v - f " 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Rare Book Room 
 GIFT OF 
 
 John W. Beckman 
 
University of California Berkeley 
 
Charlie handed her into the sleigh in his best 
 style. Page 92. 
 
THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 OR, 
 
 ALL CAN HELP. 
 
 BY AUNT FKIENDLY, 
 
 AUTHOR OP "TIMID LUCY," "FIDGETTY SKEERT," &C. 
 
 " Know them which labour among you. Esteem them very 
 highly in love, for their work's sake." 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 WILLIAM S. & ALFRED MARTIEN, 
 
 606 CHESTNUT STREET. 
 
 1862. 
 
Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1862, 
 BY WILLIAM S. & ALFRED MARTIEN, 
 
 In the Office of the Clerk of the District Court for the 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 AN ICY MORNING 5 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 A BOYISH VISITOR 16 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 A STEP NEARER 24 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 KATY BROWN 35 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 POOR FUN 55 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 GOOD SEED 67 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 HOMELESS 80 
 
CONTENTS. 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A FALL. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 THE CONFIRMATION 101 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 ANNIE'S WORK 104 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 ANNIE'S VISIT Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 A BLACK SHADOW 123 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 PURER AIR 131 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 A VESTRY MEETING 138 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 CONCLUSION 1 43 
 
THE BOY FBIEND. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 AN ICY MORNING. 
 
 ICE! ice! everywhere! Ice on the 
 ground, ice on the trees, ice on the 
 fences the very houses coated with 
 ice! So it was at Meedville, one 
 Sunday morning in December, yet 
 the church-bell rang out as cheerily as 
 if it were the merry month of May, 
 and the gate to the churchyard was 
 thrown as wide open as if the broad 
 walk were not one sheet of treach 
 erous ice, promising a downfall to 
 any who dared to venture upon it. A 
 heavy mist was in the air, and there 
 2 
 
6 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 was a continual rattling sound, as the 
 trees dropped morsels of their frozen 
 coating, when their branches waved 
 in the wind. 
 
 Would anybody venture out on 
 such a day'? The sexton seemed to 
 think so, for he pulled the bell-rope 
 as if he was sure that he was accom 
 plishing a good end. 
 
 At Meedville there were some 
 church-goers who never staid at 
 home for wind or weather, and 
 Mrs. Berridge and her family were 
 among them. The good lady herself, 
 and her two daughters, would as 
 soon have thought of putting out 
 their own eyes, as neglecting the 
 sound of that well-known bell. In 
 their seats they were sure to be 
 when the minister entered the chan 
 cel; that is, their bodies were sure to 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 7 
 
 be there, wherever else their minds 
 might chance to be wandering. 
 
 On this particular morning they 
 had a stranger with them; not 
 one of the tall, dignified men, or the 
 fashionably dressed ladies, who occa 
 sionally appeared there, but a lad, 
 in his grey roundabout a boy, evi 
 dently not more than fourteen years 
 of age. 
 
 The stranger seemed to think him 
 self enough of a gentleman to walk 
 up the middle aisle in advance of the 
 party, and throw wide open the door 
 of the third pew, for Mrs. Berridge and 
 her daughters to pass in. This feat 
 Miss Augusta Berridge accomplished 
 without any injury to her garments 
 in squeezing through the narrow 
 passage. Little Annie followed, imi 
 tating her sister's movements with 
 
8 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 great care, and perching herself at 
 length on the seat, with a satisfied 
 air, as if the business of the morning 
 was over, and now she had nothing 
 to do but look about her, and see 
 who was at church. 
 
 Annie had moved her head from 
 side to side, and pointed with her nose 
 at all the people down one aisle, and 
 had actually counted twenty, when 
 she noticed that her cousin Charlie 
 was still on his knees. What could 
 he be about all this time] 
 
 It did not once cross Annie's mind 
 that Charles Clement was entering, 
 for the first time, a church where he 
 expected to worship for a whole year, 
 and that he might feel this an occa 
 sion for special prayer. She could 
 not know that he was asking that 
 he might ever find his Heavenly 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 9 
 
 Father near him in that humble 
 sanctuary, and that he might be him 
 self a faithful hearer of the mes 
 sages which the appointed clergyman 
 should bring to his soul. 
 
 Of course Annie Berridge could 
 not know all this ; she did not even 
 guess it, for to serious thoughts she 
 was herself a stranger. Moreover, 
 she had not in the least suspected 
 that her cousin Charlie was of what 
 she called "a religious turn." She 
 had not seen him, so far as she could 
 remember, till the evening before, 
 and then he had been so merry and 
 agreeable, that she fancied he must 
 always be in a frolic. 
 
 Charlie Clement knew that there 
 
 was "a time to laugh," and that this 
 
 was not a suitable time he plainly 
 
 thought ; for when Augusta Berridge 
 
 2* 
 
10 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 turned her face towards him, and 
 gave it a comical, dolorous twist, 
 as the minister entered the chan 
 cel, there was a very sober look in 
 his eye, instead of the answering 
 smile she expected. 
 
 The service went on. Charlie did 
 not see Augusta passing her quick 
 glances over the congregation; he 
 did not notice the quiet munching of 
 candy with which Annie contented 
 herself; nor did he see that Mrs. 
 Berridge's thoughts were far from 
 the book on which her eyes were 
 bent. 
 
 Mrs. Berridge had a respect for 
 religion. She liked a devout man 
 ner in church. She wanted to set a 
 good example ; but she had not come 
 up to the Lord's house to praise him 
 for his mercies, and to call upon him 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 11 
 
 for forgiveness, and for that Holy 
 Spirit he delights to bestow on all 
 who ask it. Her service was vain, 
 fair as it was in outside show. 
 
 For once there was a true wor 
 shipper in Mrs. Berridge's pew. 
 Augusta looked at her cousin Charles 
 in astonishment. He seemed really 
 interested in what he was about, and 
 when the sermon began, he listened 
 as if he wanted to hear; he listened 
 respectfully, like one who expected 
 to be taught a lesson worth learning. 
 
 The young clergyman was by no 
 means unattractive in appearance. 
 There was a look of earnest thought 
 about his face, but no traces of genial 
 warmth, or of any kind of conscious 
 ness of the outer world. During the 
 prayers he was forgotten, for he 
 spoke with quiet simplicity; but in 
 
12 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 the pulpit he seemed declaiming, 
 rather than addressing the people 
 on a matter of moment to them. 
 His sermon was a fine essay on 
 the beauty of divine truth, but 
 seemed intended to reach no par 
 ticular class of persons, and to pro 
 duce no particular effect. 
 
 " O, how good it is to get out into 
 the fresh air!" exclaimed Augusta 
 Berridge, as she stepped from the 
 church door. " Dreadfully dull ! Was 
 it not, Charlie]" 
 
 Charlie was fairly startled by the 
 sudden loud tones of his companion. 
 A silence, that should have reproved, 
 was his reply. He had been taught 
 that there should be a reverent 
 retiring from the house of God, as 
 from the presence of a king; no noise 
 in the ante-chamber, no rude haste 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 13 
 
 in laying aside the garment of solem 
 nity suited to such an audience. 
 
 " O ! Cousin Charlie ! Hold me up ! 
 I certainly shall fall!" said Annie, 
 putting her foot timidly on the ice- 
 covered steps. 
 
 The lad helped the little girl ten 
 derly down, and then joined Mrs. 
 Berridge and Augusta, who were 
 waiting for him below. 
 
 " Isn't he tiresome Mr. Mayer I 
 mean," said Augusta, as they walked 
 along. 
 
 "He cannot help it, my child. 
 Poor young man! we must be pa 
 tient with him. Nobody likes him, 
 and I suppose he knows it. For my 
 part, I am sorry for him, though it 
 is quite a trial to have such dull 
 preaching," said the mother. 
 
 Charles looked up in astonishment, 
 
14 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 but said simply, "Has Mr. Mayer 
 been long settled here]" 
 
 "Only half a year. The bishop 
 recommended him, and the vestry 
 took him without much thought. 
 He stood high at the Seminary ; 
 why, I cannot imagine," was the 
 reply. 
 
 "I should think he was a man of 
 talents, and might be very agreeable 
 in conversation," said Charles. 
 
 "Nobody knows much about that; 
 he visits very little. He seems shy 
 uncommonly shy. I never could 
 bear a bashful man," said Mrs. Ber- 
 ridge. 
 
 "I mean to go and see him," re 
 marked Charlie; "I like to know my 
 minister." 
 
 Augusta turned her sharp black 
 eyes quickly upon Charlie, to see if 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 15 
 
 he was smiling, but he .looked per 
 fectly sober, and she began to laugh, 
 saying, 
 
 " I think I see him going through 
 the torture of your visit. First he 
 rises, as if he had a cramp in the 
 knees; then out goes his arm, as if 
 it were jerked out with an invisible 
 string. Before you have time to 
 fairly shake his hand, down it drops, 
 and he looks you straight in the eyes, 
 as if to ask you, what's your business. 
 May I go with you?' 
 
 "No, no! But, cousin, I really 
 mean to go," replied Charlie; and so 
 the conversation ended, as the family 
 had reached Mrs. Berridge's pleasant 
 home. 
 
16 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A BOYISH VISITOR. 
 
 CHARLES CLEMENT was the oldest son 
 in a family of six, and his mother 
 was a widow. It was not strange 
 that he felt himself quite a man, as 
 for three years he had been his 
 mother's companion, and frequently 
 her adviser. The younger children 
 looked up to him as a remarkable 
 person, and many of his schoolmates 
 and friends were of the same opi 
 nion. 
 
 That Charlie was not at all diffi 
 dent of his own powers, was plain 
 from his decided step, and the parti 
 cularly erect manner in which he 
 carried his plump but well-formed 
 
OR 5 ALL CAN HELP. 17 
 
 figure. There was nothing of pride 
 or arrogance, however, in his air, 
 and in his round cheerful face there 
 was a bright, sunny expression, 
 which seemed to promise a willing 
 ness to think kindly of others as 
 well as of himself. 
 
 Charlie would have packed up his 
 trunk, if occasion had required, and 
 travelled from Maine to Georgia 
 alone, as composedly as if he were a 
 person of forty. He had so long 
 done the honours in his own home, 
 and kept a watchful, protective eye 
 upon his mother, that there was a 
 kind of manliness about him uncom 
 mon in a lad of his age. 
 
 When he dressed himself on Mon 
 day morning, with particular care, 
 before paying his intended visit to 
 the rector, he had no idea that he 
 3 
 
18 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 was about doing a thing from which 
 any boy would shrink. 
 
 He had no difficulty in finding 
 the humble lodging of Mr. Mayer: 
 humble, for though the people of 
 Meedville expected a minister un 
 equalled in talent and piety, they 
 had no idea of giving him a salary 
 which would be more than a bare 
 subsistence. 
 
 Charlie knocked twice before any 
 notice was taken of his arrival. 
 It was plain that it was Monday in 
 every sense of the word in that esta 
 blishment, a true washing-day, when 
 all things must give way to the 
 weekly purification. A little woman 
 with a bonnet on, and a wet dress 
 pinned up round her waist, at length 
 made her appearance from the rear 
 of the house. She opened her eyes 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 19 
 
 with astonishment, when instead of 
 the supposed "fish-man," Master 
 Charlie Clement stood before her, 
 with his cap in hand. 
 
 " Is the Rev. Mr. Mayer at home ]" 
 said Charlie, with his usual com 
 posure. 
 
 "Yes. I don't know. Yes, I'll 
 see," said the woman, in evident 
 confusion; whether at her own la 
 mentably moist condition, or at the 
 unwonted appearance of a visitor at 
 that time, on a Monday morning, it 
 was hard to decide. 
 
 The woman of the bonnet disap 
 peared at a side-door, without asking 
 the stranger to walk in. Master 
 Charlie, however, made bold to take 
 a few steps into the hall, and there 
 he awaited her return. 
 
 He had stood there just long 
 
20 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 enough to note the thread-bare con 
 dition of the faded carpet, and the 
 paintless arms of the wooden chair, 
 when, not the woman, but quite an 
 other person appeared. A tall young 
 man, in a calico dressing-gown, came 
 out from the aforementioned side- 
 door, and looked inquiringly at 
 Charlie. 
 
 Charlie did not at first recognise 
 in the person who stood before him, 
 the Rev. Mr. Mayer of the preceding 
 day. The young man was very pale, 
 and a mass of dark hair was standing 
 in wild confusion, straight off from 
 his forehead, and his brown eyes 
 stared absently, as if he had just 
 been roused from sleep. The fact 
 was, he had been deep in the compo 
 sition of a sermon. His head had 
 been resting on his hands, and his 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 21 
 
 fingers thrust into his hair, when 
 he was called to see "some young 
 chap at the door, asking for the min 
 ister." 
 
 "Is this the Rev. Mr. Mayer]" 
 said Charlie, after a moment of 
 doubtful silence. 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Mr. Mayer, strug 
 gling to keep a most appropriate 
 " thirdly" for the sermon out of his 
 mind, and to attend to the matter in 
 hand. 
 
