09-edward mills and george benton-第1部分

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EDWARD　MILLS　AND　GEORGE　BENTON：　　A　TALE







These　two　were　distantly　related　to　each　otherseventh　cousins；

or　something　of　that　sort。　　While　still　babies　they　became　orphans；

and　were　adopted　by　the　Brants；　a　childless　couple；　who　quickly

grew　very　fond　of　them。　　The　Brants　were　always　saying：　　〃Be　pure；

honest；　sober；　industrious；　and　considerate　of　others；　and　success

in　life　is　assured。〃　　The　children　heard　this　repeated　some　thousands

of　times　before　they　understood　it；　they　could　repeat　it　themselves

long　before　they　could　say　the　Lord's　Prayer；　it　was　painted　over

the　nursery　door；　and　was　about　the　first　thing　they　learned　to　read。　

It　was　destined　to　be　the　unswerving　rule　of　Edward　Mills's　life。　

Sometimes　the　Brants　changed　the　wording　a　little；　and　said：　

〃Be　pure；　honest；　sober；　industrious；　considerate；　and　you　will　never

lack　friends。〃



Baby　Mills　was　a　comfort　to　everybody　about　him。　　When　he　wanted

candy　and　could　not　have　it；　he　listened　to　reason；　and　contented

himself　without　it。　　When　Baby　Benton　wanted　candy；　he　cried　for　it

until　he　got　it。　　Baby　Mills　took　care　of　his　toys；　Baby　Benton

always　destroyed　his　in　a　very　brief　time；　and　then　made　himself

to　insistently　disagreeable　that；　in　order　to　have　peace　in　the　house；

little　Edward　was　persuaded　to　yield　up　his　play…things　to　him。



When　the　children　were　a　little　older；　Georgie　became　a　heavy　expense

in　one　respect：　　he　took　no　care　of　his　clothes；　consequently；　he

shone　frequently　in　new　ones；　with　was　not　the　case　with　Eddie。　

The　boys　grew　apace。　　Eddie　was　an　increasing　comfort；　Georgie　an

increasing　solicitude。　　It　was　always　sufficient　to　say；　in　answer

to　Eddie's　petitions；　〃I　would　rather　you　would　not　do　it〃

meaning　swimming；　skating；　picnicking；　berrying；　circusing；

and　all　sorts　of　things　which　boys　delight　in。　　But　NO　answer

was　sufficient　for　Georgie；　he　had　to　be　humored　in　his　desires；

or　he　would　carry　them　with　a　high　hand。　　Naturally；　no　boy　got

more　swimming　skating；　berrying；　and　so　forth　than　he；　no　body

ever　had　a　better　time。　　The　good　Brants　did　not　allow　the　boys

to　play　out　after　nine　in　summer　evenings；　they　were　sent　to　bed

at　that　hour；　Eddie　honorably　remained；　but　Georgie　usually　slipped

out　of　the　window　toward　ten；　and　enjoyed　himself　until　midnight。　

It　seemed　impossible　to　break　Georgie　of　this　bad　habit；　but　the

Brants　managed　it　at　last　by　hiring　him；　with　apples　and　marbles；

to　stay　in。　　The　good　Brants　gave　all　their　time　and　attention

to　vain　endeavors　to　regulate　Georgie；　they　said；　with　grateful

tears　in　their　eyes；　that　Eddie　needed　no　efforts　of　theirs；

he　was　so　good；　so　considerate；　and　in　all　ways　so　perfect。



By　and　by　the　boys　were　big　enough　to　work；　so　they　were　apprenticed

to　a　trade：　　Edward　went　voluntarily；　George　was　coaxed　and　bribed。　

Edward　worked　hard　and　faithfully；　and　ceased　to　be　an　expense　to　the

good　Brants；　they　praised　him；　so　did　his　master；　but　George　ran　away；

and　it　cost　Mr。　Brant　both　money　and　trouble　to　hunt　him　up　and　get

him　back。　　By　and　by　he　ran　away　againmore　money　and　more　trouble。　

He　ran　away　a　third　timeand　stole　a　few　things　to　carry　with　him。　

Trouble　and　expense　for　Mr。　Brant　once　more；　and；　besides；　it　was　with

