THE DRUNKARD AND HIS FATHER.THE DRUNKARD AND HIS FATHER.ToList
THE DRUNKARD AND HIS FATHER.ToList
The next day, however, after the reason of their miserable son had been partly restored, they had a long talk with him. He knew to what a depth he had fallen. But he declared, over and over again, that there was no hope for him. "I am lost!" said he; "I amlost! Father," he continued, "I am drinking up my soul, and no power on earth can stop me. I could no more live without liquor, than a fish can live out of water. I am on fire, and nothing will help to quench the flames, but the liquor which feeds them."
Then he told the old man the story of that first glass of gin. "It was that," said he, "which has done all the mischief. If I had not played the fool then, I might have been somebody now. But I yielded to temptation. I formed the taste for liquor. It has grown upon me, until I am the loathsome beast that yousee before you. No, I never can stop drinking until I die."
Poor, poor man! in less than three weeks after this interview with his parents, he died—died of that most terrible disease, the delirium tremens.
My young friends, before I leave this story of Frederick, let me urge you to beware of the first glass. I don't care whether it is gin, or rum, or brandy. Don't touch it. If you are tempted to drink, be a hero. Have courage to say "No, I'll not throw myself away. I think too much of myself for that."
Time wore away. The peddler's boy, when he made up his mind to go to work in the factory, did not expect to spend his days there. He purposed to enter the factory because he thought that that was the best thing he could dothen. You will recollect that he said to his father, when the old gentleman asked him what he would like to do, that therewere a great many things which he shouldliketo do, and that may be he would do them some day; but that as he could not do themthen, he thought he would go to work in the factory, and wait until he could do them. Samuel, at length, began to think that it was time for him to look for some other business a little more to his mind than what he was doing then. So thought the good old peddler, his father. His mother—alas! she had gone to her rest—her smiling face had long been missed in the little cottage where she had dwelt so many years. It was decided thatSamuel should go to Boston. But what was he to do there? That question gave others more anxiety than it gave Samuel. "I don't know, to be sure," said he, "exactly what I'll find to do. But I know I'll dosomething. I'll shovel dirt, if I can't get anything else to do, and I can make a living at that."
He went to Boston. The first thing he did, after he got there, was to walk straight to the house of Captain Lovechild. The captain was at home, and glad to see him.
"Do you remember," the boy asked, "when you came to our house, a greatwhile ago, and brought your telescope with you?"
"Yes," the old man replied, "and I remember, too, how a certain little fellow got almost crazy when he looked through the instrument, at the moon and stars, and when I told him something about them."
"And do you rememberwhatyou said?"
"No, I'm sure I don't."
"Well, I do, as plainly as if you had said it but yesterday; and it was what you said about living to some purpose, and having a high aim, and beinggoverned by high principles, that put a new soul into me."
"And made you talk so largely?"
Samuel colored. "I was a foolish little creature, I suppose," he said.
"No, not a bit of it," said the captain, grasping the young man's hand, "not a bit of it. I was glad to hear you say what you did. I've thought of it a thousand times since, and I have said to myself, 'That chap will make something, if he lives, see if he don't.'"
"Well, hehasn'tmade anything yet."
The captain laughed. "I don't quite agree with you," he said. "But, letthat be as it may, you are young yet, and the great pyramid and St. Peter's church were not built in a minute. Sam, what are you now?"
"A poor, green factory boy."
"Who is trying to do his duty, and sometimes asks God to help him; who is wide awake and ambitious; who has got a pretty good head and not a very bad heart; who will push his way in the world and be somebody?"
"I don't know about all that."
"Nor I, but I know some things about you—more than you dream of, I guess."
Samuel colored again, and tried tostammer out something, but succeeded only tolerably well.
"You want something to do, don't you?" the old man asked.
"Yes, sir," said the peddler's boy, "that is what I came to Boston for."
"Well, let me think a moment," said the good old gentleman. He did think a moment, and then he put on his hat, and got the gold-headed cane which he cut on the island of Malta, where Paul was cast away, and off he posted with his young friend. He knew what he was about. He had not been thinking for nothing. After walking some ten orfifteen minutes, he went into a store on Commercial wharf, and asked one of the partners of the house, whom he seemed to know very well, if they did not want a clerk. The answer was that they did not need another clerk, but that they were very much in want of a good porter.
"Well, here's the chap," said the captain, pointing to Samuel. "Sam, what do you say to that?"
Samuel was inclined to try the business, and in less than half an hour, the terms were arranged, and the young lad was at work.
The men with whom Samuel had found a place, were large flour dealers. Their new porter pleased them. He, too, was pleased with his business. Nothing could be more pleasant for me now, than to relate to you scores of little incidents connected with Samuel's history, while he was in that store. But if I do that, I fear I shall spin out my thread solong that you will get weary. I will tell you a few things, though.
