Chapter XII: Harrison's Reward

"The hand of the diligent maketh rich."

IN the course of the morning following the events narrated in the last chapter, Mr. Clarkson accompanied Mr. Kilby to the residence of Mrs. Danforth. But Harrison had already gone to improve his first holiday by a visit to Mrs. Haven's cottage. The gentleman, after a moment's consultation, determined to follow him there, and invited Mrs. Danforth to be of the party.

The young clerk, who was engaged at the moment in a game of checkers with Ella, seemed at first somewhat embarrassed at the thought that they had taken so much pains to see him, but the frank cordiality of the gentleman soon put the whole party at their ease. Mr. Kilby called his young friend one side, and endeavored to draw from him his plan for the future. But Harrison had formed none, and confessed at length that he needed rest before he could enter upon any business. The constant anxiety of mind of the last six months and the additional duties of book-keeper, besides his self-imposed task for a few weeks, had over-tasked his system, and brought on a constant headache.

The gentleman proposed at once to take him to a physician; but the youth did not consider it necessary. The open air, and entire freedom from anxiety, would no doubt restore him in time.

"Take a little trip into the country," suggested the secret partner, at the same time taking from his pocket-book a roll of bills. "You noticed, perhaps," he added, with a pleasant twinkle of his eye, "that I did not pay you nor dismiss you from my employ. I shall probably need you in settling up this unpleasant business; but as I cannot do anything until the trial comes on, it is but fair that your wages should be continued. I think you mentioned that you were hired as an errand boy, at thirteen dollars a month, with, a promise of increase of wages if you did well. Did you ever have an increase?"

"I never asked for any," answered the lad with a rosy blush.

"Well, you were entitled after the first month to twenty dollars. Why! you could hardly pay your board upon that; and Clarkson tells me you supported your mother too. Then the salary of a clerk competent to keep the accounts, ought to be at the least six hundred dollars a year; and you acted in that capacity for three months. Well, there is your pay. You needn't trouble yourself to count it over," as the youth, hardly, knowing what he was about, began to fumble among the bills. "Come, put it away. It isn't civil to be settling accounts in the presence of ladies."

"But really, sir," exclaimed Harrison, "I never expected one cent beyond the sum for which I was engaged; and setting aside the dreadful feeling that injustice would be committed, unless I contrived some way to prevent it, I learned enough of business in the store to satisfy me fully for my extra labor."

"All very fair and honest, my young friend, on your part, but very rascally and mean on mine if you don't allow me to pay my just dues. I have as yet done nothing more, but there is a great debt on my part which remains uncancelled. As you have been the means of saving me from the loss of my entire fortune, you may at least allow me the privilege of being grateful. But," added the gentleman, pitying the embarrassment of the youth, "we will talk of that some other time."

They then joined the circle where Mr. Clarkson, with Ella standing close at his side, her earnest eyes fixed upon his face, was giving the ladies an account of Harrison's confidential visit to himself.

"When he mentioned Mr. Kilby's name," he resumed, "I started to leave the room in search of the gentleman, who had arrived that very day, and who, I thought, must be somewhere about the house; but I feared that his presence might be a constraint upon the lad. When he had advanced still further in his story, I left the room to request the gentleman not to leave the hotel. After Harrison had expressed his willingness to go before a magistrate, I sent the secret partner on before, that he might be present during the interview, only saying to him that some wonderful revelations were to be made concerning the firm of Grant & Company."

"I had already entertained some suspicions that all was not right," added Mr. Kilby, "and had come on from the West with the intention of examining the books for myself. Probably had it not been for my young friend here, I should have taken the new set of books as presumptive proof that all was right. It has been a good lesson to me; and for the future I shall keep my business in my own hands."

The gentlemen then rose to take their leave; but before they went, Mr. Kilby had obtained Mrs. Danforth's consent for her son to accompany him to Saratoga early in the following week.