the　greatest　difficulty　that　he　succeeded　in　persuading　the　master

to　let　the　youth　go　unprosecuted　for　the　theft。



Edward　worked　steadily　along；　and　in　time　became　a　full　partner

in　his　master's　business。　　George　did　not　improve；　he　kept　the　loving

hearts　of　his　aged　benefactors　full　of　trouble；　and　their　hands　full

of　inventive　activities　to　protect　him　from　ruin。　　Edward；　as　a　boy；

had　interested　himself　in　Sunday…schools；　debating　societies；

penny　missionary　affairs；　anti…tobacco　organizations；　anti…profanity

associations；　and　all　such　things；　as　a　man；　he　was　a　quiet　but

steady　and　reliable　helper　in　the　church；　the　temperance　societies；

and　in　all　movements　looking　to　the　aiding　and　uplifting　of　men。　　This

excited　no　remark；　attracted　no　attentionfor　it　was　his　〃natural　bent。〃



Finally；　the　old　people　died。　　The　will　testified　their　loving

pride　in　Edward；　and　left　their　little　property　to　George

because　he　〃needed　it〃；　whereas；　〃owing　to　a　bountiful　Providence；〃

such　was　not　the　case　with　Edward。　　The　property　was　left　to

George　conditionally：　　he　must　buy　out　Edward's　partner　with　it；

else　it　must　go　to　a　benevolent　organization　called　the　Prisoner's

Friend　Society。　　The　old　people　left　a　letter；　in　which　they　begged

their　dear　son　Edward　to　take　their　place　and　watch　over　George；

and　help　and　shield　him　as　they　had　done。



Edward　dutifully　acquiesced；　and　George　became　his　partner　in

the　business。　　He　was　not　a　valuable　partner：　　he　had　been　meddling

with　drink　before；　he　soon　developed　into　a　constant　tippler　now；

and　his　flesh　and　eyes　showed　the　fact　unpleasantly。　　Edward　had

been　courting　a　sweet　and　kindly　spirited　girl　for　some　time。　

They　loved　each　other　dearly；　andBut　about　this　period　George　began

to　haunt　her　tearfully　and　imploringly；　and　at　last　she　went　crying

to　Edward；　and　said　her　high　and　holy　duty　was　plain　before　her

she　must　not　let　her　own　selfish　desires　interfere　with　it：　

she　must　marry　〃poor　George〃　and　〃reform　him。〃　　It　would　break

her　heart；　she　knew　it　would；　and　so　on；　but　duty　was　duty。　

So　she　married　George；　and　Edward's　heart　came　very　near　breaking；

as　well　as　her　own。　　However；　Edward　recovered；　and　married　another　girl

a　very　excellent　one　she　was；　too。



Children　came　to　both　families。　　Mary　did　her　honest　best　to　reform

her　husband；　but　the　contract　was　too　large。　　George　went　on　drinking；

and　by　and　by　he　fell　to　misusing　her　and　the　little　ones　sadly。　

A　great　many　good　people　strove　with　Georgethey　were　always　at　it；

in　factbut　he　calmly　took　such　efforts　as　his　due　and　their　duty；

and　did　not　mend　his　ways。　　He　added　a　vice；　presentlythat　of

secret　gambling。　　He　got　deeply　in　debt；　he　borrowed　money　on　the

firm's　credit；　as　quietly　as　he　could；　and　carried　this　system　so　far

and　so　successfully　that　one　morning　the　sheriff　took　possession　of

the　establishment；　and　the　two　cousins　found　themselves　penniless。



Times　were　hard；　now；　and　they　grew　worse。　　Edward　moved　his　family

into　a　garret；　and　walked　the　streets　day　and　night；　seeking　work。　

He　begged　for　it；　but　in　was　really　not　to　be　had。　　He　was　astonished

to　see　how　soon　his　face　became　unwelcome；　he　was　astonished

and　hurt　to　see　how　quickly　the　ancient　interest　which　people　had

had　in　him　faded　out　and　disappeared。　　Still；　he　MUST　get　work；