 "My name is Charles Clement," 
 said the lad, stepping forward, and 
 putting out his hand. 
 
 A name all unknown to fame, it 
 seemed to be to Mr. Mayer. He 
 did not see the offered hand, but 
 said, 
 
 " Well, sir, what is it, this morn- 
 
 ing?" 
 
 3* 
 
22 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 " Perhaps I have come upon you 
 at a busy time," said Charles, po 
 litely. 
 
 " I was writing, but" and the 
 minister looked inquiringly at the 
 boy, "but I can attend to you now." 
 
 " I have no particular business, I 
 can call at some other time," said 
 Charlie, retiring. 
 
 Mr. Mayer gave a puzzled look at 
 his visitor, and driving the " thirdly" 
 fairly from his thoughts, said plea 
 santly, 
 
 "Wont you walk in now'?" 
 
 "I thank you, not this morning, 
 sir," said Charlie, decidedly, "but I 
 should like to come again, for I want 
 to know my minister." 
 
 As he spoke he again put out his 
 hand, and looked up frankly into 
 Mr. Mayer's face. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 23 
 
 Mr. Mayer took the offered hand, 
 and said, shyly, 
 
 " Yes, come again, I shall be glad 
 to see you." 
 
 Another bow, and a pleasant " good 
 morning" from Charles, and the in 
 terview was over. 
 
 Charlie Clement was more amused 
 than annoyed at the result of his 
 proposed call on the rector. He had 
 made a beginning, and he was not 
 disheartened. 
 
24 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A STEP NEARER. 
 
 MRS. BERRIDGE had thought it ne 
 cessary to introduce her nephew at 
 the academy, where he was to be a 
 pupil. Charlie would by no means 
 have hesitated to appear there alone, 
 but he politely assented, when his 
 aui)t proposed to accompany him. 
 
 Some domestic duties had kept 
 her at home on Monday morning, 
 and Charlie, as we have seen, took 
 the opportunity to put in a wedge 
 towards an acquaintance with his 
 rector. 
 
 If Mr. Mayer had been spoken of 
 respectfully, the lad would have felt 
 inclined to treat him with all due 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 25 
 
 deference ; indeed he had been taught 
 that a certain peculiar politeness and 
 reverence was due to those whose 
 office it is to minister in spiritual 
 things. 
 
 The light and unkind manner in 
 which Mr. Mayer had been men 
 tioned, had, however, called out a 
 warmer feeling in Charlie Clement, 
 than might otherwise have been 
 aroused. He resolved, for his part, 
 to treat his minister with respect 
 and affection, and to be by no means 
 influenced by what others might say 
 about him. 
 
 As to the further prosecution of 
 his acquaintance he was somewhat 
 puzzled. Though by no means of a 
 bashful nature, he hesitated about 
 risking another call, where such visi 
 tations seemed most unexpected, if 
 
26 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 not unwelcome. Time for calling 
 anywhere, Charlie had little or none 
 that week, after he had fairly en 
 tered upon his studies. Although he 
 did not "consume the midnight oil," 
 it was after nine o'clock before his 
 books were laid aside, and he was 
 ready to fall into such sound sleep as 
 only happy healthy youth can enjoy. 
 
 After this week of constant occu 
 pation, Saturday, with its holiday 
 hours, was most welcome. Breakfast 
 was hardly over, when Charlie pro 
 duced a new pair of skates, and de 
 clared his intention of having enough 
 good exercise to take the chill out of 
 him for a week to come. 
 
 The boys on the neighbouring 
 pond soon found out that the new 
 scholar was likely to rank number 
 one among the skaters, as well as 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 27 
 
 in his classes. Such cutting of let 
 ters, such skilful manoeuvres, had 
 not often been seen on Meedville 
 pond. 
 
 The academy bell at length called 
 home the merry party to dinner. 
 Tutor and pupils vanished like ice 
 in a thaw. Charlie stopped to take 
 a few more successful turns, after the 
 coast was clear, and there was no 
 danger of knocking over small boys 
 and unskilful skaters, who did not 
 know how to keep out of other peo 
 ple's way. 
 
 Dinner, however, was not a matter 
 of entire indifference to Charlie Cle 
 ment, and he too turned his face 
 homeward. He had not gone far on 
 his return, when he saw an old 
 woman stepping cautiously along on 
 the slippery path, at some distance 
 
28 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 before him. She had a basket on 
 her arm, which, though evidently 
 not heavy, made it more difficult 
 for her to keep her balance. The 
 wooden cane that she carried was 
 but a poor security against a down 
 fall on the treacherous ice which 
 everywhere covered the ground. At 
 length, after executing what seemed 
 for the moment some extraordinary 
 dancing steps, she fell, while basket 
 and stick deserted her, and she lay 
 helpless on the ground. 
 
 Charlie was at her side in a mo 
 ment; but it was in vain that he 
 tried to raise her. 
 
 "O my! I am done for! Dear! 
 dear!" she exclaimed. "Now I never! 
 What shall I doT 
 
 "Do] why just get on my team 
 here," said a cheerful voice at her 
 side. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 29 
 
 The speaker, a rough-looking coun 
 tryman, was driving a wood-sled; and 
 with a loud " whoa" to his horses, he 
 jumped down, and began to suit his 
 actions to the words. "Never fear, 
 Katy Brown; you'll do well enough. 
 You just got hoisted; that was all. 
 Here now; so!" And his strong arms 
 placed her on the sled, and leaned 
 her against a meal-sack, which was 
 now all the load. 
 
 " My, my ! Jack what's to become 
 of my basket] What's he to do with 
 out his clothes, and Sunday coming. 
 You could drive round by Meedville, 
 I s'pose." 
 
 "How I wish I could, Katy," said 
 the same hearty voice; "but you 
 know I'm not my own master, and 
 farmer "Watkins don't let us idle our 
 time." 
 
 4 
 
30 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 "No more he don't, true enough!" 
 said Katy, significantly. "I could 
 lie by, to-morrow bein' Sunday ; but 
 what's to become of the clothes'?" 
 
 "Where do they belong'?" asked 
 Charlie, giving a look at the great 
 basket. 
 
 "They're his'n, the preacher's, of 
 course. I don't wash for nobody else," 
 said the woman. 
 
 "Mr. Mayer, do you mean'?" asked 
 Charlie, brightening. 
 
 "Yes, child; asking questions don't 
 help, though," said the old woman, 
 fretfully. 
 
 "But I mean to do more," said 
 Charlie, taking up the basket; "I'll 
 take them home for you." 
 
 "And I'll see to the old woman; 
 so here goes;" and Jack Tyler raised 
 his whip, as if to warn his horses to 
 start. 
 
Charlie turned towards Meedville with the great 
 basket on his arm. Page 31. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 31 
 
 "Stop, stop! Where do you 
 live'?" said Charlie, addressing the 
 woman. 
 
 "That aint no odds!" was the short 
 answer. 
 
 " The first red house in among the 
 pines, a piece along this road," said 
 the man. "Shame, Katy, to speak 
 so to the young gentleman. She'll 
 want looking after, likely enough," 
 he added, in a whisper, not meant for 
 Katy's ear. 
 
 " I aint too deaf to hear that," said 
 the old woman, with a keen look; 
 but it was plain that the words had 
 escaped her. 
 
 Jack Tyler did not stay for any 
 more conversation. He went his way ; 
 and Charlie turned towards Meed- 
 ville, with the great basket on his 
 arm. 
 
32 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Charlie Clement never troubled 
 himself as to who laughed at him. 
 All the boys in the village might 
 have been hooting at him for carry 
 ing a washerwoman's basket, and he 
 would not have cared. He was not 
 naturally sensitive; and, moreover, 
 when he was sure he was doing a v 
 kind action, the opinion of the world 
 was of little consequence to him. He 
 stood up, therefore, on the door-step 
 of Mr. Mayer's boarding-house, on 
 the main street, not noticing the 
 crowd of boys who were coming 
 down the sidewalk, full of holiday 
 fun. A shower of snowballs first 
 apprized him of their approach; and 
 cries of "How much do you ask a 
 dozen 7 ? Here goes the washer-boy!" 
 &c., sounded in his ears. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 33 
 
 " Six shillings a dozen ! six shil 
 lings a dozen, my boys!" sang out 
 Charlie, in a merry tone. 
 
 A face was seen for a moment at a 
 lower window, and then the door was 
 thrown open wide, and Mr. Mayer 
 appeared. 
 
 The crowd of boys dispersed in a 
 moment, and Charlie was about to 
 give up his basket, when Mr. Mayer 
 said, quite heartily, "Come in, come 
 in." He had not forgotten the bright, 
 pleasant face, that had looked so 
 warmly at him the Monday before. 
 
 Charlie did step in; but it was 
 only to explain how he became the 
 bearer of the basket, and to say that 
 he now had no time to spare, as his 
 aunt's dinner hour had arrived. 
 
 "I want to go and see Katy," said 
 4* 
 
34 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Mr. Mayer, thoughtfully. "Do you 
 know where she lives'?" 
 
 " I could find it, I think. I mean 
 to go there this afternoon," said 
 Charlie, promptly. 
 
 "Then we will go together, if you 
 like it," said Mr. Mayer. 
 
 "I should like it right well," said 
 Charlie. 
 
 "At three o'clock, then, you will 
 call for me," said Mr. Mayer. 
 
 "At three o'clock, sir. Good-bye, 
 sir," was Charlie's reply. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 KATY BROWN. 
 
 THREE o'clock found Charlie Cle 
 ment punctually at Mr. Mayer's 
 door, and the rector was there to 
 meet him. 
 
 " I have often wanted to go to see 
 Katy, but she never seemed to like 
 the idea," said the rector, as they 
 walked along. 
 
 "We may not get the pleasantest 
 welcome in the world," said Charlie, 
 smiling, "but the farmer's man 
 seemed to think she might need 
 help, for all that." 
 
 Charlie had often been with his 
 mother to the homes of the poor, 
 
36 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 and to him the visit seemed quite a 
 common occurrence. With Mr. 
 Mayer, the case was different. Dur 
 ing four years at boarding-school, he 
 had prepared for four years at col 
 lege ; three more he- had passed at 
 a theological seminary. Motherless 
 from his birth, he had never known 
 the sweet joys of home, or the inno 
 cent pleasures of society. No loving 
 hand had led him to the haunts of 
 poverty, and taught him to minister 
 to the poor. 
 
 Yet God had chosen Marshall 
 Mayer to be peculiarly his servant, 
 and the messenger of his mercy. 
 The studious senior, at college, had 
 become an earnest Christian; and 
 when the world offered him a sphere 
 where his talents might make for 
 him a great name, he had chosen the 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 37 
 
 ministry of Christ as his calling, and 
 given up every object in life, save 
 that of serving his heavenly Master. 
 
 While Mr. Mayer had been pro 
 nounced dry in the pulpit, and shy 
 and unsociable in private life, his 
 heart had been burning with a desire 
 to do good. He had not been silent 
 in his closet. Earnestly, faithfully, 
 he had prayed to be made a fit in 
 strument for the" heavenly work, and 
 to be guided in the path of useful 
 ness. Such prayers are never unan 
 swered. Marshall Mayer might seem 
 for a time an unprofitable servant, 
 yet he would not be driven out of 
 the vineyard in shame and disgrace. 
 He had to overcome the effects of 
 a life of seclusion, and a natural sen 
 sitiveness, that was his constant 
 
38 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 scourge, ere he could be a useful 
 pastor. Would he succeed! 
 
 Mr. Mayer found it a real pleasure 
 to be walking through the clear cold 
 air, with his cheerful companion at 
 his side. With a lad like Charlie, 
 his diffidence was not in his way, 
 and conversation flowed naturally on. 
 They had passed the village, and 
 were on the country road, when 
 Charlie asked, 
 
 "Is there to be a confirmation 
 held here soon, sir?' 
 
 " The bishop is to visit us in Feb 
 ruary, but I do not know whether 
 there will be any persons to 1ft con 
 firmed," said the rector, with a pain 
 ful blush. 
 
 " I hope there will be one," said 
 Charlie, and he took Mr. Mayer's 
 hand as he spoke. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 39 
 
 The boy's frank face was full of 
 earnest feeling that was not to be 
 mistaken. 
 
 " We must know each other bet 
 ter," said Mr. Mayer, with a hearty 
 grasp of the hand that had been 
 placed in his. "I hope that you 
 may be that one, and be ready for 
 the holy rite." 
 
 These few confidential words 
 seemed to have placed Mr. Mayer 
 and Charlie upon a different footing. 
 The shy clergyman found himself 
 talking freely to the boy at his side, 
 of his hopes and his wishes, his pur 
 poses and his prayers. 
 
 Charlie felt the force of the deep 
 piety that seemed to well up from 
 his companion's heart, and his own 
 resolution to devote himself to his 
 
40 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Master's service was strengthened 
 and redoubled. 
 