It was Samuel's daily duty to sweep out the store. This task he performed early in the morning, before either of the partners or any of the clerks were at their posts. One morning, the first thing he saw, after opening the store, was a roll of bank bills, lying on the floor. He took it up, and unrolled it. There were some ten or twelve dollars in it. As soon as the book-keeper came to the store, Samuel handed him the roll of bank bills, and went about his work. That was a small matter, wasn't it?But small as it was, those flour merchants, when they heard of it, noted it down in their memory.
Months passed. The book-keeper went into business for himself. A new book-keeper was needed to take his place. Samuel was talked of. "But can Samuel be depended upon?" it was asked. "Can we trust him? Is he faithful, and honest, and capable?" I don't know what decision they would have come to, if it had not been for the affair of the bank bills. But his honesty in that particular was brought up. They thought it would do to trust a young manwho could resist such a temptation as that. There was another thing they had heard about Samuel, which they thought pretty good evidence that he was honest. It was this: While Samuel was in the factory, he bought some articles at the village store. After he had paid for them, and got away a little distance, he found that the clerk had made a mistake in giving change, and that he had in his pocket fifty cents more than belonged to him. So he turned right around, went back to the store, and returned the money to the clerk.
"He's the man," they all said, as soonas these facts were stated. So Samuel became the book-keeper in that large house, with a salary four times as large as he had received while he was the porter.
Some two or three years from the time he went to Boston to live, Samuel Bissell was one of the partners in that wealthy firm. He is by no means an old man now. Indeed, he is in the very prime of life. But he has got to be a rich man, and now owns one of the most beautiful country seats within a dozen miles of Boston, where he resides with his family. A great many merchants are so muchengaged in making money, that they seem to care hardly anything about improving the mind, and so they let that get all full of weeds. But Mr. Bissell did very differently. He spent a great part of the time which he could spare from his business, in gathering new sheaves of knowledge, and cultivating the garden of the heart.
I hardly know of a man for miles around, in that charming district of country, who is more respected and beloved than Samuel Bissell. When I saw him last, he had just been elected the second time to a seat in the legislatureof the State. I think he is a member of the Senate now.
I wish you could visit his place in the country, and see his fine garden and fine house. If you ever should happen that way, and should learn where he lives, you must not fail to make him a visit, and to tell him that Uncle Frank asked you to call. You will see there one of the happiest families that you ever came across in your life. Mr. Bissell sometimes amuses his children with stories about his boyhood, and they are perfectly delighted with these stories.
MR. BISSELL AND HIS CHILDREN.MR. BISSELL AND HIS CHILDREN.ToList
MR. BISSELL AND HIS CHILDREN.ToList
Don't forget to inquire for the goodold peddler, as soon as you get into the house. "What! is he living yet?" To be sure he is, and Samuel has fitted up for him one of the pleasantest rooms in the whole house. His hair is very white, and he was very feeble when I saw him last. But his heart was as young as ever; and he laughed, and played, and frolicked with his grandchildren just as merrily as if he had been a child himself.
Another thing I must tell you, while I think of it. There is a cupola on the top of Samuel's house, and I want you should go into that, if you can get a chance. There you will see quite anumber of things which are worth seeing. One of them, perhaps, when you come to know what it is, will interest you more than all the rest. It is the very telescope which used to belong to Captain Lovechild, and which made Samuel's heart throb so, when he was a child—"put a new soul" into him, to use his own language. The old gentleman, some time since, left this world, I trust for a better and a happier one. Just before he died, he made a will, in which he remembered many of his friends, and Samuel, among the rest, to whom he gave the old telescope.Mr. Bissell has more than once been heard to say, that he would not part with that telescope for a good farm.
End of chapter illustration, page 151
If I should undertake to tell my readers what lessons this story teaches, I am not sure but they would laugh at me. I fancy I see their bright eyes twinkle, as I begin to talk about these lessons, and I almost hear them say to one another, that Uncle Frank might as well carry a lantern in broad daylight, as to spend his time in telling us what this storyteaches. Some of them wonder, perhaps, if Uncle Frank really takes his readers for a set of little dunces.
Well, then, my shrewd little boy, what does the story teach?
"Why it teaches that the Peddler's Boy set out to be somebody, and he was somebody."
Very well. Anything else, little girl? I must catechise you a little. What do you learn from it?
"That anybody can do anything he sets out to do, and that he can be anything he sets out to be."
Bravo! that is pretty well, only alittle too strong. And what else? Why didn't Frederick get along in the world as well as Samuel?
"Because he was a coward."
I'm not sure but you are half right. It seems hard to call that poor, unfortunate youth a coward. But I do honestly think that he would have done well enough, if he had only scraped together a few more grains of courage. Look at that affair of the glass of gin. It was courage that he wanted there—courage to do right, no matter what his old playmate might say or think. He was afraid to offend the boy. He had more fear ofthe boy, it would appear, than he had of God. What that coarse, profane boy said, had more weight with him than the words which his conscience uttered. It wasprinciple, after all, that he lacked. And so he was led away, and lost.
