Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1877 — Fred's Love. [ARTICLE]

Fred's Love.

“ Yoit’vk arrived ,at ah a£e% hi iXle to distinguish right from’ wrbng, Fred, so I will leave the decision entirely to your own judgment, hoping you willshoo.se that which conscience dictates.” ~ . These words were addressed by a widow ludy toheruinly child,aline cietver-faoking boy ot fifteeq, who apjieared to possess an unusual amount of good hnmOr, ’beaming from his eyes. Perhaps many would have called him wild, bpt to his mother he was always a kirtd find affectionate ana.' oi He had been invited to spend the Christmas holidays at the homC of'a yonng friend And schoolfellow, who wan more accustomed and skillful in poising the billiard cue than fn Ulster his-’braine, but, withal, what was calledy* fellow," and a general favorite among his companions! I ■■ ■ of'impi jj It wad with considerable uneaaiaess that Fred’B mother watched toe growing friendship between the boys.’ : Fred was quite aware and thoroughly -understood his mother’s feelings regannhg-Ufa intimate acquaintance.- 'lt. was? in anefawvto his question whether she would allow tun to accept the invitatiorfbr not (which Aubject he had some difficulty in broaching, knowing it would meet with anything but her approval), that she replied in the words written above. .« . ~» ; . Mrs. Fraser had early instilled' the principles lof morality into, the foind of her son. The knowledge.pf the Bible, the difference between right’and wrong; and the way in which to separata and from the other, were among his first lessops. He had grofan into ratfeet careless habits of late, associating with of, young men who had few or no clear ideas relating to true honof, and turftfag k deaf ear to alk good advice. Mrs. Fraser determined that when ah occasiofr offered Fred should choose his future: road, in life for himseif, praying he would be guided by the omniscient eve cf God. The opportunity occurred in this tempting invitation. Pleasure, counseled him to, pay the visit; conscience sharply rebuked hmv' after a short struggle pleasure, finally triumphed. Traveling satchel iq hand, he found himself at 'the station with- just time enough to obtain atickft- He waa about to step into the train when his attention was suddenly attracted by'A beautifully embfoidered bookmarker, which fluttered to the ground frOm thA'leavefe of an ele-gantly-bound } volume r v old lady was carrying. She seemed unconscious' of her loss. With ing to pick it up, intending to return it to its owner, his eye caught the following inscription traced hi golden letters on the card: “Honor, tfiy father and thy mother.” A mist rose before hia sight At, the remembrance of what grief he was causing his loving mother in undertaking this journey, and kow bjbgr£|tefolly ]m was repaying her watchful, tender care. His resolutions wAre nowflrraly'formed. Hastily necollecting that. be still, l)eld the lady’s card in his hand, he turned and presented it to her, saying, w MAdame, I saw you drop this. apo. v - ” “Ah, thank you,” she interrupted. HAlf ah ftoUf'latet- Fred was pouring into.l be 'ear bjs. mother the story oi hit return. He Whispered, as he placed his arm tooond her neck, “And—l think I obeyed the dictates of conscience, mother." * Now, although < too train did - not fall over an embankment;, nor ran off the track, but kept steadily on its oodrse, and though Fred Fraser would hitfve most likely enjoyed all the pleasure he anticipated, yet mat delightful vlsif would have been the first downward step ip the career of one fitted for something higher than a dissipated life.-A#'. Y: Wttnete.