The Path of Duty, and Other Stories Part 17

Dismissing his companions they a.s.sisted him into the house, and to his room, Mrs. Humphrey only saying, "poor misguided boy, what will become of him?"

When they returned to the sitting room their minds were too much agitated to allow them to converse. After some time pa.s.sed in silence, Mr. Humphrey said, "we will not attempt to talk of this new sorrow to-night, but we will pray for the poor boy as well as for ourselves, before we retire to rest."

Opening his Bible, Mr. Humphrey read the forty-sixth Psalm, then kneeling, he poured out his troubled soul in prayer. He prayed earnestly for the poor youth now lying in the heavy sleep produced by intoxication. He also prayed for forgiveness, if they erred in the management of the boy, and for future aid in the performance of their duty. Could the boy have heard the prayer which Mr. Humphrey sent up to heaven on his behalf, hard indeed must have been his heart, if he had not from that moment resolved to forsake his evil ways, and by his future good conduct endeavoured to atone for his past sins and follies.

CHAPTER VII.

When Earnest came down to breakfast the next morning, neither Mr. or Mrs. Humphrey made any allusion to the situation in which he had been brought home the previous evening. They treated him with their usual kindness, but it was evident, by his subdued manner and downcast countenance, that he felt sensible of his shame and degradation. They intended to talk with him of the matter, but deferred it for the present. Mr. Humphrey advised his wife to give him the package herself, as it was to her care it had been committed. Soon after breakfast was over, he went up to his room, whither Mrs. Humphrey soon repaired with the package in her hand. Earnest opened the door when she rapped for admission. He looked somewhat embarra.s.sed, and seemed by his manner to expect she had visited his room for the purpose of talking to him of the event of the last evening. She made no mention of the circ.u.mstance, but seating herself by his side, addressed him, saying--

"My dear Earnest, you have often told me that you retain a distinct recollection of your mother. I have never before told you that, previous to her death, she consigned a sealed package to my care, directed to you with her own hand, with the request that I should give it to you on your fourteenth birthday. The time has now arrived, and by giving you this package I fulfil what was a dying request of your mother." As she concluded, she placed the package in his hand, and immediately left the room, thinking he would prefer being left alone to open the package.

When some time had pa.s.sed, and Earnest did not come down, Mr. Humphrey went upstairs, and softly opened the door of his room. He found the boy with his face bowed upon his hands, weeping bitterly. He approached him, and gently placing his hand upon his shoulder, enquired the cause of his grief.

He replied, in a voice choked with sobs,--

"Oh! I have been so wicked--so--bad--I know not what will become of me.

It is well that my mother did not live to see how widely I have strayed from the path in which it was her last hope and prayer that I should walk."

Mr. Humphrey endeavoured to comfort the poor boy, wisely thinking this to be no time to reproach him for past errors.

Mrs. Humphrey, thinking that something unusual must have taken place followed her husband to the room of Earnest.

By the tearful request of Earnest, she examined the package, which had for so long a time remained in her keeping. First there was a Bible and Hymn Book, the books were elegantly bound, and had silver clasps. Then there was an old-fashioned locket of gold, containing a picture of the father and mother of Ernest, which had been taken many years before.

Between the leaves of the Bible was placed a letter addressed to Ernest, in the hand-writing of his mother. The letter had been written at different times as her strength permitted, during the last few days of her life. It read as follows:--

"My dear little Earnest,--Long before your eyes will rest upon these lines, the hand that traces them will have mouldered into dust. The contents of this package with my prayerful blessing, is all I have to leave you. As I write these lines you are playing about my room a happy, innocent child. Would that my knowledge could extend into the future, that I might know what manner of youth you will be, when this letter is placed in your hands. But I fear that I am wrong in thus wishing to know the future which a kind Providence has mercifully hidden from us. It is my anxiety for you alone that prompts the desire. I leave a request that this letter be not placed in your hands till you shall have attained the age of fourteen years. For should your life be spared to that period, you will then be capable of reflection. It is my earnest prayer, that you should grow up a good and dutiful boy, and by so doing, reward Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey for the care and instruction, which, I feel confident they will bestow upon you. But, O! my son, should it be otherwise, and you have been led astray by evil companions, I beseech you, my child, to pause and think. Listen to the voice of your mother as if speaking to you, from her grave.

_Again_, I say, 'pause and reflect.' If you have evil companions, forsake them at once, and forever. But I trust that these sad forebodings are needless, and that when you read these lines, you will be all that the fond heart of a mother could desire. The Bible and Hymn Book which I leave you belonged to my father, who was a minister of the Church of Scotland. Is it too much for me to hope that you will follow in the footsteps of your deceased grandparent, and use this Bible as he did in the pulpit, as a minister of the gospel? The locket contains the likeness of your father and myself, taken a short time after our marriage. I commit you with many prayers, to the care of your Heavenly Father, for I feel that the hand of death is upon me, and that a few brief days will close my earthly existence. My last prayer will be that my boy may so live on earth, as to meet his mother in Heaven. My strength fails me. I can write no more.