so　he　swallowed　his　chagrin；　and　toiled　on　in　search　of　it。　

At　last　he　got　a　job　of　carrying　bricks　up　a　ladder　in　a　hod；

and　was　a　grateful　man　in　consequence；　but　after　that　NOBODY　knew

him　or　cared　anything　about　him。　　He　was　not　able　to　keep　up

his　dues　in　the　various　moral　organizations　to　which　he　belonged；

and　had　to　endure　the　sharp　pain　of　seeing　himself　brought　under

the　disgrace　of　suspension。



But　the　faster　Edward　died　out　of　public　knowledge　and　interest；

the　faster　George　rose　in　them。　　He　was　found　lying；　ragged　and　drunk；

in　the　gutter　one　morning。　　A　member　of　the　Ladies'　Temperance　Refuge

fished　him　out；　took　him　in　hand；　got　up　a　subscription　for　him；

kept　him　sober　a　whole　week；　then　got　a　situation　for　him。　

An　account　of　it　was　published。



General　attention　was　thus　drawn　to　the　poor　fellow；　and　a　great

many　people　came　forward　and　helped　him　toward　reform　with　their

countenance　and　encouragement。　　He　did　not　drink　a　drop　for　two　months；

and　meantime　was　the　pet　of　the　good。　　Then　he　fellin　the　gutter；

and　there　was　general　sorrow　and　lamentation。　　But　the　noble

sisterhood　rescued　him　again。　　They　cleaned　him　up；　they　fed　him；

they　listened　to　the　mournful　music　of　his　repentances；　they　got

him　his　situation　again。　　An　account　of　this；　also；　was　published；

and　the　town　was　drowned　in　happy　tears　over　the　re…restoration

of　the　poor　beast　and　struggling　victim　of　the　fatal　bowl。　

A　grand　temperance　revival　was　got　up；　and　after　some　rousing

speeches　had　been　made　the　chairman　said；　impressively：　　〃We　are

not　about　to　call　for　signers；　and　I　think　there　is　a　spectacle

in　store　for　you　which　not　many　in　this　house　will　be　able　to　view

with　dry　eyes。〃　　There　was　an　eloquent　pause；　and　then　George　Benton；

escorted　by　a　red…sashed　detachment　of　the　Ladies　of　the　Refuge；

stepped　forward　upon　the　platform　and　signed　the　pledge。　　The　air

was　rent　with　applause；　and　everybody　cried　for　joy。　　Everybody　wrung

the　hand　of　the　new　convert　when　the　meeting　was　over；　his　salary

was　enlarged　next　day；　he　was　the　talk　of　the　town；　and　its　hero。　

An　account　of　it　was　published。



George　Benton　fell；　regularly；　every　three　months；　but　was　faithfully

rescued　and　wrought　with；　every　time；　and　good　situations　were

found　for　him。　　Finally；　he　was　taken　around　the　country　lecturing；

as　a　reformed　drunkard；　and　he　had　great　houses　and　did　an　immense

amount　of　good。



He　was　so　popular　at　home；　and　so　trustedduring　his　sober　intervals

that　he　was　enabled　to　use　the　name　of　a　principal　citizen；　and　get

a　large　sum　of　money　at　the　bank。　　A　mighty　pressure　was　brought

to　bear　to　save　him　from　the　consequences　of　his　forgery；　and　it

was　partially　successfulhe　was　〃sent　up〃　for　only　two　years。　

When；　at　the　end　of　a　year；　the　tireless　efforts　of　the　benevolent

were　crowned　with　success；　and　he　emerged　from　the　penitentiary

with　a　pardon　in　his　pocket；　the　Prisoner's　Friend　Society　met　him

at　the　door　with　a　situation　and　a　comfortable　salary；　and　all

the　other　benevolent　people　came　forward　and　gave　him　advice；

encouragement　and　help。　　Edward　Mills　had　once　applied　to　the　Prisoner's

Friend　Society　for　a　situation；　when　in　dire　need；　but　the　question；

〃Have　you　been　a　prisoner？〃　made　brief　work　of　his　case。



While　all　these　things　were　goin