Mrs. Haven and Ella begged Mrs. Danforth to remain at the cottage while he was absent, the little girl pleading that it was so long since she had seen her old nurse that she wished to renew the acquaintance.

Mrs. Danforth smiled as she saw Ella whispering earnestly to Harrison that he must go back at once and bring his mother's work so that she would be contented to stay. It would be necessary also for him to make some purchases before his anticipated tour; and so, with Mrs. Haven's consent, Ella walked with him to the city to obtain the clothes which his mother needed, and make other arrangements for leaving home. He confessed to his young friend that he did not like to carry so much money about with him, and that he meant to get Mr. Cowles to deposit the most of it in a bank at once. They then proceeded to the store of a merchant tailor, where Ella gravely gave her opinion as to the fit of coats, and also as to the comparative beauty of different patterns of cravats,—the young clerk being delighted to see that, with additional experience and advance in age, her taste had improved, so that no longer as formerly did she choose the most showy colors. Plain black cravats were his preference; but, to gratify Ella, he took also one with a fine check of green and black, which she rapturously pronounced "a real beauty."

The purchases being most satisfactorily completed, the young people returned to the cottage,—rather warm and weary to be sure, but full of enthusiasm in regard to their walk.

Here, too, a pleasant surprise awaited them; for it appeared to give Ella equal pleasure as her young friend. In their absence a small parcel had arrived directed to Mr., not Master, Harrison Danforth, Vine Cottage.

"Guess before you open it," shouted the excited girl. "Let us all guess what it is."

"I, for one," commenced the lad, ceasing from his effort to untie the strings, "cannot form the least idea. I presume it is from Mr. Kilby; and he has already so loaded me with favors that I don't like to accept any more."

Mrs. Danforth, to please Ella, guessed that the parcel contained a purse to keep his money in.

Mrs. Haven confessed that she could easily fancy the contents, but would prefer not to state her opinion.

Ella then took the small, neatly tied bundle, turned it over carefully in her hands, looked very mysterious, and then said, earnestly, "I guess it's a napkin-ring. It's just about the size that my box was,—I mean the one that father's present of a napkin-ring came in."

Great was her surprise, therefore, when, having unloosed the white wrapping paper, Harrison disclosed a small green case containing a valuable watch. There it lay on its pure white satin bed, totally unsuspicious of the enthusiasm it was destined to call forth.

The young clerk gave a scream of joy, exclaiming, "Just what I have always longed for!" Ella jumped up and down and clapped her hands. Mrs. Haven smiled complacently: it was what she had fancied; while the happy mother gazed in unaffected surprise.

On the back of the watch, in the small circlet forming the centre, were the initials, L. F. K. to H. D.

The beautiful trinket was then passed around the group, and commented upon according to the different views of each. Mrs. Haven, in her turn, opened to the mechanism, to explain to him the parts and their action. It was a lever, and had thirteen jewels.

Ella then expressed a desire to see how Harrison would look wearing a watch. She had entirely forgotten her fatigue in the joy of the present occasion. He passed the ribbon around his neck, saying, with a laugh, "What should I have done, if I had not begun to wear vests?"

"Such a tall man as you," exclaimed Ella, "would look too funny in jackets. There, it becomes you very well," she added, as she stood in front of him, with her eyes fastened upon the black ribbon.

The number of times the new watch was consulted within the next hour it would be impossible to tell. At the end of that time the happy owner announced, in a tone of triumph, that it had not varied from the clock upon the mantel a quarter of a second.

At the close of the evening Mrs. Danforth took her son's arm and led him into her own room. Her heart was full to overflowing; and she longed to unburden herself to the gracious Being who had been so much better to her than her fears. While the young people had sat together in the moonlight, engaged in an animated conversation, she had been communing with her own heart, and reviewing the path by which she had been led. Now, she thought, if I could only see my dear son dedicating all his powers to the service of his Maker, I could die content. Surely, while his heart is subdued with happiness, I must urge this upon him.