"Uncle Frank, I shall never forget what one glass will do."
I hope you never will; and I hope you will remember, too, as long as you live, that the success of the Peddler's Boy was owing quite as much to his honesty, and temperance, and faithfulness, and religion—for he was asincere and devoted Christian—as to his ambition, and industry, and energy, and resolution.
End of chapter illustration, page 156
EDITOR OF "WOODWORTH'S YOUTH'S CABINET," AUTHOR OF "THE WILLOW LANE BUDGET," "THE STRAWBERRY GIRL," "THE MILLER OF OUR VILLAGE," "THEODORE THINKER'S TALES," ETC., ETC.
A Beautiful Series, comprising six volumes., square 12mo., with eight Tinted Engravings in each volume. The following are their titles respectively:
I. THE PEDDLER'S BOY, or I'll Be Somebody.II. THE DIVING BELL, or Pearls to be Sought ForIII. THE POOR ORGAN-GRINDER, and other stories.IV. LOSS AND GAIN, or Susy Lee's Motto.V. MIKE MARBLE; His Crotchets and Oddities.VI. THE WONDERFUL LETTER-BAG OF KIT CURIOUS.
"Of those who have the gift to write for children, Mr. Woodworth stands among the first; and what is best of all, with the ability to adapt himself to the wants and comprehension of children, he has that high moral principle, which will permit nothing to leave his pen that can do harm."—Arthur's Home Gaz."We never pen a notice with more pleasure than when any work of our friend Mr. Woodworth is the subject. Whatever he does is well done, and in a sweet and gentle spirit."—Christ. Inquirer."The author is a man of fine abilities and refined taste, and does his work in a spirit of vivacious, but most truthful earnestness."—Ladies Repos.
"Of those who have the gift to write for children, Mr. Woodworth stands among the first; and what is best of all, with the ability to adapt himself to the wants and comprehension of children, he has that high moral principle, which will permit nothing to leave his pen that can do harm."—Arthur's Home Gaz.
"We never pen a notice with more pleasure than when any work of our friend Mr. Woodworth is the subject. Whatever he does is well done, and in a sweet and gentle spirit."—Christ. Inquirer.
"The author is a man of fine abilities and refined taste, and does his work in a spirit of vivacious, but most truthful earnestness."—Ladies Repos.
WOODWORTH'S STORIES ABOUT ANIMALS. 12mo., with Illuminated Title, and upwards of Fifty Beautiful Engravings; pp. 336.WOODWORTHS'S STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. Uniform with the above. With Sixty Splendid Engravings.
WOODWORTH'S STORIES ABOUT ANIMALS. 12mo., with Illuminated Title, and upwards of Fifty Beautiful Engravings; pp. 336.
WOODWORTHS'S STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. Uniform with the above. With Sixty Splendid Engravings.
These two volumes, containing characteristic anecdotes, told in a brief and pleasing vein, are among the most entertaining books of the kind to be found in the English language."Attractive stories, told in a style of great liveliness and beauty."—N.Y. Tribune."Amelangeof most agreeable reading."—Presbyterian."They cannot fail to be intensely interesting."—Ch. Register."Charming stories, told with that felicitous simplicity and eloquence of diction which characterize all Mr. Woodworth's efforts for the young."—N.Y. Commercial Advertiser."Nothing can be more interesting than the stories and pictorial illustrations of these works."—Brattleborough Dem.
These two volumes, containing characteristic anecdotes, told in a brief and pleasing vein, are among the most entertaining books of the kind to be found in the English language.
"Attractive stories, told in a style of great liveliness and beauty."—N.Y. Tribune.
"Amelangeof most agreeable reading."—Presbyterian.
"They cannot fail to be intensely interesting."—Ch. Register.
"Charming stories, told with that felicitous simplicity and eloquence of diction which characterize all Mr. Woodworth's efforts for the young."—N.Y. Commercial Advertiser.
"Nothing can be more interesting than the stories and pictorial illustrations of these works."—Brattleborough Dem.
UNCLE FRANK'S PEEP AT THE BEASTS. Square 12mo. Profusely Illustrated; pp. 160.UNCLE FRANK'S PEEP AT THE BIRDS. Uniform with the above.
UNCLE FRANK'S PEEP AT THE BEASTS. Square 12mo. Profusely Illustrated; pp. 160.
UNCLE FRANK'S PEEP AT THE BIRDS. Uniform with the above.
These two volumes are written in the simplest style, and with words, for the most part, of two or three syllables. They are exceedingly popular among children.
These two volumes are written in the simplest style, and with words, for the most part, of two or three syllables. They are exceedingly popular among children.
Typographical errors corrected in text:Page 10: 'would have taken taken place' replaced with 'would have taken place'Page 23: backberries replaced with blackberriesUnusual words:Page 86: yelks is a legitimate spelling variant of yolks
Typographical errors corrected in text:
Unusual words: