaching the village of M——, on that side on +which lay the church-yard we have already described as the +resting-place of the little shoemaker's parents. The young man was +robust, and seemingly a mechanic, for his hands were rough, as though +accustomed to labour, and his face gave plain evidence of acquaintance +with the summer sun. He could not have been altogether a stranger to +the place, for after he passed the few houses in the suburbs of the +village, he turned towards the church-yard, the gate of which stood +open, and entered the "silent city" where the dead were reposing. +</p> +<p> +The day was bright and clear, and, being the early part of June, the +trees and flowers were in their freshest and fairest bloom; but they +attracted no particular attention from the stranger. The grave-yard +lay upon a hill which overlooked the town, and the traveller, passing +by one flower-adorned grave after another, walked hastily on until he +reached the highest point, from whence he looked down earnestly, as if +his eyes sought to single out some particular object among the +wilderness of roofs. At first his countenance was sad, but at last the +melancholy look changed to an expression of cheerful surprise, for his +eye had found what it was seeking among those once familiar objects. +He knew the old house, for memory keeps the record of early days most +faithfully, although its appearance was much changed. The old black +roof of oak shingles was now replaced by a new one of slate; and +instead of the dull yellow colour which had for many years +distinguished it, it was now painted and modernized, to harmonize with +the rest. He did not linger long to conjecture the cause of the +change, but with hasty steps prepared to ascertain in person the +reason. As he retraced the path trodden only a moment before, he +bestowed rather more attention on the surrounding objects; and as his +eye glanced over the graves once so familiar to it, he saw that change +had been busy there too. +</p> +<p> +The slate roof had not less surprised him than what he now saw: the +spot where two lowly graves, adorned only by flowers, had appeared for +years without any monumental record, was now adorned with all that can +be rendered by the living to the dead. A very high and handsome iron +railing, on which climbing plants were trained, enclosed the little +mounds, and a simple white marble pillar bore the names of George and +Margaret Raymond. The flowers planted before William had left M—— +had long ago vanished, and the spot, left to neglect, was overgrown +with weeds; but now some kind hand had rescued it from wildness and +planted it anew with rare flowers, which were beginning now to bloom +in place of those dead. The sexton's wife with her watering-pot now +came near. Many graves adorned in a similar way required the care of +some one, and she received a regular salary for her attention to the +flowers. The young man waited until she came quite close to where he +stood, and then inquired, "Who has had these graves so carefully done +up?" +</p> +<p> +"Who do you think would do so but the son of the good couple that are +buried here?" answered the sexton's wife. "Little Bill Raymond, that +went to New York to be a shoemaker, came back last spring and had this +all done. Folks say he is well to do in the world, and better than +all, he is as good a man as his father was." +</p> +<p> +A deep blush passing over the young man's face rendered its sun-burned +hue yet deeper, but his eyes lightened with a joyful expression as he +inquired with some anxiety, "Is he still in M——?" +</p> +<p> +"Yes, indeed," replied the woman; "he is staying with our old baker, +Nicholas Herman; there, that is the house with the slate roof. Old +Nicholas was very kind to his mother in her sickness and poverty, and +when she died he took the poor child home. He used always to say if he +lived to be a man he would remember him for it; and he has done so. +There was a dreadful fire in the village last year, and old Nicholas +Herman's house was nearly burned down. The roof was clear gone, but +that was little in comparison to the damage done inside. Besides this, +the old man had met with many losses; his son was away nobody knew +where, and the baker lost heart, so that he could not get up spirit +enough to set things to rights; and when he did he could not sell his +bread as he used to, for other bakers had set up, and people always +like to run to new places. Will Raymond, it seems, is a painter; and +when he came here last summer, and found the old man in such trouble, +he set to and painted him such a sign that there ain't the like of it +far nor near. Why, the people stand in front of the house to admire +it; and folks sometimes say that signs are of no use, but I know the +sign brought the customers back. About two weeks ago the young painter +returned, for old Nicholas expects his son George, who went west four +or five years ago, and he and Bill Raymond were great friends, and he +came on purpose to meet him. George knew nothing of his father's +troubles, and old Nicholas said he could not do him any good, and it +was of no use to make him unhappy. But won't he be happy when he comes +home and finds all right?" +</p> +<p> +The sun-burned youth had listened attentively, not interrupting the +speaker by word or motion; but tears, in spite of his efforts to +restrain them, forced themselves from his eyes. Not daring to trust +his voice, he shook hands with his kind informant, and leaving the +place of graves, once more took the path leading toward the open gate +at the foot of the hill. He had nearly reached it when, turning from +the dusty street road, a young man entered the enclosure, and advanced +up the narrow path until he came quite close to the traveller. They +knew each other at once. +</p> +<p> +"William!"