"From your loving, but dying mother,

"Charlotte Harwood."

CHAPTER VIII.

The reader who has got thus far in the narrative of the early life of Earnest Harwood, will doubtless learn, with pleasure, that the letter written by his mother, proved, under the blessing of G.o.d, the means of his salvation. The earnest persuasion of that letter, induced him to form a firm resolve, that he _would_ amend his conduct, and cease from his evil ways. He was, at the first, fearful that he had lost the love of his foster parents, by his ungrateful conduct. He one day expressed this fear to them, and together they a.s.sured him, that although he had certainly caused them much grief and anxiety, their love for him had remained unchanged. They took this opportunity, when his feelings were thus softened, to urge him to be firm in his resolution of amendment.

They also, for the first time, spoke of the fearful sorrow he had caused them by being brought to his home in a state of intoxication; and besought him never again to allow himself to be persuaded to taste of the intoxicating cup. Mrs. Humphrey pressed a motherly kiss upon his fine brow, and said,--

"My dear boy I hope that you will not again disappoint our fond hopes, and that you will yet do credit to the fine abilities with which our Heavenly Father has so liberally endowed you."

From this time there was a marked and decided change in the character of Earnest. Many feared that the change would not be permanent, but Mrs.

Humphrey was very hopeful.

"I feel an a.s.surance," said she "that the many prayers which have been offered to heaven on his behalf, are about to be answered."

It was even so. And they who feared a relapse into his former evil ways were happily disappointed. He again punctually attended school, and applied himself diligently to his neglected studies; and his teachers were surprised, as well by the astonishing progress he made, as by his correct exemplary deportment. As may be readily supposed, he had much to contend with from the vicious boys who had been his former a.s.sociates.

He shunned their company as much as possible, but he could not avoid occasionally coming in contact with them, and I am happy to say, that they found him immovable in his resolutions for good. They tried every means again to entice him into evil ways, but without success. As a last resort, they tried the effect of ridicule, but they learned now, that he had allowed his better nature to a.s.sert its power, for he possessed a spirit far above the influence of ridicule; and when they found they could by no means induce him to mingle with them, they were forced to give him up, and allow him to go his way in peace. When Mr. and Mrs.

Humphrey found that the change in Earnest was likely to prove a permanent one, their grat.i.tude and joy was heartfelt and sincere.

Two years have now pa.s.sed away, since the beginning of the happy change in the life of the orphan boy. We now find him a fine, tall youth of sixteen, as much respected as he had formerly been shunned and pitied.

His personal appearance was still as attractive as in his childhood. He was called by many the finest looking youth in all the village of Walden. He had attended closely to his studies, and had obtained a good English education. During the mid-summer vacation Mr. Humphrey asked if he had turned his mind towards any particular calling in life which he wished to follow,--

"For," said he, "it is my intention to a.s.sist you in fitting yourself for any profession you may feel inclined to pursue."

Ernest blushed deeply as he replied,--

"You know, sir, the wish which my mother expressed in regard to my calling in life, and I feel a desire to fulfill her wish in the matter.

I deeply feel my unworthiness for a calling so sacred, yet I hope my unworthy services may be accepted, should I be spared to enter upon the Ministry."

When Mr. Humphrey learned the wishes of Ernest he gladly defrayed his expenses while pursuing the studies necessary to fit him for the Ministry.

He pa.s.sed through his college course with much credit to himself, and then devoted the necessary time to the study of divinity in the seminary.

CHAPTER IX.

In conclusion I would ask the reader to accompany me to what is now one of the oldest churches in the city of Boston.

It is a beautiful Sabbath morning in the balmy month of June.

Let us enter the church. Something of more than usual interest seems to pervade the large congregation there a.s.sembled. As we enter the church we observe in one of the front pews an aged couple, whom we at once recognize as Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey. They are now quite aged and feeble, yet the countenance of each is cheerful and placid. Notwithstanding their age they have made the journey of two hundred miles to be present upon this occasion. For their beloved Earnest is this day to be set apart to the Work of the Holy Ministry by the solemn service of ordination.

When the services were closed, and Earnest came forward to accompany his aged foster parents from the church, they felt themselves more than rewarded for all the care they had bestowed upon the orphan boy; and they might have said, as did Simeon of old,--

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servants depart in peace according to thy word, for our eyes have seen thy salvation."

To the boys who may read this story I would say: As you value your own well-being in time and eternity, avoid evil companions--for these have worked the ruin of many a promising youth.

Should this little story be read by any who are mothers of families, it is my hope that it may afford them encouragement to persevere in their prayerful efforts, for the good of the immortal beings committed to their care. The letter penned by the feeble hand of his dying mother, under the divine blessing, saved Earnest Harwood from ruin. Let this circ.u.mstance encourage you, never to grow weary nor discouraged in your labours for the good of your children, and "ye shall in no wise lose your reward."

THE END.