CHAPTER XVIII. TOBACCO AND MARBLES.

 

JOEY, with Willie, came running in to hear the sweet music, and stood breathlessly, with clasped hands, and bright, eager eyes, while the music flooded through their little souls.

 

"Ah!" exclaimed Willie, at last, when the music ceased, "I think I would rather have a harp like that, learn to play, and give up the marbles; wouldn't you, Jo?"

 

"Well," replied Joey, thoughtfully, "perhaps we can have the marbles and the harp besides; may not we, Mr. Herman?"

 

"Willie," asked Herman, "do you like playing at marbles so very, very much?"

 

"Playin' marbles is bully!" exclaimed Willie.

 

"By which you mean," continued the professor, "that you like to play at marbles very much? Well; how many have you won from Joey since you went out?"

 

"All! Every one!" replied Willie, at the same time taking a large handful from his pocket, and displaying them with immense satisfaction.

 

"So you have completely robbed poor little Joey?" "Oh, I won um fair," replied Willie; "didn't I, Jo?" Joey hung his head and looked at Herman.

 

"Do you feel quite sure that you won them all fairly?" "Certain! Sure! I didn't cheat once; did I, Jo?"

 

But Joey's eyes were intently fixed on those of his teacher.

 

"Willie," said the professor, "you are somewhat older, as well as larger and stronger then Joey; then, do you think it fair play to take Joey's marbles from him?"

 

"I just bit um all, according to rule; didn't I, Jo?"

 

"Joey, not having your strength, could not play at the game as well as you could?" asked the professor.

 

"Well; big boys play at marbles with little ones," said Willie, slightly indignant, "and they always calls it fair when they beats um."

"But do you think that calling it fair makes it fair?" again questioned the professor.

"Well; I dunno," replied Willie. "Guess it's fair, tho', when you hits um all right."

"Did you consider it fair for the captain of your ship to kick and cuff you, and send you aloft in a gale, because he was older, larger, and stronger than you were?

"But that was werry different from playing marbles," pouted Willie.

"How different?" asked the professor.

"Why! I didn't kick and cuff Joey to git his marbles away."

"But you won them from him because you were older and stronger than he, and the captain compelled you to go aloft for the same reason, he was older and stronger than you. Now, you have been treating little Joey, here, in the same way that the captain treated you, robbing him because you were older and stronger than he, and understood the game of marbles better. You understood how to beat little Joey, and, therefore, you robbed him.

 

The captain understood how to beat you, and, therefore, you lost your life, at least your earthly life; the captain robbed you of it. Willie, do you think it was all fair play between you and the captain?"

Willie's hands clutched at the marbles, his eyes opening to twice their natural size.

"Come!" said the professor, "speak up! Answer me, my boy! Was it all fair play between you and the captain? If you had been as old, large, and strong as the captain, and a captain yourself, would you have allowed him to kick, cuff, and send you aloft in a furious gale?"

"You jest bet your bottom dollar I wouldn't!" "Well; what would you have done?"

"I'd er kicked and cuffed him back agin, and nary aloft would I go!"

"Then, if Joey had been as old, strong, and expert as you, you would not have been able to rob him of his marbles. Do you think now that you won them fairly, or do you agree with me that you robbed him of them?"

Willie made no reply.

"I suppose, Willie, you would consider it very unjust if I were to call you a robber and a thief"; Willie hung his head; "yet such you really are," continued the professor. "Your captain was a robber and a murderer, while you are a robber and a thief: the principles underlying the acts, are the same: the stronger wrenches by force and expertness from the weaker, that which he possesses, and appropriates it to himself; this is theft and robbery, is it not?

 

Still no answer.

 

"Do you love little Joey, Willie?

 

"I do sir," answered Willie, respectfully, "leastwise, I thought I did."

 

It Do you think you love him just as well as you love yourself?"

 

"Guess you've got me there, sir," replied Willie.

