PART 6
With folded hands the aged man sat in long and solemn silence, which his youthful listener dared not to interrupt.
“With such thoughts in my mind, I passed on through the streets, not knowing which way to turn. All at once, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and on turning, I found at my side, the manly form of Mr. W—at whose house, I had, the evening before paid the last account. With a kind smile he stretched out his hand and saying as he did so,
‘You have given me a long chase, my young friend, I have followed you from High street, and was not able to get near you till now.’
‘From High street!’ I said, astonished.
‘Yes, I was near your office when you stepped out, but in your haste you did not observe me. Joseph, the old janitor, informed me that you had gone to your dinner. But how does it come that you are not homeward bound?’
‘I do not intend to dine today,’ I replied.
‘I beg to differ with you,’ said he smiling. ‘Chasing after you through the streets has given me an appetite; moreover, I want to have a little talk with you, and therefore, I ask you to accompany me.’
Saying this, he took me by the arm, leading me back to the city, where we were soon seated at a table loaded with tempting food.
Having satisfied our appetites, Mr. W—began: ‘And now, my dear young friend, I trust you will be open and honest with me, and to make it easy for you, I will meet you with openness and honesty.’ He then told me that on the evening before, while I was in his room, thinking myself to be alone, he had seen me hide the hundred dollar bill in haste in my pocket.
‘I thought immediately,’ continued he, ‘ah; something is wrong with this young man. But I followed you, thinking you would enter some saloon; I was mistaken about this, and so followed you to your parents’ house. What to do then I was not clear about, but waited for you to come out again. Soon my hopes were realized, and you started for the bakery. Here, I thought, he will have the bill changed. Again I was in error, for I was close enough to see that you paid with some small coin. From your countenance I could see that you were unhappy. I made inquiry about you in the neighborhood, and then returned home. But I could not dismiss you from my thoughts and a could not sleep. I kept turning in my bed. I thought, perhaps, the cares of this life press on this youth; he may be in need, and in a weak moment had listened to the enemy, and stretched out his hand after that which was not his own. This thought was torture to me. Much wrought up, I left my bed; and do you know what I did? I went down on my knees and cried to the Lord that you might be preserved and sustained.”
ML 12/18/1938