Boarding Round/Chapter 20

"Well, Mr. Sears, you are beginning to assist our minister in making his pastoral calls—so I've heard." There was a peculiar look on Capt. Hale's face, and a twinkle in his eye, as he said this.

"Yes, Captain, he took me in his carriage with him when he went to call."

"You had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hawley?"

"Yes, sir; it was a remarkable occasion. I never enjoyed anything just like it before."

"I understand that he came home as you drove up, and that, standing up in his wagon, he sat down again rather prematurely. How happened it?"

"The seat was a narrow board, and he didn't quite hit it."

"Did he make any remarks about it?"

"I have an impression that he said something."

"Then you were able to hear him?"

​"Yes, Captain, quite distinctly, at times."

"Did Brother Watkins feel that Mr. Hawley received anything like a spiritual uplift, as the result of your call?"

"He didn't tell me exactly how he felt about that; but I should think that the poor man rather back-slid spirit-ually about that time. The uplift consisted in our hard pulling on his arms when he was sprawling in the mud."

"I suppose he expressed his great joy at meeting you."

"He said something about it."

"Did he speak in whispers, or talk out loud, while you were helping him out of his wagon, and the like?"

"Oh, he spoke very plain; we could hear him all right."

"Did it seem to you that he gave what might be called a proper expression to his inner experiences?"

"Exactly so—like a volcano in eruption."

"I've heard that you had to leave earlier than you meant to, because it was getting late. It's a pity that you should have lost any part of your visit."

"We did leave rather hurriedly, but we thought we had given, and received, a very good impression, as it was. The beauty of such calls, I think, is that the enjoyment should be mutual."

The conversation was interrupted by the ​coming into the room of Mrs. Paine and her little Johnny. The dear boy found it hard to stay away from grandma's room when the master was there.

The next morning was pleasant, and at the breakfast table Mr. Sears announced his purpose to walk up to the Congregational church. His school was drawing to a close, and there were but few Sundays remaining. In response to this the Captain suggested to Mrs. Hale that they drive up, and so all go together. They were liberal-minded people, and did not consider their privileges limited by sectarian lines. While loyal to their own church, they enjoyed meeting the good folks of other denominations too.

They reached the meeting house early but Mrs. Aikin and daughter were already there. The welcome which the visitors received was most hearty. The wealthy widow was the first to give it expression. "Why, how do you do, Captain Hale, and you, Mrs. Hale, and you, Mr. Sears? I am delighted to see you all here. Now let me give you seats. My pew is waiting to be filled. Usually it has no one in it but Sophrena Jane and myself. You don't know how greatly delighted I am to fill it up with my good friends and neighbors. It is so good. You are my most kind neighbors. I only wish you could be here every Sunday. It is such a pleasure to have your best friends around you, when you meet ​for worship on the Sabbath. It contributes to a spirit of devotion, too."

This was no unmeaning welcome. The enthusiastic widow believed that the Sabbath was made for man—and for woman also. So it should be made beneficial to both. Inspired by this idea, she arranged her visitors so that Mrs. Hale should enter the pew first, then Sophrena Jane, and following her, Mr. Sears, and last, the Captain. Such an arrangement was not only customary, but it approved itself to her judgment and conscience, at that time. Four persons made enough for the pew. She did not think it pleasant, when you wish to listen to the gospel, to be crowded. Accordingly, she begged the privilege of sitting in her neighbor's pew, just back of her own. While she liked to have her friends about her, she liked best of all, to have them in front of her, as then she would not be tempted, in order to see them, to take her eyes off from the minister.

The good Doctor took for his text, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

"Oh, how delightful it is! what a beautiful text!" thought the attentive widow. "That is just what I'm trying to do. And for young folks—they need to have such a high ideal. I'm so glad to have my pew filled to-day! When I took this pew—one of the most expensive in the church—I knew that ​Sophrena and I shouldn't need the whole of it; but I could make it a means of grace to others. How delightfully this subject to-day fits in! The Doctor must have been divinely directed. I think he often is."

The good widow actually wept tears of joy, as she sat listening to that sermon. It may well be believed that she never for once took her eyes, or her thoughts, from it during its delivery.

As the people came out of the church, Mrs. Aikin's inward feelings found expression in words. All agreed with her in regard to the excellency of the teaching to which they had listened.

Mr. Sears remarked to Sophrena Jane that he thought the sermon was a good one. She said that it was.

Dr. and Mrs. Colon, with many others, took pains to intercept their visitors before they should reach the door. The previous day Mr. Sears had received a note from Mrs. Colon, inviting him to take dinner with them, and also remain and spend the night. He accepted so far as the dinner and the afternoon service were concerned, but beyond that, he was not certain what he would do. So he said to Mrs. Hale, as they parted, that perhaps he might come home in the evening—possibly somewhat late.