 

"If you loved little Joey just as well as you loved yourself, you would be very sorry to rob him of his marbles, or of anything else which he might possess. You would not like to have Joey beat you, and take all your marbles away: you would not think it just or fair if he were older and stronger than you. Now, I want you to think of Joey as your brother, as well as all the other little boys whom you will shortly meet. I want you to love Joey and all the others just as well as you love yourself, and never, under any circumstances, do to any one of them anything that you would not like them to do to you: they are all your little brothers, every one, and you must love them just as well as you love yourself, and never rob them of anything whatsoever. All play wherein there is robbery had better be left unplayed. The principle is the same, be it boy or man, to whom it is applied. The scales of justice must balance evenly. There is no justice in robbing Peter that Paul may gain: all should be brothers in wisdom, love, justice, and truth."

 

"Then, 'taint any use for me to play marbles no more," said Willie, "is it? You jest bet, though, I allers loved to play marbles. Don't know what I kin do if I can't play marbles. Marbles was allers my hobby, and I allers beat all the other boys. If I can't beat no boys, I guess I won't enj'y myself much."

 

"Suppose you were to think of how much you could do to help the other boys, instead of beating or robbing them. Suppose you were to look upon each boy as a savings bank in which to deposit your treasures, and every time you met a boy you were to drop in whatever treasures you were possessed of?"

 

"Well; by Jiminy! that's a funny notion! I'll be danged!"

 

"You would like to be very rich, would you not, Willie?"

 

"Rich? Oh! When! You bet I would!"

 

"Well, if a person never saved anything, he could never be rich, could he?"

 

"No; 'less it all come to him to onc't," replied Willie.

 

"Heavenly treasures never come to any one all at once; they must be sought after diligently and with great care. When once a jewel has been obtained, the possessor can never lose it under any circumstances; and he can divide it again and again, and give to every other boy he meets a jewel, just like his own and of equal value: still he may go on dividing it for ever: instead of being robbed, he will have just so much more treasure laid up, he will grow richer and richer for ever. Don't you think, Willie, that such a way would be much better than playing at marbles?

 

To rob your brother is wasteful folly. To divide your jewels with him would be riches untold."

 

Willie became exceedingly interested, his eyes sparkled, and his cheeks glowed: giving the marbles a contemptuous toss he exclaimed:

 

"Guess I 'd rather have the jewels: ain't that funny, though, 'bout the dividing of um up?"

 

"Where did you get the marbles with which you and Joey were playing?"

 

Willie's eyes opened to their widest extent.

 

"Well; by Jiminy!" he exclaimed, "that's the funniest thing of all! I wanted to play marbles with Jo, bad, and I axed him if he had any marbles, and he axed me what was them? Then I jest laffed. Oh! gosh! It was too funny for anything: a boy what didn't know what marbles was. Then I said, Look-a-here, Jo; I wish I jest had my old trouses instead of these white things. This stuff is on'y fit for little gals that is rich boys don't wear sich trouses as these where come from. I've got some marbles, and a spinning top, and a lot of string in the pockets of my old trouses; Jo, you jest g'win and git um for me; they's some the captain didn't find, and we'll have some bully fun. Then, Jo he went in and brought urn out. Guess you didn't any of you see him, though. Well, they was wet and dirty, sure enough, and then I thought, I guess I didn't care to put um on agin, but I jest rammed my hand into the pockets and got out the marbles and top and string and a plug o'tobaccy and a good long stump o' a cigar, that the cap'n had throwed away, an' I grabbed it, you bet! afore any of the others got it. Then, Jo, he looked at um, and sort o'turned up his nose, an' he axed me, "What was all them?" an' then I laffed agin jest as loud as I could laff, an' I says: "O my eye! Jo, but you is green. Why! them's marbles an' a top an' string an' tobaccy, an' jest look-a-here, Jo, in this other pocket is my jack-knife. Oh! bully! but I'm all right now."