"I am glad to see you alone, mother," he said, as he seated himself by her side. "Even the presence of these dear friends does not compensate me for the loss of your ever-ready sympathy."

"My dear boy!" said she, almost starting at the resemblance to his father, as he turned toward her with a glance of affection, "when I look back upon the last six months, it seems like a troubled dream."

"This has been a happy awakening, though, mother, hasn't it? Oh, I can't tell you how much I have suffered!"

"You have not suffered alone," responded the mother, softly. "My heart has yearned over you, as I saw you going forth day after day to your duties, with a cloud settling upon your brow. I could find no relief except upon my knees."

"O, mother!" cried Harrison, with a burst of feeling, "if your prayers could save me, I know I should be sure of heaven. Lately," he added, sinking his voice to a deeper tone, "I have begun in earnest to pray for myself. I have often asked myself, What have I in my own heart to keep me from being such a villain as Mr. Grant? O, mother! I wish that I were really good. I want to feel, as you do, that God is my friend."

Mrs. Danforth could not answer for her tears. At length, by a great effort calming herself, she said, "He is ready, my son. The Saviour waits to be gracious. Open your heart to the influences of the Spirit. Give up trying to win heaven by your own merits; trust in the pardoning love of Christ, and you will have peace."

"I have tried to do this, mother. I tried only yesterday. In the midst of all my trouble, I felt that I needed an Almighty arm to rest upon. I went into my room to dress; and I kneeled for a moment by my bed to ask God to forgive my sins for the sake of his Son, and to take me for his own child. But he seemed to be so exalted that I could not realize that he would attend to my humble prayer. Then I begged you to pray for me. Will you pray now, mother?"

She did pray, pouring out her whole heart in supplications for the soul of her son. She was importunate, and besought the mercy-seat as if she would not be denied the blessing.

When they arose, Harrison left the room without speaking.

The next morning, the anxious, waiting mother observed that when Ella ran to him, in her playful way, though he answered her kindly, yet his mind seemed engaged in thought. He listened with deep attention as Mrs. Haven read, according to her custom, from the Scriptures, and soon after took his hat and left the house. But two hours later, when Ella was just leaving for school, she saw him coming out of his room.

"How provoking!" she cried, "that you have been there all this time, when I wanted you so much. But come now, please, and walk to school with me."

He hesitated a moment, and said, "I was just going to find mother"; but she ran and passed him his hat from the rack, and he followed her out, She looked earnestly in his face, thinking his manner was somewhat peculiar, and then asked, "Don't you feel well this morning? you look pale."

"Ella," said he, and his voice was full of feeling, "supposing you had had a very kind friend, who had given you a pleasant home, and done everything to make you happy; and more than all, supposing he had told you that if you would only return the affection he felt for you, he would give you great riches and every blessing that you could desire, would it not be very wicked and ungrateful for you to refuse?"

"Yes, indeed, it would," was the hearty reply.

"Well, Ella, this is just what I have done all my life; and last night, while you and all the others in the house were sleeping, I arose from my bed, and resolved that I would do so no longer; that I would begin at once to love this dear, this best of friends; and, I want you to begin to love him too. Cannot you think who he is, Ella?"

"Jesus Christ," repeated the child, softly.

"I hope you will never go on as I have done," he said, "receiving favors from God, and yet refusing to give him all that he asked in return—the heart. Will you try to love the Saviour now, my dear?"

"Yes, I will," was the tearful reply.

No words of mine can describe the holy joy which filled that mother's heart when her beloved son unfolded to her the deep convictions of his mind, and the peace and love which now filled his soul.

"God has heard and answered me!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands upon her breast.

Mrs. Haven truly rejoiced with her friend at this new token of divine faithfulness.

The next day, when Harrison was going, by appointment, to call upon Mr. Kilby, in reference to their projected tour, Mrs. Danforth asked, "Would it not be better to decline the invitation? I fear it would dissipate your mind at this time." Harrison approached her and whispered, "God will be there, mother; I have given myself to him, and he will protect me from all harm."