The master, as on a previous occasion, was most delightfully entertained at Dr. Colon's. ​And the minister took pains to have a private talk with him, in regard to his prospects for life. He advised the young man, whom they had all come to esteem so highly, to pursue a course of study. He intimated that he himself might find ways to assist him, if he should need any pecuniary help. The whole aspect of things at Dr. Colon's was such as to make a powerful appeal to any young man, in the master's circumstances, and with his tastes. The result, in his case, was to bring him to the decision that he would carry out the plan which he was revolving in mind when he said to Capt. and Mrs. Hale that he was minded to walk up to the Congregational church that day. He must not stay longer at Dr. Colon's, both for their sake and his own. He thought he understood well for what particular purpose he had been so kindly entertained. He deeply appreciated it. It was the most completely unexpected incident of his whole life.

After supper, with many thanks for their kind thoughts of him, he bade his entertainers good-by, having explained that it did not seem best that he wait till morning. It was now evening, and unseen by curious eyes, he walked straight to Mr. Porter's. He could stay there an hour, and then go to his "home." He would talk with Helen in regard to the propriety of her telling her mother something, which, at this point, she ought to know. He did so. He found that Mrs. Porter had had ​her eyes open wider than the innocent pair had suspected. She had a mother's insight, but she had revealed nothing.

But the Porter family had been in grief that day. The father had come home Saturday evening dreadfully intoxicated. He had continued his drinking through Sunday, and was then sleeping it off.

A thought struck the master. He said, "I will go before another sun has set, and see if it is not possible to do something with Mr. Huggins. I'll make him promise me that he will sell no more rum to Mr. Porter. Mrs. Porter said she would be glad if he would, but she had little hope of his success. Friends had tried again and again. But Mr. Sears' mind was made up. As he lay awake nearly all of that night, his mind was made up still more resolutely. He went to Mr. Huggins' store the next morning early, before the hour for school. His heart nearly failed him as he met the man. But no; the die was cast. He had a work to do, and that work was right there, and then. He asked the rumseller if he could have a little private talk with him. They went together into a back room. Mr. Huggins thought that his boy had been "cutting up" in school, in the fashion of past years; and as he had conceived an unusual degree of respect for Mr. Sears, he was quite ready to help him out, if he had need, in managing his boy. But what was his surprise ​when the teacher told him for what he had come. He was completely taken aback. He knew very well the character of his business, but he began to make the excuses that men in such business always make. He didn't sell to men when they had had enough, and other things equally sensible. Mr. Sears would listen to no such stuff. He pointed out things as they were, in the case of one man, and held the liquor-dealer right to it. He appealed to him, by all that is best in any man, to think of what it means to keep a neighbor of his drunk, when he might be such a kind, good man. But the master must go to his school. He tried to get Mr. Huggins to promise that he would not sell to Mr. Porter for a few days at least. If he had got too much, let him steady off. And Mr. Huggins promised that he would think of it; and even asked Mr. Sears to come again.

This was hopeful. Mr. Sears did go again the next morning. After a long talk, Mr. Huggins promised that he would never sell Mr. Porter any more liquor. He said, "I respect you, Mr. Sears. You have shown yourself a man, and you have come to me like a man. You can trust me to keep my word."

There was joy in the Porter household when he came home Tuesday evening a sober man! There had been success so far. And Mr. Huggins was a man that would keep such a promise, if he had really made it. Mr. Por​ter was at first angry that they would not sell liquor to him; but after he had been entirely sober for a few days, he was more glad than any one could be for him. He was a man of a kind heart, and of excellent qualities, when he was himself.

Tuesday evening the master went to Capt. Hale's. He could not stay away with such news locked up in his breast. The Hales were delighted, yet they hoped with trembling. There had been so many failures. There was so much danger that some old crony would get hold of the reformed man, and treat him. The master asked if it were not possible to find some work for Mr. Porter, so that he need not go past the store every morning, but rather where bad associates would not be so likely to meet him. The Captain said he would think of it. Possibly he might give him work himself. For some years he had been in the real estate business, and he had also an insurance agency. He had considerable writing to do, and Mr. Porter was—or he had been once—a good penman. That was enough for Mr. Sears; he would get Mr. Porter working where he would be comparatively safe. His success in his undertaking so far, gave him hope. Now to see Mr. Porter and find out what could be done. Yet he could not do it himself. He feared there would be too much said about what he had already done for the Porters. He could see ​but one way. He must let his good friends know why he was so especially interested in the Porter family. He was perfectly sure that he would not be betrayed. So he drew his chair up close to where the Captain and his wife were sitting, and revealed to them his secret. It would be hard to tell whether they were the more surprised or delighted.

After a few days Mr. Porter could be seen each morning going to Capt. Hale's, to assist him in his office work. Every evening he could be seen going home to a very happy family.