 

All eyes were now turned in the direction of Willie's pockets, which were stuffed out to their, fullest extent, and his beautiful white pants were considerably soiled around the entrance to the pockets; his hands were dirty, his mouth and teeth smeared with tobacco, and occasionally he ejected large quantities of the juice upon the spotless golden floor. As I looked at this boy, a feeling of despair filled my soul. Annie and Sigismund sat half-smiling with amusement. Mr. Erricson had taken a seat on the crimson divan, his golden harp resting between his knees, his eyes fixed sympathetically on mine. Captain Daking glanced at the filthy pool on his spotless floor: Willies eyes met his reproachful glance, and the boy's quailed perceptibly, but the captain turned away without a word. Professor Herman's eyes twinkled mirthfully, and for a short space of time not a word was uttered by any one. Joey stood near Willie, a vision of beauty, his golden curls lying slightly tangled over his blue velvet jacket, his large azure eyes wearing a look of deep perplexity; evidently he was at a loss how to make Willie over again into a good and beautiful boy; and yet, as my eyes still rested upon the little waif of humanity—this little street gamin with all his filthy habits still upon him noticed that his eyes were nearly as large and beautiful as Joey's; his hair was also hanging in golden waving masses over his shoulders; his forehead was even broader and fuller, his features more commanding and prominent. "Surely," I thought, "there is the making of a great, good and noble man in that child. O, what a pity that his natural self should be so warped and covered with dirty habits." The silence still continued. The boy looked about him uneasily; then his eyes rested on the filthy pool at his feet; then they slowly wandered over the beautiful room and the assembled company. He stood with both dirty hands crowded into his protruding pockets. He noticed the amused look in Annie's and Sigismund's faces, his eyes caught the despair on mine, then they turned to the professor.

 

"I guess I ain't fit for no sich place as this," he at last said, rather dejectedly; "but, then, how about them jewels what you was telling me of? Guess you was foolin' all the while, an' you're all laffin at me."

 

He crossed to where his discarded marbles were lying, and gathering them up, he hurriedly crammed them into his already distended pockets. Surely, it needed a wiser head than mine to transform this boy into a white­winged angel. My thoughts ran rapidly over the proper ways and means. I was at a loss to understand what course these wiser ones present would take. Captain Daking might possibly punish him for soiling his spotless floor. Professor Herman could ferule those dirty hands, and compel the boy to empty his pockets of their heterogeneous contents, which he could destroy before the child's eyes, and then with threatening words, and pompous, imperious air, he could lay a strict injunction upon him, never to be found with such things again under any circumstances! if he were, the penalty would be more severe punishment still. Captain Daking could humble the child by compelling him to clean up his own filth, with hard words and commanding air; yet, I knew intuitively, that none of the foregoing methods would be resorted to, and I was very eager to see what course would be taken with him.

 

"Willie," said the professor, at last, "two or three persons present do feel slightly amused on your account, including myself, but that lovely lady, little Joey's mother, looks very sad. Now, as little Joey is to be your brother, and your own mother is not in this world, you must necessarily look, upon that lady as your mother. See how pure, clean and white the lady is, and how sorrowful she looks, all on account of her little adopted son, Willie. Now, Willie, here is a mirror; take little Joey by the hand, and stand side by side with him. You think two little brothers ought to look very much alike, do you not? You are the older and taller of the two, therefore you ought to be an example for your younger brother to follow; and you would not like to teach little Joey anything which would grieve his mother's heart, would you?"

 

Willie glanced at me, then at Joey, and taking the smaller boy's hand, he stepped with him in front of the mirror. The two boys were dressed exactly alike, the only difference between them being the dirty hands, the soiled, protruding pockets, and filthy mouth of Willie, whereas Joey was sweet, pure and clean in every respect. The filthiness had not been so apparent to Willie in his old clothes, but now in his pure and beautiful raiment, his dazzling white skin and clear blue eyes, it was simply horrible and fearfully disgusting. The child turned away from his own reflection with a sick look: tears started into the great, intelligent, blue eyes, and rolled down his cheeks.

 

"Oh!" he groaned, "I ain't fit for this place, I ain't!

 

"Willie," said the professor, "look into the glass again with little Joey. Now observe, my little man; your mouth is just as sweet and clean as little Joey's, but for the tobacco which defiles it. Now, my child, if you will give me that tobacco and cigar, I promise you faithfully that in return I will give you something in their stead, ten times their value: not to-day, but when once you are established at my school. I will not forget my promise; if I should, you may take me to task for it. Willie, take note that I am getting very much in your debt."