 Katy Brown's red house among 
 the pines was easily found, and there, 
 at the window, sat Katy herself, 
 knitting away, as if nothing had 
 happened. 
 
 "We will go in, now we are here," 
 said Mr. Mayer, who having screwed 
 up his courage to the visit, was not 
 willing to give it up. 
 
 Their knock was answered by a 
 cry of "Come in," but no one ap 
 peared at the door. 
 
 The visitors obeyed, and found 
 themselves in the single rooni:, which 
 was Katy's dwelling-place, her house 
 truly; for it had a roof over it, and a 
 chimney to carry up the smoke from 
 her pipe and her fire. 
 
 The pipe Katy now laid aside, and 
 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 41 
 
 through her horn spectacles she 
 looked up inquiringly at the visitors. 
 The glance satisfied her as to who 
 they were, and she hastened to say, 
 
 "Were not the clothes right, sir 
 Eh?" and she gave a doubtful look at 
 Charlie. 
 
 " All right, Katy," said Mr. Mayer, 
 helping himself to a seat, Charlie 
 following his example. "All right; 
 but I was afraid you were not right 
 yourself, after your fall. Are you 
 lame yet?" 
 
 " No more than I always am," said 
 Katy quickly. " Old folks don't ex 
 pect to be spry." 
 
 " And yet you take this long, cold 
 walk every week. I had no idea you 
 lived so far from the village" said 
 Mr. Mayer, kindly. 
 5 
 
42 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 "How should you know] You 
 never were here before," said Katy. 
 
 "I thought you did not care to 
 have visitors," said the minister, 
 truthfully. 
 
 "No more I didn't," said Katy; 
 "but now you are come, put up your 
 feet to the fire afore ' you start 
 away." 
 
 Mr. Mayer accepted the strangely 
 offered courtesy, and drew his chair 
 nearer to the wide chimney-corner. 
 
 "Are you not lonely here some 
 times, Katy]" he said. 
 
 "Like enough, I am. Buryin' 
 children aint a cheerful business, and 
 I've done enough of it in my day. I 
 shall be goin', too, soon," was the 
 muttered reply. 
 
 "Going to a better country, I 
 hope, Katy," said Mr. Mayer kindly. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 43 
 
 "No such a thing! I aint one of 
 the good ones," said the old woman. 
 " I never was, and I'm too old now. 
 I need n't expect nothin' better than 
 I deserve." 
 
 The free, full forgiveness that 
 Christ offers to sinners, was present 
 to the young minister's mind. On 
 that iie built his own hope, and he 
 longed to bring it home to the poor 
 old creature before him, but she 
 would not give him time. 
 
 "It aint no use!" she broke in 
 upon him, as his lips parted. "It 
 aint no use. I've worried and fretted 
 all along of the years that is gone. 
 If I was young I'd begin again. Take 
 the right start, boy," she said, turning 
 suddenly to Charlie. " Take a right 
 start. Old folks can't learn new 
 ways." 
 
44 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 " I want to start right," said Char 
 lie, earnestly. 
 
 The conversation was here inter 
 rupted by a loud double knock, fol 
 lowed by the immediate sound of 
 Jack Tyler's heavy step on the floor. 
 
 Jack started back when he saw 
 the visitors, but concluded, on the 
 whole, to do his errand. With a side 
 bow to Mr. Mayer, before speaking, 
 he turned to Katy, and said, "It's 
 like to be slippery as ever in the 
 morning, Katy; I shall go to church 
 in the old sleigh, and will take you 
 along. Will you go? eh, Katy'?" 
 
 "Like enough! like enough, Jack! 
 But here, as you're in the way of 
 of toting, maybe you'll give these 
 folks a lift," and she looked sig 
 nificantly at her visitors. 
 
 It seemed that Katy was tired of 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 45 
 
 her company, yet she was half-pleased 
 at their visit, too. 
 
 "If you can ride standin', sir, I'd 
 be glad to have you on my sled," said 
 Jack, with a bow to Mr. Mayer, that 
 swept round far enough to include 
 Charlie in the invitation. 
 
 " Thank you, thank you, we won't 
 refuse such an offer," said Mr. Mayer. 
 Then, going up to Katy, he shook 
 her withered hand, and said, in a low, 
 earnest voice, " Good-bye, Katy ; re 
 member it is never too late to begin 
 a new life." 
 
 The old woman shook her head, 
 but made no answer. 
 
 They saw her wrinkled face at the 
 window, watching them as they 
 mounted the sled, and Jack said, 
 "She's glad to see you, for all she's 
 so queer. The poor thing leads a 
 5* 
 
46 THE BOY FRIEND: 
 
 lonesome life, and she likes to see 
 somebody now and then, if it's only 
 to say a cross word to." 
 
 Jack stood up firmly on his sled, 
 with the reins in one hand and the 
 whip in the other, but Mr. Mayer 
 and Charlie had to hold fast to the 
 upright poles at the corners of the 
 rude vehicle, to keep their footing. 
 Bump, bump, they went over the 
 rough masses of frozen snow, and for 
 a time conversation was quite impos 
 sible. Mr. Mayer had food enough 
 for thought. He was dwelling on the 
 sight he had just witnessed an aged 
 human being, ready to sink into the 
 grave, without hope, without one 
 cheering ray to lighten the dark 
 valley. 
 
 This painful subject so completely 
 occupied his mind, that he at first did 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 47 
 
 not even notice the conversation that 
 arose between Charlie and the young 
 countryman., as soon as they were 
 on a smoother portion of the road. 
 
 Charlie was a lover of out-of-door 
 sports, and was interested in all Jack 
 could tell him of the fish in a trout- 
 ing stream a mile or so away, or of 
 the game that might be started in 
 the very woods through which they 
 were driving. 
 
 Then followed anecdotes of dogs, 
 and Charlie grew quite animated in 
 speaking of a former pet of his, who 
 was so constantly with him that he 
 had to be locked up on Sunday morn 
 ing to keep him from following his 
 master to Sunday-school. 
 
 " Sunday-school!" said Jack thought 
 fully. "I always wished I'd a went 
 when I was a boy." 
 
48 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 We had a nice Bible-class at home, 
 where there were two or three fel 
 lows as old as you," said Charlie. 
 
 Mr. Mayer had heard nothing 
 while the talk was of game and dogs, 
 but now a subject was touched upon 
 more in unison with his own thoughts, 
 and he became conscious of what was 
 going on around him. 
 
 "A Bible-class, did you say, Char 
 lie," and at the moment the thought 
 struck the minister, that such an un 
 dertaking might be an instrument for 
 good in his own parish. 
 
 "Yes, a Bible-class: our rector 
 taught it; and how we all did enjoy 
 it!" 
 
 Mr. Mayer was silent a moment. 
 "I have no aptness in teaching. I 
 never had a Sunday-school class. I 
 am afraid it would be a failure," he 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 49 
 
 thought. Still, conscience whispered, 
 "You had better try. God can give 
 strength for anything it is his will 
 that we should do. Here seems to 
 be an opening. Go forward." 
 
 "We might have a Bible-class 
 here," said Mr. Mayer, thoughtfully. 
 
 "O, I should like it so much," 
 said Charlie, heartily ; " and you 
 would go, wouldn't you?" he added, 
 turning to Jack. 
 
 "I'd be a poor scholar enough," 
 said Jack, giving a doubtful look at 
 the minister. 
 
 " No one is a poor scholar who 
 really wants to learn," said Mr. 
 Mayer. " We will meet at my study 
 to-morrow evening, and try to make 
 a beginning." 
 
 "I'll be there, never fear," said 
 Jack, decidedly. 
 
50 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 At this moment they reached a 
 side road, which turned off just as 
 the scattered houses betokened the 
 entrance to Meedville. 
 
 " I go this way," said Jack, turn 
 ing his horses' heads towards the 
 corner, and bringing them to a full 
 stop. 
 
 " Then we must get off, and thank 
 you for helping us so far on our 
 way," said Mr. Mayer, stepping upon 
 the crisp snow, as he spoke. 
 
 Away drove Jack, whistling as he 
 went, while Mr. Mayer and Charlie 
 walked on, side by side, talking of 
 the Bible-class, until they reached 
 the minister's door. 
 
 A bonnet had been thrust out of 
 that same door every five minutes for 
 the last half-hour, and a face within 
 it had looked eagerly up the street. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 51 
 
 The last look seemed to have been 
 satisfactory, as it descried Mr. Mayer 
 approaching, for the door was shut 
 decidedly, and bonnet and wearer 
 disappeared to the portion of the 
 house where strangers were inadmis 
 sible. 
 
 "It is almost supper-time, I de 
 clare," said Mr. Mayer, looking wist 
 fully at Charlie; "wont you stop and 
 take a cup of tea with me?" 
 
 " Not to night, I thank you, sir. 
 Aunt expects to have some company 
 for me at home," said Charlie; and 
 with an affectionate shake of the 
 hand, he bade the rector good-bye. 
 
 Mr. Mayer's small study looked 
 particularly attractive to him that 
 evening. Perhaps it was because 
 his good landlady, Mrs. Toombs, had 
 taken the opportunity to give it a 
 
52 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 cleaning during his absence; per 
 haps it was because he was cheered 
 by the knowledge that at last one of 
 his parishioners was turning towards 
 him with affectionate confidence. 
 Even the tea-table seemed to him 
 to have a more attractive air than 
 usual, though Mrs. Toombs main 
 tained her customary silence. Mrs. 
 Toombs about her domestic duties, 
 in her little brown hood, and stout 
 apron, seemed quite another woman 
 than Mrs. Toombs at the head of her 
 table., in her clean white cap, and 
 black alpacca dress; so entirely dif 
 ferent a person that she did not seem 
 to dare to open her lips, lest she 
 should speak out of character. At 
 any rate, something always kept her 
 silent in the minister's presence. 
 He might as well have taken his 
 
OR, ALL CAN" HELP. 53 
 
 meals alone, for all the social element 
 her society imparted; but she was 
 useful in her way, and she knew it. 
 She filled the rector's cup with tea 
 before he perceived it was out, and 
 kept his plate supplied with such 
 fare as the table afforded, while he 
 went on eating abstractedly, and lost 
 in his own thoughts. 
 
 A slight rattling at the tea-tray 
 was the general indication that supper 
 was over, and he obeyed this hint as 
 regularly as he did the bell that 
 announced the meal in a state of 
 readiness. 
 
 Mr. Mayer was very, very busy in 
 his study that evening. Sermon after 
 sermon he glanced at none would 
 suit him for the morrow. It was 
 late before he saw what was before 
 him; he must write, he must prepare 
 6 
 
54 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 a message that would reach at least 
 one heart among his people; and 
 after earnest prayer to Him who 
 was to send that message, Mr. Mayer 
 took his pen in hand. 
 
 The clock ticked not for him ; not 
 for him was the noise of the passer 
 by. He was lost, absorbed in the 
 declaration of the good news to man 
 kind a Saviour dying for the world, 
 an ascended Lord calling all the 
 weary unto him. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 55 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 POOR FUN. 
 
 AUGUSTA BERRIDGE was in the par 
 lour, standing before the mirror. It 
 was plain that she considered herself 
 in full dress, in the sense of uncom 
 monly well-dressed, and was alto 
 gether satisfied on that account. 
 Augusta was wearing, for the first 
 time, a skirt that swept the floor as 
 she walked, and she had promenaded 
 the room two or three times, looking 
 over her shoulder to see the half a 
 quarter of a yard of blue silk trail 
 along the carpet. Annie, meanwhile, 
 was equally occupied in endeavour 
 ing to catch glimpses of the great 
 bow which tied her new sash. 
 
56 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 They both started, and looked a 
 little ashamed, as Charlie came in 
 upon them, fresh from his long walk. 
 
 "Why, Charlie! you are not 
 dressed!" said Augusta, in surprise. 
 
 "Am I late?' said Charlie, look 
 ing at his watch in a manly way, as 
 if he had worn it always, (he had 
 had it a month.) "Half-past five! 
 I did not think it was so late. Moon 
 light and twilight coming together, 
 misled me." 
 
 It did not take Charlie Clement 
 long to make his toilet. With him 
 it was a simple matter of business ; to 
 be well done, of course, but not to 
 receive any unnecessary amount of 
 thought. He was in the parlour 
 before the first violent ring at the 
 door announced that one of the guests 
 had arrived. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 57 
 
 The new-comer, Master Harry De- 
 witt, needed no one to introduce him. 
 It was plain that he and Augusta 
 were old acquaintances, and Charlie 
 he had already seen at school. 
 
 Harry Dewitt was very tall for 
 fourteen, and he did not seem 
 ashamed of his height, for he held up 
 his head, and was as straight as a 
 militia colonel on parade. 
 
 " Where were you this afternoon 
 that you did not go skating V 9 said 
 Harry, taking a comfortable chair, 
 and settling himself in it. 
 
 " I walked into the country with 
 Mr. Mayer," said Charlie frankly. 
 
 "With Mr. Mayer!" said Harry, 
 holding up both hands. "I don't 
 envy you the job." 
 
