The Iron Rule

he were away at ten o'clock, Andrew's feelings were in a state of reac

ee if yo

sited on him, decided not to come in contact with his father in this particular-at least not for the present. If turned

th these he spent an hour or two, entering into their vicious and debasing conversation, when a person with whom he had gone to see the play on the previous evening, proposed to him to go around to the theatre again. Andrew objecte

th me, then,"

is it?" a

fter nine o'cloc

ou cer

ike a short time ago. It isn't

it was late

so, come along. I w

theatre was some distance away. Just as th

ten o'clock-the hour he was required to be at home, under penalty of having the door closed against him. How troubled he felt! How strongly his heart beat! He had not intend

which he had been guilty a month previous, and felt called upon to reprimand him, therefore, with considerable harshness. The consequence was, that the boy left the table without finishing his dinner, at which his father became very much incensed. The angry feelings of the latter had not subsided when tea-time came, and he me

e house. "If there only was! But I won't think of it!" he added with impulsive quickness; an

sympathy which prevailed at home, to seek the society of those who presented a more attractiv

or as to time, he was betrayed into unintentional transgression. Not an instant did he pause on his return from the theatre, but ran all the way homeward at a rapid speed. Arriving at the door, he pulled the bell, and then st

said he to himself. "He wouldn't do that.

gain admission, however, proved unavailing; and ceasing at last to ring or knock, he sat down upon the stone steps, and covering his face with his hands, wept bitterly. For over a quarter of an hour he remained seated at

k I'm going to do, to-night? If he cared for me, would he let me sleep in the streets? I have tried to do right, but it was of no u

away with a firm step. But he had gone only a block or two, before his mind again became oppr

shall

ened; at least so much so, that it was only necessary to pull off a narrow strip of board in order to effect an entrance. With the sight of these houses came the suggestion to the mind of Andrew that he might find a place to sleep therein fo

you doing

d himself in the cus

and he stood shrinking and stammering before the officer-thus confirmi

mmenced moving down the plank that connected th

said the frightened boy, as soon

d all that. But I'll find a better place in which

e made an effort to escape. But he ran only a few yards before he was tripped up by th

, passing his heavy mace before the eyes of Andrew

his arm more f

long qu

assing under a gas-lamp, they met a lady and gentleman. The former Andrew recognized at a glance, and she knew him, even with his bloody face, and uttered a cry of surprise and alarm. It was Emily Winte

't s

urged on his daughter, and the p

lly and evil are meeting a just but severe return. His poor mother!-when she hea

g voice, while her hand shook so violently, as it rested on t

," he

e must be badly hurt. W

ume," coldly replied Mr. Winters, who did n

, and they walked the rest