—"George!" issued at one moment from the lips of each; and +with an embrace of sincere affection, the friendship of their boyish +days was renewed, and now, in their budding manhood, to be more +closely cemented. +</p> +<p> +William was indeed an artist. Mr. Stewart had found him possessed of +genuine talent, and it was the delight of his generous heart to aid in +the unfolding of his genius by every means within his power. Through +his instruction, as well as recommendation, William had received +better prices for his early efforts than are usually paid to young +artists; but the first sum of any importance that he could call his +own was applied to ornament the graves where his parents lay. +</p> +<p> +George Herman's return was a source of great comfort to his father, +although he could not assist him in his business. He had chosen the +carpenter's trade as a means of livelihood, and from at first working +diligently with his own hands, he rose at length to the rank of an +architect, and became a wealthy man. +</p> +<p> +One year after this William went to Italy with George Stewart, whose +health required change of climate. There, in that beautiful country, +so rich in treasures of art, he had full opportunity for improvement; +and, indeed, he used his time to great purpose. It was, however, some +drawback to his happiness that his young friend did not materially +benefit by his sojourn in that land of genial sunshine. He rallied at +first; but at the end of two years they were obliged to return, and +George only reached his native land to breathe his last. +</p> +<p> +William's attention to his sick friend, and the ample testimony borne +by that dying friend to his merits, rivetted the chain of affection, +ever borne him by Mr. Stewart, more closely; and most truly did that +good man often declare, that the "bread" he had "cast upon the waters" +had been gathered, "after many days," most abundantly. +</p> +<p> +Dear reader, would you wish to know what has become of the "Little +Shoemaker?" Ours is, substantially, a true story; and now that we have +brought him to blooming manhood, and the attainment of his early +wishes, we will follow him through his successful career. He is still +living, and industrious, careful, and pious. He has never relaxed that +watchfulness enjoined by the blessed Saviour, and alike so necessary +to the consistent walk of a professor of religion and the perfection +of the Christian character. Finding it harder to endure the glare of +great prosperity than to dwell within the shadow of the cloud of +poverty and sore affliction, he has ever cherished the same talisman +which brought him through the deep waters. Girded with the armour of +truth, praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and +watching thereunto with all perseverance, he has preserved a +consistent course, maintaining his integrity in all things, and +extending a helping hand to all who need his aid. His motto is still, +"Watch that you may pray, and pray that you may be safe;" and +practising upon this teaching, he feels that dependence upon God alone +is mighty to conquer. +</p> +<p> +And now, dear reader, has not his history fully proved, and his +experience shown, that they that trust in the Lord "shall not be +ashamed in the evil time;" for "the salvation of the righteous is of +the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble?" He who raised +the shepherd boy to the throne of Israel, and fed his faithful servant +Elijah by the brook Cherith, will never leave nor forsake those who +trust in him, and serve him truly. He is the hearer of prayer, and +will feed and care for all that call upon him aright. "The young lions +do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want +any good thing." "Watch and pray," is the injunction of our blessed +Lord to all who would be his followers. To each one he has given his +proper work; and those who would be approved as true believers must +honour the Lord in whatever duty they are called to perform; and this +can only be done through assisting grace, which is found sufficient +for all. Wait, then, dear young reader, upon God; commit all thy ways +to him, and thou shalt delight in the abundance of peace. +</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2"> "In patience ever wait and weep, </p> +<p class="i5"> Though mercy long delay; </p> +<p class="i3"> Firm hold upon His footstool keep, </p> +<p class="i5"> And <i>trust</i> him, though he slay. </p> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i3"> In these thy words, Thy will be done; </p> +<p class="i5"> So strengthen'd by his might, </p> +<p class="i3"> Thou, by his Spirit, through his Son, </p> +<p class="i5"> Shalt pray, and pray aright." </p> +</div></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Watch--Work--Wait, by Sarah A. 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