 " That's the kind of business that 
 suits Charlie," said Augusta, laugh- 
 6* 
 
58 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 ing. " He pretends to be very much 
 pleased with Mr. Mayer." 
 
 " I do like him heartily," said 
 Charlie, warmly. " I wish I could 
 see more of him." 
 
 Harry gave a low whistle,, and 
 Augusta shrugged her shoulders. 
 
 The boys and girls now came in 
 by twos and threes, until all the 
 guests had arrived. Thirteen bright 
 young faces were gathered round the 
 table, all full of life and merriment. 
 
 Harry Dewitt w r as about to say 
 what he considered a capital thing, 
 when Augusta gave him a sudden 
 nudge, and pointed significantly at 
 Charlie. 
 
 Charlie was standing opposite to 
 his aunt. Mrs. Berridge waved her 
 hand, and there was a moment of 
 silence. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 59 
 
 In a few simple words Charlie 
 returned thanks for the blessings 
 showered by the Divine hand, and 
 then he took his seat as unembar 
 rassed as if he had but spoken to 
 some human being at his side. 
 Charlie had so long been accustomed 
 to saying grace at his mother's table, 
 that it seemed to him a kind of mat 
 ter of course, a pleasant part of the 
 meal, not to be omitted. Mrs. Ber- 
 ridge had been enough at Mrs. Cle 
 ment's to be aware of this fact, and 
 now, at her own table, she was glad 
 to see carried out what she considered 
 a proper usage, an excellent form. 
 
 Charlie Clement had been but a 
 single week at Meedville, yet he was 
 beginning to have his influence there. 
 The slightest thread casts a shadow, 
 and even a young person is ever 
 
60 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 doing something for good or evil, by 
 his example. 
 
 A bold, determined, upright spirit 
 like Charlie's, always has its ad 
 mirers and its imitators. The best 
 scholar and the best skater in the 
 academy must wield a power strong 
 for good or evil. 
 
 This short, simple prayer, had been 
 for Charlie a kind of public profes 
 sion, telling plainly on which side he 
 stood. Did he lose the respect of his 
 companions by if? There were two 
 or three who smiled during the whole 
 performance, and one little girl, more 
 silly than the rest, had trouble to 
 suppress a senseless giggle; but the 
 effect on most of the company was to 
 make them feel that Charlie Clement 
 was a person to be looked up to, a 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 61 
 
 person who knew his duty, and 
 dared to do it. 
 
 Augusta Berridge had a great 
 store of games at her command, and 
 was herself most skilful in playing 
 them all. There was no lack of fun 
 among the young people, and Char 
 lie Clement's cheerful, natural laugh, 
 was heard again and again. 
 
 At length a new game was pro 
 posed. One of the company was to 
 go out, and return personating some 
 character, whom the rest were to 
 guess, from the representation. 
 
 Harry Dewitt had paraded the 
 room 
 
 "With head erect, you fancy how, 
 
 Arms locked behind, 
 As if to balance the prone brow, 
 Oppressive with its mind," 
 
 until all had shouted "Napoleon!" 
 
62 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Charlie Clement, with a lantern 
 in his hand, had peered into every 
 face, and had been hailed as Dio 
 genes seeking an honest man. Aris- 
 tides, writing his own name on a 
 shield, and Anne Boleyn offering her 
 slender neck to the executioner, 
 had all been personated and recog 
 nised. 
 
 It was now Augusta Berridge's 
 turn to go out. She soon returned, 
 wearing an old cloth cloak, that hid 
 even the much-admired trailing dress. 
 A tall beaver hat was on her head. 
 She had but to walk across the room, 
 in a slow, peculiar gait, when cries 
 of "Mr, Mayer! Mr. Mayer!" were 
 heard from all sides of the room; but 
 with this she was not content, but 
 began, in a voice the exact counter- 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 63 
 
 part of Mr. Mayer's, to say, "Dearly 
 beloved brethren " 
 
 " Now that is too bad, Augusta !" 
 said Charlie, indignantly. "Mr. 
 Mayer is our minister, and you owe 
 him respect on that account, if you 
 do not like him." 
 
 Augusta threw down the cloak and 
 hat, and exclaimed, " I don't see why 
 I may not have a little fun at his 
 expense, if he is a minister!" 
 
 The king of a country revenges 
 the disrespect offered to his herald, 
 and a minister is the herald of the 
 King of kings, and should be treated 
 accordingly. I use my mother's 
 words," said Charlie warmly. "I 
 think you owe some respect to the 
 office, Augusta, whatever you may 
 think of the man!" 
 
64 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 "What is all this?" said Mrs. Ber- 
 ridge, coming in at the moment. 
 
 " Only Charlie giving us a ser 
 mon," said Augusta, laughing. 
 
 " Go on, Charlie ; I should like to 
 be a hearer," said Mrs. Berridge, 
 taking a seat on the sofa. 
 
 "No! No! let us play elements!" 
 said Annie, who was impatient to 
 have the frolic recommenced. A 
 sight of an approaching tray called 
 off her attention, and pyramids of 
 ice-cream were soon the objects of 
 general interest. 
 
 The company now broke up into 
 little circles, and Charlie had an . 
 opportunity to carry out a plan which 
 he had in his mind all the evening. 
 
 "Augusta was too hard on Mr. 
 Mayer," said Harry Dewitt. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 65 
 
 " Indeed she was," said Joseph 
 White, the oldest boy in the com 
 pany. 
 
 The conversation having turned 
 upon the clergyman, after speaking 
 affectionately of him, Charlie men 
 tioned the Bible-class, and actually 
 obtained a promise from Harry and 
 Joseph, at least to try it for the first 
 evening. Not that Harry and Joseph 
 had the slightest desire to improve in 
 the best of knowledge. Their Sun 
 day evenings were dull at home; 
 this would be an excuse for going 
 out, and "might not, after all, be 
 so bad," as they said to each other 
 on their way home. 
 
 The Bible-class; that was the last 
 thing in Charlie Clement's mind 
 that night: not the frolic of the 
 
66 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 evening, not angry feelings towards 
 Augusta; but the Bible-class, a new 
 opportunity of improvement, a new 
 Sunday joy, a new step on the hea 
 venly road. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 67 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 GOOD SEED. 
 
 THE Sunday morning service was 
 over, and the people of Meedville 
 were scattering away to their homes. 
 Mr. Mayer had preached on the 
 encouraging words of our Saviour, 
 " Whosoever cometh unto me, I will 
 in no wise cast out." Simply, ten 
 derly, earnestly, this blessed promise 
 had been urged upon the attention 
 of the hearers. The old, burdened 
 with many years of sin, and the 
 child just beginning to struggle with 
 its evil heart, were called upon to 
 accept the merciful invitation of 
 Jesus, and trust themselves to him. 
 Annie Berridge had soon found 
 
68 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 out that cousin Charlie was fond of 
 children, and was never better pleased 
 than when he had her at his side, 
 or on his knee. That morning, he 
 had passed a pleasant hour with her, 
 telling her Bible-stories, and when 
 she left him, full of thanks for his 
 kindness, he had won from her a 
 promise to "be a good girl at church, 
 and try to listen to the sermon." 
 
 Annie had kept her promise, and 
 Mr. Mayer's faithful words had for 
 the first time stirred in her heart a 
 yearning to be one of the Saviour's 
 little ones, a wish to know some 
 thing more of the meek and lowly 
 Jesus. Augusta had not thought of 
 listening either to service or sermon. 
 Though bodily present during the 
 time of solemn worship, her mind 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 69 
 
 was far away, dwelling on the plans 
 and pleasures of the week to come. 
 
 A habit of inattention at church! 
 A trifling sin, as some would try to 
 think it. Is it a trifling sin to in 
 sult the Most High in his own sanc 
 tuary] Is it a matter of no conse 
 quence to shut the ears to the voice 
 of prayer, and turn the thoughts from 
 the words of exhortation that might 
 win the heart to better things'? One 
 great avenue of good, one great 
 chance of improvement is taken 
 away, when listless inattention be 
 comes a habit in church. 
 
 Augusta was in her usual frivolous 
 state when she left the church door, 
 and out of the abundance of her 
 heart her mouth spoke. 
 
 Annie paid but little attention, 
 while her remarks were on the dress 
 7* 
 
70 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 of acquaintances in the neighbouring 
 pews, but when she began to speak 
 of Mr. Mayer, her attention was 
 gained. 
 
 "I do wish Mr. Mayer would go 
 away, and somebody more interesting 
 would come. My bones fairly ached 
 before the sermon was over. I don't 
 believe he knows what he is talking 
 about himself." 
 
 Thoughtless words, Augusta would 
 have called them, wicked words they 
 were. Augusta would not have wil 
 lingly pained her little sister's body, 
 even by the scratch of a pin, yet she 
 was now doing her soul a fearful 
 wrong. Annie looked up to Augusta 
 as much smarter and wiser than her 
 self, and she felt ashamed that she 
 had been moved by what Augusta 
 seemed to think so tiresome. Her 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 71 
 
 half-formed resolutions to be better 
 were checked, the tender feeling at 
 her heart passed away, and she was 
 ready to add her idle words to those 
 her sister was uttering. 
 
 Those gossipping talks at the 
 church door, those needless criti 
 cisms on the sermon, their evil work 
 will not be fully known until the 
 judgment-day. If you cannot leave 
 God's house yourself in a sober 
 frame of mind, have pity on your 
 neighbours, and do not drive away 
 their good thoughts by your foolish 
 conversation. If you have found the 
 sermon dull and tiresome, keep back 
 your complaints of weariness; the 
 message which has not reached you 
 may have touched a tender chord in 
 the heart of your companion. Your 
 disrespectful remarks on your minis- 
 
72 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 ter may render his labours useless 
 just when they were taking effect. 
 " But when they have heard, Satan 
 cometh immediately, arid taketh away 
 the word that was sown in their 
 hearts." 
 
 This " snatching away" of the good 
 seed at the church door and by the 
 way-side, is truly Satan's work. 
 Who would wish to work for and 
 with the Evil One] 
 
 This was not Augusta Berridge's 
 desire or intention, but what mis 
 chief may they not do, who never 
 utter the prayers, " Cleanse thou me 
 from secret faults," " Set a watch, O 
 Lord, before the door of my lips!" 
 
 There was no more true worship 
 for little Annie that day, and when 
 she bade Charlie good-night, he saw 
 that the tender, better look, that had 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 73 
 
 stolen over at church, in the morn 
 ing, was utterly gone. 
 
 Charlie had had a busy day. His 
 Bible had been almost constantly in 
 his hand. He had his usual reading 
 in a course pointed out for him by 
 mother, and then there was the 
 Bible-class lesson, he wanted to be 
 prepared on that. 
 
 Mr. Mayer had declared it his in 
 tention to make the " Christ of the 
 Old Testament" the subject of his 
 lessons, and Charlie had been puz 
 zling over the books of Moses to find 
 some traces of the promised Saviour. 
 For prophecies he was looking, and 
 he was quite discouraged at meeting 
 so few of them. 
 
 Charlie was very familiar with the 
 Scriptures, and he had perhaps fan 
 cied that he should astonish Mr. 
 
74 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Mayer by his knowledge. Charlie 
 Clement had his own faults, just 
 those that naturally rose from his 
 energetic, self-confident nature. 
 
 Mr. Mayer sat in his little study, 
 with two candles on the table before 
 him. Mrs. Toombs had made up 
 her mind that some new plan was on 
 foot, and when Charlie Clement rang 
 the bell at seven o'clock, she would 
 by no means permit her "hired girl" 
 to go to the door. Indeed, the duty 
 of answering the bell, Mrs. Toombs 
 generally preferred to perform herself. 
 She felt herself mistress in her own 
 castle, and so bound to look well to 
 the out-posts. 
 
 Four times the bell had rung, and 
 the four lads had appeared, and then 
 Mrs. Toombs was left to quiet and 
 curiosity for the rest of the evening. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 75 
 
 Mr. Mayer had spoken in the pul 
 pit till he was quite accustomed to it, 
 but there was something that roused 
 all his diffidence at the idea of hav 
 ing young faces so near to him. 
 This feeling vanished, however, when 
 Charlie Clement came in, with his 
 frank, pleasant manner, counting on 
 the three members of the Bible-class 
 as so many treasures, in which he 
 was part owner. 
 
 Mr. Mayer had never felt more 
 solemn in his life, than when he 
 knelt down with the four boys to ask 
 the blessing of God on his new un 
 dertaking. When he closed with 
 the Lord's prayer, Charlie Clement 
 joined him, and the minister's heart 
 thrilled with pleasure, as Jack Tyler's 
 deeper tones were heard in the well- 
 known petition. It is hard to talk 
 
76 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 of one's mother and one's home to 
 uninterested hearers, much harder it 
 is to speak of Christ and heaven to 
 unresponsive listeners. It was cheer 
 ing to Mr. Mayer to hope that at 
 least half of his little class were 
 ready to hear what he had to say. 
 