 

And the professor took out a pearl-covered book, and commenced to jot down the items:

 

"Professor Herman to his beloved pupil, William Smith, debtor: To four jewels: the first, a diamond of the first water; second, a ruby, red and exceedingly brilliant; third, a topaz, blue and fair as the skies; fourth, a pearl of great price. Now, Willie, if you will deliver up to me your marbles, I will give to you in return the above-mentioned four jewels, and, as I told you at first, these jewels can be divided and sub­divided, again and again, without loss, but gain; and these jewels I will put into your hands now, as soon as you give me the marbles; and you may keep them in your pocket until I teach you the proper way to use, or, if you prefer, play with them."

Willie's eyes glittered joyfully.

"Item," again went on the professor. "This tobacco and cigar are worth, how much?"

"Well," said Willie, deeply interested, "I guess they 'er worth 'bout ten cents."

"Well; ten times ten are one hundred, are they not?" asked the professor.

"In course it is," answered Willie. “That makes a dollar, you know."

Herman took a bright silver dollar from his pocket, together with four sparkling jewels, and laid them on the table.

"Now, Willie, the top, the string, and the jack-knife; what will you take for them?

Willie looked thoughtful.

"Well," he said at last; "I whittles with my jack-knife, and makes whistles and things: mayn't I keep my jack­knife?"

 

"How will you swap?" asked Herman, displaying a beautiful pearl-handled knife, which had three keen, bright blades', and a silver plate, with Willie's name engraved in full upon it.

 

The child actually danced for joy. "You don't mean it?" he said at last.

 

"You must be a fool to swap even, for mine's only an old rusty thing what 's got only one blade, and the end of that 's broken off, and the handle's part gone."

 

"Yes, Willie," said the professor, "I'll swap even; besides, I'll teach you how to do many a beautiful piece of work with it when we are at the school again: Now the string and the top."

 

"Oh! the string's not worth much, only I can't spin my top without it; and the top was gin me, my mother guv it to me last Christmas time."

 

Again the boy's eyes filled with tears, his chest heaved with sobs.

 

"O my marm, my marm!" he exclaimed. She'll never give me no more tops nor things, cause I 'in drownded, I 'm drownded! I want to see my marm! I want to see my marm!" Tears trembled in every eye like pearls, and they rolled freely down my checks.

 

Herman's face looked grave and tender.

 

"Willie," he said, "if I will take you, this very day, to see your mother, and allow you to keep the top, will you clean up that filthy pool, and wash your mouth and hands, all sweet and clean, like your little brother's here."

 

"Oh! yes, indeed," sobbed Willie.

 

Captain Daking gave the child a basin of clean water, cloth, and towel. Willie washed up the filth, making the place look as bright and clean as ever. The captain gave him another basin and towel; he washed his face, mouth, and hands. Having already given all the things which his pockets had contained, to his teacher, they lay on the table side by side with the jewels, the silver dollar, the pearlhandled knife: the dirty string had been replaced by threads of strong, fine gold, but the top remained precisely as it had been: no filth now was visible about the child except the soiled pockets.

 

"Willie, my dear little adopted son!" I cried, for I could not restrain myself longer, "come here, and give me a sweet kiss, and I will find a way to clean those pockets."

 

The child shyly approached me. I clasped him in my arms, and kissed the little wet face all over, when, lo! the pockets had become as clean and white as snow.

 

"Great love overcometh the filth of evil," said Sigismund, looking at me with his deep, deep eyes.

 

I led the child to the table, and stood clasping one of his hands, while Joey held the other. The professor had placed the boy's treasures on a bright, silver tray, side by side with a filthy, rusty one on which were the things that the child had given up."

 

"Now, my boy," said he, "the things which I exchange with you for yours are merely symbols of real things: the real things themselves I still owe you. I am your banker, and I these things are your cheques. Whenever you fetch me one of the cheques I will return to you, together with compound interest, its value in full of real, true, everlasting treasure, that can be divided and subdivided forever without loss, but gain or compound interest.

 

Will you try to remember all this, my child?