A dangerous friend

by Emma Leslie

The widow's prayers for the lad, whom her Bob had failed to help when help was possible, were heard and answered, though it was a long and bitter trial to Tom, the living down the miserable mistake he had made. The story of his grievous fall had to be told to one and another, and friends looked at him askance, even when he was striving by honest toil at his father's forge to atone for the past so far as he could.

But even this was made to work for good to the lad at last, for he himself learned to turn to God for comfort and help in his trouble, and He who was ready to forgive, was also ready to help him.

So far from sneering at the Sunday-school now, as he had done when he was in London, Tom was thankful to be admitted to the Bible-class again, and under the instruction of his teacher, he learned to conquer the pride and arrogance that had really led to his grievous fall.

But in spite of all this, it was uphill work for Tom to have to live among his old neighbours. They looked upon all he did with suspicion, for to them, the dangerous friend who had led him astray was a mere shadow, but it was a grim and awful fact that Tom only just escaped from being sent to the assizes for stealing his master's money, and this they were not likely to forget.

That Tom's repentance was deep and true and sincere was, however, soon tested by his treatment of his brother Dick, whom he had always looked down upon as being rather "soft," because he did not bluster and stand up for his "rights," as Tom had always done.

In point of fact, no one had appreciated quiet Dick except his sister Polly, until Tom came back from London, and then, after a time, the quiet, unobtrusive attentions of Dick, when everybody else had turned away from him, brought the first ray of comfort and hope to Tom's mind.

When he went out for a lonely walk to escape the cruel looks of the neighbours, Dick would steal after him, though Tom knew he would far rather have been at his books by the fireside, than wander up and down the wintry lanes.

At first Tom had felt too sick and sore to take any notice of this silent ministry of sympathy, and beyond clasping the hand that was slipped into his, he took no notice of his brother.

But by degrees, he began to talk to Dick of the books he liked to read, and so the boy's confidence was won, and then he began to think that Dick should have been sent to the grammar school rather than himself, until at last he decided to speak to his father about this, for it was plain Dick would never be strong enough for a blacksmith, and he had such a love of books, and especially those on chemistry and electricity, that Tom felt sure if these tastes of Dick's could only be cultivated, he would become a clever and a useful man.

But it was not easy to convince his father that it would be good for Dick to go to the grammar school. He had had too much of that already, he declared; Dick should not have the chance of ruining his life as Tom had done.