 At the Garden of Eden the lesson 
 began. Mr. Mayer made the boys 
 mark all the description of its beauty 
 that is given, and then turn to the 
 description of that second garden of 
 bliss, promised in the Revelation to 
 the followers of Jesus. 
 
 How were Adam and Eve, when 
 driven from Paradise, to hope to 
 walk by the river of the Water of 
 Life, and eat of the fruit of that tree 
 whose leaves are for the healing of 
 the nations'? 
 
 The promise given to our first 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 77 
 
 parents sprang to Charlie's lips, and 
 Mr. Mayer's smile told him he was 
 right : 
 
 "The seed of the woman should 
 bruise the serpent's head. The Son 
 of Man should triumph over the 
 devil." 
 
 That Christ, suffering for sinners, 
 might have been made known to 
 Adam, Charlie had never thought; 
 and when Mr. Mayer dwelt upon 
 Abel's offering of a lamb, and Adam 
 and Eve knowing their son's sacrifice 
 to be a sign of the coming Eedeemer, 
 Charlie's eye brightened, and he ex 
 claimed, 
 
 " O how beautiful ! I like to think 
 of that. I have always been so sorry 
 for Adam!" 
 
 "We all try an experiment some 
 what like the one through which 
 8 
 
78 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Adam passed. That is, we find out 
 for ourselves that we cannot stand 
 temptation. No one is ready to give 
 himself up wholly to Christ, to be 
 redeemed and sanctified, till he feels, 
 like Adam, that he deserves to be 
 driven from Paradise, and shut out 
 by the angel with the flaming sword," 
 said Mr. Mayer. 
 
 Jack's eyes were fixed on the 
 speaker, but Charlie's were cast 
 down. Had he ever fully realized 
 that he was utterly unworthy of sal 
 vation] The question was not to 
 leave him at once, it was to abide in 
 his heart, demanding a fair and full 
 answer. 
 
 Mr. Mayer had resolved that the 
 Bible-class should have but a short 
 meeting. The hour he had fixed 
 upon had passed, yet no one looked 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 79 
 
 pleased when the rector's Bible was 
 closed, and the lesson was over. 
 Even Harry and Joseph had been in 
 tellectually interested; but Jack and 
 Charlie had felt their souls moved 
 and enlightened. So sweetly rose 
 the hymn that closed the exercises, 
 that Mrs. Toombs stole into the hall 
 to catch its sounds, and the passers- 
 by owned it as most welcome on a 
 Sabbath evening. 
 
80 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HOMELESS. 
 
 THREE weeks had passed pleasantly 
 away for Mr. Mayer. He was get 
 ting better acquainted with his peo 
 ple. At Katy Brown's cottage, he 
 was a frequent visitor; with Jack 
 Tyler he had many pleasant talks by 
 the way, to which the Saviour, ap 
 proving, listened. Charlie Clement 
 was giving his minister the sunshine 
 of his warm affection, and more than 
 one friendly hand was reached out to 
 the rector in his daily walks. 
 
 Saturday night had come, and full 
 of thankfulness Mr. Mayer had gone 
 to rest. His sleep was not to be un 
 interrupted. At midnight he was 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 81 
 
 . f 
 
 roused by the cry of fire, and by the 
 sudden flashing of red light upon his 
 window. Yes, fire in all its terrors 
 was near him. Hastily dressing him 
 self, he ran to the scene of desolation 
 and distress. Mrs. Toombs' house 
 was one of a row of low wooden 
 buildings that were crowded together 
 along the main street of Meedville. 
 The most remote of these dwelling- 
 houses was now in flames. The cry 
 that roused the rector had fallen on 
 the ears of many of his people, and a 
 crowd had already gathered, a help 
 less crowd, without an engine or an 
 adequate supply of buckets. 
 
 Some effort was made to subdue 
 the flames, but the pressing immedi 
 ate necessity seemed to be to save the 
 inhabitants from a miserable death, 
 and to secure some of their property 
 8* 
 
82 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 before it was too late. Mr. Mayer 
 was foremost among those who 
 plunged, amidst fire and smoke and 
 falling timbers, to seek out children 
 and aged sleepers, and to save the 
 little all of the sufferers. 
 
 So rapidly the fire moved on, that 
 Mrs. Toombs' house was in danger 
 before the fire had consumed the 
 building where it originated. Con 
 fused and terrified, the poor woman 
 could do nothing but hold fast to her 
 silver spoons and cry out for help. 
 Mr. Mayer calmly lent his aid, and 
 saw a portion of her furniture re 
 moved, before it was too late. The 
 roof fell in at last with a crash. 
 
 Mr. Mayer had few earthly trea 
 sures, yet his books were precious to 
 him. In his eagerness to save those 
 who were in danger, and to help the 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 83 
 
 distressed widow, with whom he had 
 made his home, he had forgotten 
 them. 
 
 Now a cheerful voice at his side 
 exclaimed, "Your books are safe, 
 Mr. Mayer. I looked after them 
 as soon as I saw how the fire was 
 spreading. They are all at our 
 house." 
 
 Charlie Clement enjoyed that mo 
 ment, and the "Thank you! thank 
 you, Charlie!" that followed. 
 
 There was no lack of homes for 
 the houseless that night. Beds of 
 straw were exchanged for beds of 
 down, and the rich made the poor 
 welcome. Mrs. Toombs, however, 
 preferred to walk a mile into the 
 country, to "stay with one of her 
 well-wishers," she said, rather than 
 to accept Mrs. Berridge's invita- 
 
84 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 tion to follow the minister to her 
 house. 
 
 Sunday morning came: the bell 
 announced the hour of the accus 
 tomed service. This was surely no 
 day on which to omit the voice of 
 prayer and thanksgiving. Yet Mr. 
 Mayer was weak and weary; his 
 store of sermons had perished in the 
 flames. 
 
 "What will Mr. Mayer do'? he 
 will break down certainly," said 
 Augusta Berridge to her mother, as 
 she took her seat in the pew. 
 
 Mrs. Berridge bowed her head, 
 and managed to say, "We shall see," 
 without any of the stir of a whis 
 pered conversation. 
 
 Never had Mr. Mayer so wholly 
 lost himself in the service. The 
 prayers he had so often spoken, came 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 85 
 
 from his lips like the free breathings 
 of his own devotional feelings. Self 
 was forgotten in the duty of the 
 present moment. 
 
 The time for the sermon came. 
 While others had been sleeping away 
 the fatigue and excitement of the 
 fire, Mr. Mayer had been deep in 
 meditation and earnest in prayer. 
 He could have stood up that day 
 before assembled nations, and opened 
 his mouth, confident that it would 
 be given unto him what to say in 
 honour of his Divine Master. 
 
 Augusta Berridge cast her eye 
 round the congregation as Mr. Mayer 
 entered the pulpit. Many who had 
 been wont to return her significant 
 glances, were now looking towards 
 the clergyman, as if they were ex- 
 
86 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 pecting to receive a message which 
 it was all-important for them to 
 hear. Charlie Clement's eyes were 
 cast down; he was silently pray 
 ing that the Spirit of God might so 
 guide and direct the speaker, that 
 his words should be "words spoken 
 in season," to bring much joy to 
 many hearts. 
 
 Ah, if the critical hearers would 
 cease to be on the watch for defects, 
 and pray for him who is about to 
 address them, then, indeed, might 
 the preached word of God become a 
 mighty engine for good. 
 
 Calmly Mr. Mayer gave out his 
 text u The Son of Man had not 
 where to lay his head." The beg 
 gared and houseless were gathered in 
 the church that day, with those who 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 87 
 
 had tenderly felt for neighbours, 
 thrust from their homes, and fami 
 lies suddenly left destitute. 
 
 The Saviour, a pilgrim without a 
 refuge, was brought before them, and 
 every eye was fixed, every ear was 
 ready to listen. 
 
 Jesus, the King of heaven, seemed 
 once more among them, sympathizing 
 with the distressed, and cheering his 
 true children to acts of kindness. 
 Jesus, the ascended Lord, was call 
 ing on the homeless of earth to share 
 his home in the skies, to ensure a 
 place in the heavenly mansions, 
 where sorrow cannot come. 
 
 Never had divine truth been so 
 preached from that pulpit; never 
 had those hearers so welcomed the 
 good seed in honest hearts. There 
 
88 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 was no gossip at the church door 
 that day. Satan snatched away 
 no good seed by idle chat by the 
 wayside. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 89 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A FALL. 
 
 CHRISTMAS had showered its gifts in 
 the lap of childhood, and breathed 
 its whispers of sacred comfort to the 
 more way-worn pilgrims of earth. 
 The New Year had opened with its 
 halo of hope, and its rainbow of good 
 resolutions. 
 
 Two months had passed since 
 Charlie Clement left his home on a 
 Southern plantation, and came to the 
 North to carry on the education that 
 had been so thoroughly and wisely 
 commenced. 
 
 His mother's kind, judicious influ 
 ence no longer surrounded him like 
 a protecting mantle. The freedom 
 9 
 
90 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 from the faults of most boys of his 
 age, which he had fancied to be the 
 result of his own better balanced 
 character, or the natural offspring of 
 his principles, was to be sorely tested. 
 The manliness which had been 
 most attractive when it had developed 
 in a son, guarding and sustaining a 
 widowed mother, became less agree 
 able in the boy, left his own master, 
 and ungoverned even by a soft ma 
 ternal hand. 
 
 The idea of his own power and 
 strength to do all, and know all, 
 daily increased in Charlie. Augusta 
 made sport of him, and called him 
 "Mr. Pomperosity," and Annie looked 
 up to him as the wonder he seemed 
 to think himself; but Mr. Mayer saw 
 with deep pain the change that was 
 coming over his dear young com- 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 91 
 
 panion. His gentle warning seemed 
 to have no effect, yet he did not 
 despair. His quiet influence might 
 yet do something, and that he 
 brought to bear, by being much in 
 tha society of the youthful parishion 
 er, who was so dear to him. Mr. 
 Mayer really believed that Charlie 
 was a true child of God, and would 
 not be suffered to fall a prey to the 
 temptations of one great fault. For 
 him he prayed most fervently, yet 
 trembled while he prayed, lest only 
 the severest discipline should bring 
 back the wanderer to the humility of 
 a follower of Jesus. 
 
 The time for the confirmation was 
 approaching, yet Charlie was not 
 very regular at the services the rec 
 tor had appointed as a preparation 
 for that rite ; he seemed to think his 
 
92 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 preparation so thorough, that he 
 needed no added word of counsel, no 
 closer self-examination. 
 
 A bright Saturday, early in Feb 
 ruary, had come. The snow made 
 white the country far and wide, and 
 the merry sleigh-bells sounded out 
 through the streets of Meedville, and 
 over the glittering meadows. 
 
 Light "cutters" and fast horses 
 were in requisition that day, and 
 Charlie Clement had determined to 
 have a ride. Early in the morning 
 he engaged an establishment to his 
 taste, and at two o'clock he appeared 
 at Mrs. Berridge's door, as full of 
 merriment as if life was all careless 
 boyhood. 
 
 Augusta soon came out, all wrap 
 ped in furs, and full of smiles. Char 
 lie was just handing her into the 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 93 
 
 sleigh, in his best style, when Mrs. 
 Berridge's face appeared at the par 
 lour window. The sash was thrown 
 up in a moment, and the mother ex 
 claimed, 
 
 "Charlie, Charlie! stop! You are 
 not going to drive Black Fury]" 
 
 "Why not? I am used to horses. 
 Never fear, aunt, I know what I am 
 about." 
 
 "But Augusta! I don't dare to 
 trust you," began Mrs. Berridge. 
 Charlie was by this time in his seat, 
 and in another moment the spirited 
 horse was moving down the street at 
 full speed. 
 
 Mrs. Berridge cast a long, anxious 
 glance after the little party, and did 
 not move from the window until the 
 sound of the bells died upon the ear. 
 
 The keen air and the rapid motion 
 9* 
 
94 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 were exhilarating, and Charlie urged 
 on his horse at headlong speed. He 
 had entered one of the lanes near 
 Meedville, when bells were heard 
 ringing loudly behind them. 
 
 Augusta turned her head, and ex 
 claimed, 
 
 "It is Harry Dewitt! Don't let 
 him pass us!" 
 
 There was no danger of any one's 
 passing Black Fury when he was 
 excited by the sound of horses' feet 
 behind him. On he sped, as if un 
 conscious of the light vehicle attach 
 ed to him, while Charlie vainly en 
 deavoured to rein him in. 
 They were now beyond the beaten 
 road, and Charlie knew not which 
 way to steer among the snowdrifts 
 and gulleys which extended from 
 fence to fence. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 95 
 
 Black Fury plunged madly on, the 
 sleigh was but a plaything to the 
 strong horse in his excitement. He 
 stopped not even when it was turned 
 on one side, and Augusta found her 
 self lodged in a bed of snow. It 
 would have been happy for Charlie 
 if he had found as soft a resting- 
 place. His arm caught in the reins 
 as the sleigh went over, and with it 
 he was dragged along, now dashed 
 against the runners, now whirling 
 through the snow, furrowing it as he 
 passed. The reins broke at last, and 
 Charlie was left senseless by the 
 road-side. 
 
 Harry Dewitt had taken Augusta 
 into his sleigh with some pride; he 
 was not unwilling to have a little tri 
 umph over Charlie, who was particu 
 larly proud of his skill as a "whip." 
 
96 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Harry had no idea of following the 
 mad course of Black Fury. " I ought 
 not to risk Miss Augusta's life," he 
 said to himself; but not without a 
 feeling of shame, he turned his 
 horse's head towards Meedville. 
 
 Charlie was not to lack a friend in 
 his extremity. Jack Tyler had been 
 out with his wood-sled, and had just 
 turned a corner which led to the 
 lane, when the maddened horse, 
 which Charlie had driven, dashed 
 past him. Jack did not stop to pur 
 sue the horse, for he felt sure that he 
 was needed in the contrary direction. 
 On he went, plodding as fast as he 
 could through the deep snow, leaving 
 his trusty horses to follow him at 
 their own gait. 
 
 Charlie did not know whose strong 
 arms were folded tenderly around 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 97 
 
 him. He did not see the honest face 
 that was wet with tears as it bent 
 over him. He could not know that 
 eager observers appeared at the win 
 dows, as he was carried through 
 Meedville, as helpless a burden as 
 the wood upon which he was laid. 
 Very different were his feelings when 
 upon that humble sled, from those at 
 his departure, so full of pride and 
 
 joy- 
 Charlie Clement was restored to 
 consciousness, to find himself the 
 tenant of a body racked with pain, 
 and stiffened in every limb. He 
 knew his aunt was not fond of nurs 
 ing; he knew it cost her stout figure 
 an exertion to be moving continu 
 ally; yet he had to see her waiting 
 upon him, and to know that it was 
 his own folly that had made him 
 
98 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 helpless as an infant. Even the 
 keeper of the livery-stable had warned 
 him against the horse he had chosen 
 to drive, yet he had been willing 
 presumptuously to risk his own life, 
 and that of another. But he had 
 been spared. O that thought ! Char 
 lie dwelt on it with deep gratitude, 
 but gratitude mingled with bitter re 
 pentance. In the silence of his sick 
 room a phantom seemed to rise be 
 fore him, a phantom from which he 
 would gladly have turned his eyes. 
 He saw himself, full of presumption 
 and self-importance, and he was sick 
 at heart. Where was the modesty 
 that is becoming in youth 1 Where 
 was the humility, without which 
 piety must become an empty name I 
 Charlie Clement saw himself, and 
 he was humbled in dust and ashes; 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 99 
 
 but, blessed be God, when our eyes 
 are opened to behold our own sinful- 
 ness, He pours into them the light of 
 the Sun of Righteousness, and com 
 forts with this vision of mercy and 
 redeeming love. 
 
 Now came the faithful words of 
 a friend. Mr. Mayer did not say, 
 "Peace! peace!" until he was sure 
 that the arrow of heaven had pierced 
 even to the depths of the soul. He 
 brought home the rebuke that was 
 needed, before he poured in the oil 
 of consolation. 
 
 Charlie Clement had learned this 
 lesson; No religious habits, no 
 faithful training, can keep the young 
 Christian from sin. He falls when 
 exposed to temptation, unless watch 
 ing unto prayer, and upheld by the 
 power that sitteth in the heavens. 
 
100 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Charlie's fall might seem little to 
 lookers on, but he knew himself how 
 far he had wandered from the true 
 spirit of a follower of Christ. Hum 
 ble as a little child he lay in his sick 
 room, while others were to enjoy the 
 privilege of openly professing them 
 selves servants of the "meek and 
 lowly Jesus." 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 101 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE CONFIRMATION. 
 
 THE church at Meedville was crowd 
 ed. Many had come merely as spec 
 tators to the confirmation service; 
 many more as devout worshippers. 
 The bishop stood in the chancel. 
 The persons to be confirmed were 
 called on to come forward. A sun 
 burnt youth, whose broad shoulders 
 proved him familiar with toil, walked 
 slowly up the aisle. No faltering 
 thought, no fear of man, slackened 
 his usual bold, firm tread. He 
 moved gently, to keep pace with the 
 aged woman who leaned on his arm. 
 Poor, and coarsely clad, was Katy 
 10 
 
102 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Brown. There was no charm in her 
 dark and wrinkled features, yet at 
 her Mr. Mayer looked tenderly and 
 anxiously, as she drew near the 
 chancel. In that worn and weary 
 body was an immortal soul, a soul 
 that had been brought into the ful 
 ness of the gospel light. Yes, that 
 aged woman was the first fruits of 
 Marshall Mayer's ministry, and he 
 rejoiced over her with great joy. 
 Jack, he had guided and directed, but 
 to Katy, it had been his blessed pri 
 vilege to declare the truth, as it is in 
 Jesus. 
 
 Who can describe the devout in 
 terest of the faithful pastor as he 
 heard the words, "Defend, O Lord, 
 this thy servant, with thy heavenly 
 grace, that she may continue thine 
 for ever, and daily increase in thy 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 103 
 
 Holy Spirit more and more, until she 
 come unto thine everlasting king 
 dom." 
 
 For Jack there might yet be a 
 hard struggle, a battle "unto blood" 
 with temptation; but the old pilgrim 
 was near her journey's end. . She 
 had but the dark valley to pass, and 
 she would enter into the rew'ard pur 
 chased for the penitent by the blood 
 of Jesus. 
 
 O, the riches of the mercy of 
 Christ! Who would not enlist under 
 this Captain of our salvation'? Who 
 would not labour in the vineyard of 
 such a Lord? 
 

 104 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ANNIE'S WORK. 
 
 "!T is almost worth while to have 
 been shut up so long, to be so glad to 
 be with you all again," said Charlie 
 Clement, with one of his old bright 
 smiles. 
 
 The family circle upon which 
 Charlie looked was indeed a cheerful 
 one. Gathered about the centre- 
 table sat Mrs. Berridge, Augusta, 
 and Annie, each as busy as if con 
 vinced that industry was the secret 
 of happiness. Mrs. Berridge was 
 knitting an Afghan, and the portion 
 of her completed work lay across her 
 lap, its gay stripes seeming the 
 brighter for the brilliant gas-light 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 105 
 
 that fell upon them. Mrs. Berridge 
 was just one of those ladies who 
 seemed most in her place when sit 
 ting in her own parlour, occupied 
 about some pretty work. There was 
 a quiet, settled look in her stout 
 figure, and a sort of .repose in her 
 face, that made one feel rested to look 
 at her. 
 
 Augusta, on the contrary, was all 
 animation; when her mouth opened, 
 her black eyes sparkled, and her slen 
 der note seemed to grow sharper, and 
 do its part towards the vivacious ex 
 pression of her face. Augusta was 
 drawing, and she handled her pencil 
 with a skill that made it a pleasure 
 to watch her. 
 
 Charlie took up the spirited head 
 of Apollo, which she was just finish 
 ing, and gave it the glance of a con- 
 10* 
 
106 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 noisseur. He was about to hazard 
 some criticisms, and to make some 
 mythological allusions, that were 
 more calculated to show his own 
 powers, than to please the hearers, 
 when there was a whisper at his 
 heart that checked him. With a 
 well-deserved 'compliment on the 
 execution, he handed it back to 
 Augusta, who took it with a laugh, 
 and said, 
 
 "I think Mr. Pomperosity died in 
 your sick room. Do you think that 
 one of the Siamese twins will be able 
 to live without the other. Eh, 
 Charlie 1" 
 
 "I hope so," said Charlie, soberly. 
 
 "You ought not to call Charlie 
 names," said Annie, looking protec 
 tively at her cousin. 
 
 " You need not stand to your arms 
 
CR, ALL CAN HELP. 107 
 
 on all occasions, Annie, when Char 
 lie is spoken to," said Augusta, not 
 very pleasantly. 
 
 "Annie and I are fast friends," 
 said Charlie, with a fond look at his 
 little cousin. "Come, Annie, let me 
 see your work]" 
 
 Annie thrust her hands under the 
 table. Her work was not truly such 
 as would please an artist's eye. She 
 was embroidering on a piece of brown 
 broadcloth such flowers as no botan 
 ist could have recognised; even the 
 leaves were of angular forms, which 
 might be sought for in vain in na 
 ture. 
 
 Annie was a fat, comfortable, ten 
 der-hearted little girl of ten, but by 
 no means sensitive. Charlie could 
 not account for the sudden bashful- 
 ness that had overtaken her. 
 
108 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 At Charlie's urgent request she 
 exhibited her work, and reluctantly 
 owned that she was making a watch- 
 case. 
 
 "A watch-case!" said Augusta, 
 with a laugh, "I thought it was a 
 bag for some baby's silver porringer, 
 or, perhaps, a sacred retreat for some 
 worthy potato, to which a small spe 
 cimen of the same kind had grown 
 fast. Who is it for, pray?' 
 
 " Let me see if it will fit," said 
 Charlie, taking out his watch, and 
 slipping it into the case. 
 
 " The watch is like truth, hid in a 
 well," said Augusta. "It can't be 
 for you, Charlie, so draw your watch 
 up from the depths." 
 
 "Don't say any more about it, 
 Charlie," whispered Annie, beseech 
 ingly, ft i 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 109 
 
 " Who will go and get my books 
 for me]" said Charlie. "I am in a 
 studying mood." 
 
 Annie hastened to oblige her cou 
 sin, while Augusta laughingly said, 
 
 "I wonder Mrs. Toombs allows 
 Mr. Mayer to come here to hear you 
 recite. I don't think she has ever 
 forgiven us for keeping him that 
 whole fortnight after the fire. She 
 is a queer being. I wonder what 
 such people were made for]" 
 
 " Made to do some particular good 
 work, no doubt," said Charlie. " But 
 here comes my books, and I must 
 go to studying in earnest." 
 
 Charlie had never studied so faith 
 fully as since Mr. Mayer had kindly 
 offered to act as his tutor until he 
 should be able to reappear at the 
 academy. Charlie's perfect recita- 
 
110 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 tions left time enough during the 
 appointed hour for much that was 
 interesting in the way of explan 
 ations. Often the hour closed with 
 a pleasant, profitable talk between 
 the minister and his young parish 
 ioner, which was to have its impres 
 sion when the things of this world 
 have passed away. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 ANNIE'S VISIT. 
 
 THE fire which had burned Mr. 
 Mayer's sermons, and left him with 
 out a home, had been by no means 
 an enemy. The sermons that he 
 had laboured over at the seminary, 
 or wrought out in his study since his 
 arrival at Meedville, had been profit 
 able to his mind, by way of discip 
 line, but with them his heart had 
 had little to do. They were fit for 
 the fire; like a boy's old latin exer 
 cises, they had fulfilled their end, 
 and were to be cast aside for better 
 things. 
 
112 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Mr. Mayer now knew his people. 
 He loved them, he felt for their 
 wants, and to them he spoke, when 
 he entered the pulpit, for them he 
 wrote in his study. They knew that 
 they were directly addressed by a 
 friend who had their best interest at 
 heart, and they listened, and took 
 home his earnest appeals and faithful 
 counsel. 
 
 Members of the parish who had 
 thought little of their minister or 
 his home, had their sympathies called 
 out towards him, when his wardrobe 
 was burnt, his study furniture de 
 stroyed, and he was forced to accept 
 the kind invitation of Mrs. Berridge 
 to make her house his home. 
 
 Mrs. Toombs soon found a house 
 placed at her disposal, at an uncom 
 monly low rent, and found other 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 113 
 
 hands than hers interested in pro 
 viding for the rector's comfort. 
 
 No one acknowledged who had 
 placed the new suits in his bedroom 
 closet. No one claimed the credit of 
 new furnishing the study. Stout 
 farmers and country shopkeepers who 
 had given themselves no concern 
 about their minister when he seemed 
 comfortable, had found pleasure in 
 relieving him in his unexpected diffi 
 culties. They knew what they had 
 done, and they felt an added interest 
 in one for whom they were able to 
 do something. 
 
 And Mrs. Berridge, had she no 
 part in this work of love I Appa- 
 rantly none; yet Mr. Mayer re 
 ceived through the post-office a blank 
 envelope containing a fifty dollar 
 11 
 
114 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 note ; from whom else could it have 
 cornel 
 
 These nameless kindnesses made 
 Mr. Mayer feel that he was among 
 friends, and his stiffness gave way to 
 a frank and kindly manner that 
 strengthened the pleasant relations 
 growing up between him and his 
 people. 
 
 Mr. Mayer was sitting in his study 
 one morning in April. There was a 
 timid ring at the door. Mrs. Toombs 
 was at her post in a moment; mo 
 tioning back the "hired girl," who 
 was peeping after her, round the 
 corner of the entry, the little wo 
 man opened the door. There stood 
 Annie Berridge, looking by no 
 means as calm and comfortable as 
 usual. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 115 
 
 "Is Mr. Mayer at home]" asked 
 the little girl. 
 
 "Yes. What shall I tell him?" 
 said Mrs. Toombs, standing in front 
 of Annie. 
 
 Annie fumbled nervously at a lit 
 tle parcel in her hand, and then re 
 peated her question, 
 
 " Is Mr. Mayer at home?" 
 
 Mrs. Toombs was suspicious of 
 any intercourse between her lodger 
 and Mrs. Berridge's family. She 
 seemed to have conceived a vague 
 notion that there was a plan to decoy 
 him away, which it was her duty to 
 check in the bud. She now looked 
 at the parcel most significantly, and 
 said, 
 
 "Shall I give it to him?" 
 
 Annie was about to render up. 
 
116 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 helplessly, her treasure, when .Mr. 
 Mayer himself appeared. 
 
 It would have been a great disap 
 pointment to Annie to go away with 
 out an interview, and her face grew 
 proportionably bright at the sight of 
 the rector's face. 
 
 "Come in, Annie, how do you do 
 this morning'?" he said, kindly taking 
 her hand. The air was chilly, and 
 there was a cheerful wood fire on 
 the study-hearth. "Come and warm 
 your fingers," said Mr. Mayer, draw 
 ing Annie towards the bright flame. 
 
 Mrs. Toombs fidgetted uneasily, 
 but retreated down the hall, at length, 
 without even speaking to the "hired 
 girl," who was still at her post of 
 observation. 
 
 It seemed to take Annie a great 
 while to warm her hands. She held 
 
1 1 made this for your watch/' Page 117. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 117 
 
 them up before the fire long after 
 they were perfectly comfortable. The 
 package had been hastily thrust into 
 her pocket. She had given a most 
 minute and satisfactory account of 
 the health of all the family, before 
 she could make up her mind to begin 
 the ceremony of presentation. As to 
 this same ceremony, she had given 
 herself much thought, and had plan 
 ned exactly what she would say; 
 now, however, her most suitable re 
 marks had forsaken her, and she 
 could only stammer out, 
 
 "I made this for your watch, and 
 so I came to bring it." 
 
 Mr. Mayer unfolded the little par 
 cel, and took out the result of An 
 nie's labours. Such a watch-case had 
 not often been seen, yet Mr. Mayer 
 looked at it with as much pleasure as 
 11* 
 
118 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 if it were an exquisite work of art. 
 He knew that love had prompted the 
 gift, and it was very precious. 
 
 Affection was all the more wel 
 come to Mr. Mayer, because he had 
 been so long alone in the world, a 
 mere student, without a family circle 
 or a home. Affection he prized for 
 its own sake ; he moreover knew that 
 if he wished to lead his young pa 
 rishioners heavenward, they must 
 place their hands lovingly and trust 
 fully in his. 
 
 Now, he looked very kindly at 
 Annie, as he thanked her for her 
 gift. 
 
 " See, how nicely it fits," he said, 
 as he placed his great silver watch in 
 the case. "You could not have done 
 better if you had taken its mea 
 
 sure." 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 119 
 
 Annie looked curiously at the 
 watch, and Mr. Mayer put it in her 
 hand. The watch was covered with 
 deep chasings, and was as thick as 
 two watches, such as are now made. 
 " This was my grandfather's watch," 
 said Mr. Mayer, opening it, and 
 showing the works. Annie watched 
 the silent motion of the wheels, while 
 Mr. Mayer went on to say, 
 
 " So it went, tick, tick, when my 
 good grandfather was alive. His 
 wonderful body wore out, and was 
 laid in the grave, yet here the watch 
 is going, going still. Does a watch 
 then last longer than a man]" 
 
 Annie looked up suddenly, as she 
 answered, 
 
 "Yes! No! A kind of a way." 
 
 "It lasts longer than a man's body, 
 but the watch has no soul to live for 
 
120 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 ever, when it is worn out," said Mr. 
 Mayer. " It is only made for use in 
 this world. Yet how carefully we 
 use it, what pains we take lest it 
 should be injured. Is not a soul 
 worth as much trouble? It needs to 
 be guarded and kept from harm, too; 
 but does it not need something 
 more]" 
 
 " It needs to be made better," said 
 Annie, modestly. 
 
 "Yes, it needs [to be placed in 
 Jesus' hands to be made pure, and 
 kept in the right way, here on earth, 
 and then it will be his in the happy 
 home in heaven. Does not Jesus 
 hear when children pray, Annie V 9 
 
 "I suppose so; but it seems as if 
 he could not understand what chil 
 dren want, as he does grown-up peo 
 ple." 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 121 
 
 " Dear little Annie, you know that 
 Jesus was once a child. You remem 
 ber very well what happened yester 
 day. Jesus never forgets, he cannot 
 forget. He remembers as well now 
 when he was a little boy at Nazareth, 
 as you do what you saw and heard 
 but a moment ago. He knows what 
 it is to live in a child's body, and to 
 have a child's troubles. He had pa 
 rents to obey, and young companions 
 to make happy. He has not forgot 
 ten a child's feelings, he can sympa 
 thize with you, when no one else can. 
 You must learn to love him, and to 
 go to him in all your joys and trou 
 bles." 
 
 As Mr. Mayer closed, Annie looked 
 up earnestly into his face, and said, 
 with a great effort, three simple 
 words "I am trying." Three sim- 
 
122 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 pie words they were, yet they filled 
 the heart of the rector with pure 
 joy. Poor little Annie! it cost her 
 such a struggle to make this confes 
 sion, that her eyes flowed out sud 
 denly. It was, to her, a profession 
 of Christ her first owning to any 
 human being that she wanted to take 
 him for her Master. Mr. Mayer 
 knelt down with the little girl, and 
 spoke for her to the loving Saviour, 
 who was once a child. 
 
 When Annie went forth from 
 that room, it was with the pleasant 
 thought that Jesus was to be with 
 her by the way-side and in her home. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 123 
 
 '. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A BLACK SHADOW. 
 
 FARMER W ATKINS'S eyes were heavy 
 with sleep ; he was for once weary 
 not with working, but with watching. 
 He could have borne harvesting but 
 with a single hand to help him, bet 
 ter than this standing by a sick-bed, 
 day and night. A woman's business 
 he said it was; and yet it was plain 
 his heart was in it. 
 
 Farmer Watkins was a bachelor, 
 and not much in the habit of looking 
 out for other people's comfort; but 
 there was one man on his place who 
 had managed to get a hold upon him 
 which seemed to triumph over selfish 
 ness. Farmer Watkins loved and 
 
124 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 respected Jack Tyler, and he could 
 not see him stretched on a sick-bed 
 without many a pang. Jack had 
 been seized with a malignant fever; 
 two days and nights his employer 
 had been at his side, nursing him as 
 tenderly as was consistent with his 
 rough hands and rougher ways. 
 
 Now night was settling over the 
 farm-house, and sleep seemed threat 
 ening to take an equally firm hold of 
 the watcher. Farmer Watkins paced 
 the room, shook himself, reminded 
 himself of the medicines to be given 
 at every half hour through the night. 
 He looked at Jack, tossing, and mur 
 muring strange nonsense, as the fever 
 was on him. No! the good fellow 
 should have proper care; with stern 
 determination in his face, the farmer 
 took his seat. His eyes, notwith- 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 125 
 
 standing his resolutions, were begin 
 ning to close, when there was a rap 
 at the outer door. A hand soon 
 beckoned the farmer from his post. 
 
 Mr. Mayer was in the hall below. 
 He had come, he said, to pass the 
 night with Jack. Farmer Watkins 
 looked at the minister, and exclaim 
 ed, " It's catchin', the fever is. You 
 are worth too much to be took down 
 that way. No, no! I can stand it 
 out a good piece longer." 
 
 The farmer felt very wide awake 
 in the fresh air of the hall, but when, 
 a half hour afterwards, he lay on his 
 own bed, he slept as if he was in 
 a trance, save that his deep snores 
 sounded through the house like the 
 voice of a trumpet. 
 
 Through the weary night hours 
 sat Mr. Mayer by the bed of Jack 
 12 
 
126 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Tyler. The sufferer knew a gentle 
 hand ministered to him, and now and 
 then a strange glance of half-puzzled 
 recognition lighted up his features. 
 
 Those ravings, those muttered 
 words of delirium, were poor com 
 panionship in the midnight hour; 
 yet even in them the minister found 
 comfort. They were but the upturn 
 ing of a mind where evil had been 
 allowed no resting-place, and habits 
 of sin were strangers. Jack had 
 fallen into a quiet doze, when, in the 
 gray dawn, the farmer appeared at 
 the door. Refreshed by his night's 
 sleep, he realized all the more the 
 kindness of the "friend in need" 
 who had relieved him at his post, 
 and his thanks were in proportion to 
 his appreciation of the service ren 
 dered him. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 127 
 
 A messenger on horseback had 
 come with a summons for Mr. Mayer. 
 The same fever that had prostrated 
 the strong woodman, Jack Tyler, and 
 closed for ever the eyes of old Katy 
 Brown, has filled Augusta Berridge's 
 veins with fire. Augusta's mind still 
 had its power to think and reason; 
 that power but rendered more fearful 
 the agony she endured agony both 
 of body and mind. Her present suf 
 ferings seemed to bring before her a 
 faint image of what might be in store 
 for her soul that soul to which she 
 had given so little thought in her 
 days of health. And was her mother 
 her guide and comforter in this time 
 of distress] Alas, for Mrs. Berridge! 
 she knew not the Heavenly Friend 
 after whom her daughter was feeling 
 in the midst of a "horror of great 
 
128 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 darkness." She knew not the way 
 to the foot of the cross; like Augusta, 
 she was but beginning to seek that 
 which she should first have sought, 
 "the kingdom of heaven, and its 
 righteousness." 
 
 Again.and again, in Augusta's sick 
 room, Mr. Mayer had lifted up the 
 voice of prayer. Where duty called, 
 Marshall Mayer could go, though 
 with every breath he might take in 
 a fatal disease. 
 
 Now he urged his horse onward, 
 as he hastened to the saddened home 
 of Mrs. Berridge. 
 
 Annie noiselessly opened the door, 
 and Charlie silently extended a hand 
 to him in the hall. To the bedside 
 of jthe altered girl he was promptly 
 led. 
 
 "Where was the sparkling vivacity 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 129 
 
 that had distinguished Augusta Ber- 
 ridge a few short weeks before] Sad, 
 sunken eyes looked forth from her 
 thin, pale face, and no words of sar 
 castic mirth came from her parched 
 lips. Yet those lips had been able 
 to cry, "God be merciful to me a 
 sinner!" those sad eyes had been 
 lifted to Heaven. 
 
 Mr. Mayer knew that he was in 
 the presence of a soul trembling on 
 the brink of eternity; and O how 
 tenderly, how faithfully he pictured 
 the blessed Jesus, coming to seek and 
 to save them that were lost. How, 
 like a child drawing near to a father, 
 he drew near to God, asking his best 
 blessings of mercy for her who so 
 "earnestly desired pardon and for 
 giveness." 
 
 Would the Saviour stoop to one 
 12* 
 
THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 sinner more, and lift her soul from 
 the dust? Would Augusta Berridge 
 be raised up to serve her Maker'? 
 
 Who can tell the issues of life and 
 death! Who knows, lying down at 
 evening, if he will rise in the morn 
 ing'? Who knows when the petted 
 body will sicken and die, and the 
 neglected soul be called to account? 
 
 This only we know, "God waiteth 
 to be gracious." Unto us he saith, 
 "Now is the accepted time, now is 
 the day of salvation." 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 131 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 PUEER AIR. 
 
 MEEDYILLE had been considered one 
 of those healthy places, where it is of 
 no use for young doctors to settle. 
 There was no part of the quiet coun 
 try town given up to wickedness and 
 dirt, those great fosterers of disease 
 and death. 
 
 Now and then an infant was laid 
 in its quiet tomb, like a flower drop 
 ped on the bosom of mother earth. 
 Now and then a hoary head drooped, 
 as the ripened seed, and like that 
 seed, was planted, to rise on the 
 resurrection morn. 
 
 Occasionally some young, fair girl, 
 or a man in the fulness of his 
 
132 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 strength, was called to lie down and 
 die, as if to say, in words too start 
 ling to be mistaken, "Watch, there 
 fore, for ye know not the day or the 
 hour when the Son of Man cometh." 
 So it had been at Meedville, since 
 the now white-haired settlers made 
 for themselves, in their youth, a 
 home in the wilderness. No pesti 
 lence had ever prevailed in the 
 favoured spot; and but for his own 
 independent income, the slow-moving, 
 cheerful-looking old doctor would 
 have had to give up his profession, 
 and devote himself to some more 
 money-making business. 
 
 The sudden appearance of a malig 
 nant, contagious fever among them, 
 had struck the people of Meedville 
 with a fearful panic. The stout 
 hearted failed in this time of need; 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 133 
 
 and there were more to take the swift 
 cars, and flee from the scene of con 
 tagion, than to stand by the bedsides 
 of the sufferers, with the patient ten 
 derness of a skilful nurse. 
 
 It was at this time that Marshall 
 Mayer moved among the sick and 
 dying, to soothe the pain-racked 
 body, and comfort the sin-sick soul. 
 He had no near relations to mourn 
 his loss; no home would be left deso 
 late if he were taken away. Per 
 haps these circumstances made it 
 easier for him to peril his life where 
 others dared not to go; but the great 
 well-spring of his courage was his 
 deep conviction that death could have 
 no terrors for him, for his Lord had 
 died. 
 
 The friends who gather round us 
 in health, and add their joy to ours, 
 
134 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 are dear; but dearer are those who 
 come to us when sickness makes 
 dreary the family hearth, and silences 
 the voice of mirth. Ah! how we 
 prize the friend that comes like a 
 sister to relieve the worn-out nurses, 
 and give the sufferer a placid face to 
 look upon, not yet marked with the 
 weariness of long watching! How 
 we welcome the manly form that can 
 bow at the sick-bed with a woman's 
 tenderness, yet lends its strength, 
 like a rock, for the helpless to rest 
 upon! 
 
 Years of ordinary ministry might 
 have done less to draw Marshall 
 Mayer near to his people than did 
 those few dark, dark weeks, when 
 fever hung round them like a plague. 
 They could not but love the friend 
 who had been their human stay in 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 135 
 
 the time of their visitation, and had 
 taught them where to seek for a sup 
 port that would not fail them when 
 called to go through the deep waters 
 of affliction, or to enter the valley of 
 the shadow of death. Mr. Mayer's 
 regular, temperate life, and his vigor 
 ous constitution, had prepared him 
 to endure great fatigue. Though. 
 Mrs. Toombs daily fretted at his ex 
 posing his valuable life, and daily 
 looked to see him laid upon his sick 
 bed, he did but grow a little paler 
 and thinner, while his face took a 
 more and more sweetly placid ex 
 pression. The good woman at length 
 gave over her murmurings, and ex 
 pended her energies in preparing 
 cooling drinks for fevered lips, and 
 nourishing food for the convale 
 scents. 
 
136 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 Health once more began to throb 
 in Jack Tyler's veins. Augusta Ber- 
 ridge, too, was coming back to life, 
 looking like a shadow from the spirit 
 land. Jack was rising up to be 
 doubly pledged to a life of useful 
 ness, and Augusta thought her soul 
 as much changed as her poor altered 
 body. Her soul was changed truly; 
 it was now her chief wish and pur 
 pose to obey and serve her Heavenly 
 Father, rather than follow the evil 
 promptings of her own evil nature. 
 This change had taken place, but 
 Augusta had her natural character 
 to struggle with, her wrong habits 
 to overcome. She had a work before 
 her that could only be accomplished 
 by watchfulness and prayer. 
 
 The cloud seemed to have passed 
 away from Meedville, and many hearts 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 137 
 
 were full of gratitude. White slabs 
 had suddenly clustered among the 
 moss-grown stones of the graveyard, 
 and mourning garments had taken 
 the place of gay attire; yet the 
 scourge had proved a blessing, and 
 "the Lord and Giver of life" had 
 written many new names in his book 
 of remembrance. 
 
 13 
 
138 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A VESTRY-MEETING. 
 
 THE year for which Mr. Mayer had 
 been engaged to supply the pulpit at 
 Meedville had passed. Mrs. Toombs 
 was restless and uneasy; but Charlie 
 Clement was confident that his wishes 
 were to be realized. The Vestry 
 held their meeting; the very chil 
 dren in the street would have re 
 proached them had their decision 
 been other than it was. 
 
 Who should they have for their 
 pastor] Who would so care for their 
 souls, as the dear friend who had not 
 hesitated to risk his life on their be 
 half? They knew who was welcome 
 when the spirit saw eternity opening 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 139 
 
 before it. They knew who could 
 wipe away the mourner's tear, and 
 whisper words of consolation. They 
 knew who could win the hearts of 
 their little ones, and lead them to 
 Jesus. The meeting of the Vestry 
 was but an occasion for expressing 
 the rejoicing that Mr. Mayer could 
 be retained among them. As with 
 one voice they declared it their be 
 lief, that God had greatly blessed 
 them in sending one to labour among 
 them, who was such a faithful fol 
 lower of his gracious Lord. Mr. 
 Mayer's long years of loneliness had 
 not deadened his heart to affection, 
 and when his people, with a sponta 
 neous movement, waited upon him to 
 express their attachment, and to beg 
 him to remain among them, his heart 
 was so warmed and touched that his 
 
140 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 lips refused to speak, and but his 
 moistened eyes, for a moment, gave 
 answer; and then he broke forth in 
 the touching words of Ruth " This 
 people shall be my people, and their 
 God my God; and the Lord do so to 
 me, and more also, if aught but death 
 part them and me !" 
 
 And did the people of Meedville 
 fancy they had secured perfection in 
 their rector] No! They knew him to 
 be "a man subject to like passions as 
 themselves," heir of the same corrup 
 tion, redeemed by the same Saviour, 
 to be gradually sanctified by the same 
 Spirit. Who but one struggling 
 against sin could so feel for the 
 tempted 1 Who better than a sinner 
 clinging to the cross of Christ, could 
 point out to the despairing the only 
 sure refuge] Who but one "bought 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 141 
 
 with a price," could devote himself 
 body, soul, and spirit, to the work of 
 his Heavenly Master? 
 
 Of our Saviour it is said, " Where 
 fore in all things it behooved him to 
 be made like unto his brethren, that 
 he might be a merciful and faithful 
 high-priest, in things pertaining to 
 God, to make reconciliation for the 
 sins of the people. For in that he 
 himself hath suffered being tempted, 
 he is able to succour them that are 
 tempted." If even the Lord Jesus 
 took upon himself human flesh, that 
 he might be our compassionate Re 
 deemer, we need not wonder that no 
 perfect men are sent among us as our 
 ministers. God chooses in the midst 
 "of weakness to show his strength. 
 To those who lean wholly upon him, 
 in the fulfilment of their high com- 
 13* 
 
142 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 mission, he gives a power to become 
 holy, and a might to minister in his 
 service, that redounds all the more to 
 his honour for the weakness of the 
 instrument employed. The people 
 of Meedville had found no perfect 
 being, but they had been blessed with 
 the services of a true, conscientious, 
 devoted Christian man. He was 
 their ordained and instituted guide in 
 the heavenly way. To him they 
 meant to give not a pittance, but an 
 abundant support; not criticism and 
 opposition, but confidence and co 
 operation. They would join him in 
 his prayers, hear him in his sermons, 
 honour him by obedience to his 
 counsel. 
 
OR, ALL CA.N HELP. 143 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 CHARLIE CLEMENT was going home 
 for his vacation. Home! His very 
 heart leaped at the word. Dearer 
 than ever seemed his mother to him, 
 and he longed to be once more at her 
 side. Mingled with all this joy was 
 much regret at leaving Meedville, 
 even for a short time. There were 
 now many ties to bind him to his 
 aunt's family circle, to his dear min 
 ister, and to the church, where he 
 had first come forward to commemo 
 rate his Saviour's love. 
 
 Meedville would ever be dear to 
 
144 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 him, a place around which the most 
 delightful associations would cluster. 
 
 Charlie had been saying something 
 like this to the family circle gather 
 ed about him on the morning of his 
 departure. 
 
 " We shall all miss you sadly. I 
 never had any idea before what a 
 comfort a son might be to a widowed 
 mother," said Mrs. Berridge, fondly. 
 
 "I can't bear to let you go," 
 said Annie, drawing closer to her 
 cousin, in her affectionate way. " I 
 liked you at first, but lately you seem 
 nicer not so old, somehow." 
 
 "We must become as little child 
 ren, if we would enter the kingdom 
 of heaven," said Mr. Mayer, who was 
 enjoying the last hour of Charlie's 
 stay with him. 
 
 " Yes !" said Charlie, earnestly, and 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 145 
 
 his heart was full of humble joy. No 
 parting gift could have been so pre 
 cious to Charlie, as Annie's uncon 
 scious words. Had he then triumphed 
 in a measure over his besetting sin! 
 The thought was a spring to new 
 exertion ; new effort to seek the hu 
 mility which is the crowning grace 
 of the young Christian. 
 
 Mrs. Berridge was at this moment 
 called out of the room. The visitor 
 was no other than Mrs. Toombs, who 
 modestly refused to enter the house 
 farther than the dining-room. She 
 no longer looked on Mrs. Berridge as 
 her natural enemy, and had said, in 
 her own queer way, " I was all wrong, 
 to want nobody to sit by Mr. Mayer 
 but me. The more friends he has, 
 the better, I say now." 
 
 This morning she had come with 
 
146 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 a basket of choice sandwiches for 
 "Mr. Charlie to eat on the way, and 
 to wish him good luck, as the warm 
 est hearted boy that ever came to 
 Meedville." 
 
 When Mrs. Berridge urged her to 
 give her message in person, she 
 shrunk back in dismay, and abruptly 
 disappeared. Mrs. Toombs was still 
 Mrs. Toombs, though profiting by the 
 ministrations of her much-respected 
 rector. 
 
 Mrs. Berridge returned to the par 
 lour, and gave the basket and message 
 to Charlie. Very welcome they both 
 seemed. . 
 
 "I like her, and I thank her," said 
 Charlie. " We can't all be the same. 
 Variety is the spice of life." 
 
 Augusta was going to hazard one 
 of her old sharp remarks about Mrs. 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 147 
 
 Toombs. "But we don't want pep 
 per in puddings, or Mrs. Toombs' 
 peculiarities in a woman," she was 
 going to say; but she changed her 
 mind, and was silent. Augusta had 
 learned something about the " unruly 
 member," and was trying hard to 
 govern it. 
 
 "Have you everything ready, 
 Charlie'?" said Mrs. Berridge, with 
 a motherly, anxious look. 
 
 Charlie did not resent the imputa 
 tion upon his skill as a traveller, but 
 held up the cap in his hand, saying, 
 "I have only this to put on, Aunt." 
 
 " And that you will have to do at 
 once, for here is the hack at the 
 door," said Augusta. " You have 
 been a real good cousin to me, and 
 I can't bear to spare you," she added, 
 
148 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 in a lower voice. "Your example 
 has been a great deal to me !" 
 
 Annie had to let go her hold upon 
 her cousin, and all the good-byes 
 had to come to an end, for the cars 
 would not wait, and the slow hack- 
 horses must have full time allowed 
 them. 
 
 "I am so glad I shall have you 
 here when I come back," said Charlie 
 to Mr. Mayer, when they were seated 
 in the hack. 
 
 "And I am glad you are coming 
 back," responded Mr. Mayer. " I 
 have never told you, Charlie, how 
 your bright young face broke in upon 
 my studies, and changed the mere 
 student into something like a pastor. 
 Your visit was a real heart-warming 
 to me. I shall miss you sadly." 
 
 "And what have you not done for 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 149 
 
 me]" said Charlie, earnestly, "poor, 
 self-important boy that I was. If I 
 ever am the humble Christian I want 
 to be, I shall have to thank you for 
 setting me on my guard against my 
 besetting sin." 
 
 " Dear Charlie, every character has 
 its own peculiar faults, to be strug 
 gled against with watchfulness and 
 prayer. I will not speak of mine; but 
 I must say that a loving, earnest, young 
 parishioner, may do much for his 
 minister, in his inner work, as well as 
 his outward labours. God bless you, 
 my boy, and sustain you in all your 
 temptations until we meet again." 
 
 Very affectionate was the parting be 
 tween Mr. Mayer and Charlie. Away 
 went the happy lad to his mother 
 and his home; back returned the 
 minister to his well-beloved parish. 
 14 
 
150 THE BOY FRIEND; 
 
 We need no prophet's eye to trace 
 their future course. Each will go on 
 as he has begun. Charlie will be 
 the faithful, active, affectionate pa 
 rishioner. Taking his heart in his 
 right hand, and his purse in his left, 
 he will devote his all to the service 
 of his Maker, and ever be to his min 
 ister the tried and trusted friend; free 
 to give his sympathy and his aid in 
 every perplexity and every good 
 work. 
 
 The Rev. Marshall Mayer will fol 
 low close upon the footsteps of his 
 Divine Master. For the bodies as 
 well as the souls of his people he 
 will feel a tender interest. In their 
 temporal trials, as in their spiritual 
 need, he will be their comforter and 
 their best adviser. 
 
 To him the hoary head will look up, 
 
OR, ALL CAN HELP. 151 
 
 his hand will lead the children in the 
 way. He will not sink under the re 
 sponsibilities of his office. Cheerfully 
 hopefully, he will go forward. Trust 
 ing in the Captain of his Salvation, 
 he will be sure to come off victorious. 
 For him will be " laid up a crown of 
 rejoicing," when he shall appear in 
 the kingdom of the redeemed. For 
 him will sound the voice of welcome 
 at the gates of the heavenly city. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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