"No, Andrew!" came firmly from the lips of Mrs. Howland, who had followed her husband, unperceived, to the door, and who had heard the dreadful charge preferred against her son. "Don"t say that! Go and save him from the disgrace and wrong that now hang over his head--and go quickly!"
"Yes, Mr. Howland," said the officer, "your lady is right. You should not let him go to prison. That will do him no good. And, moreover, he may be innocent of the crime laid to his charge."
"He must be innocent. My boy has many faults, but he would not be guilty of a crime like this," said Mrs. Howland. "Oh, Mr. Howland!
go! go quickly and save him from these dreadful consequences. If you do not, I must fly to him. They shall not imprison my poor boy!"
"This is folly, Esther!" returned Mr. Howland, severely. "He has got himself, by his bad conduct, into the hands of the law, and it will do him good to feel its iron grip. I am clear for letting him at least go to prison, and remain there for a few days. By that time he will be sick enough of his folly."
"I would not advise this," suggested the officer. "Depend upon it, if his present position is of no avail toward working change for the better--sending him to prison will harden, rather than reform him."
"Andrew!" said Mrs. Howland, with a firmness and decision of tone that marked a high degree of resolution on her part--"if you do not go his bail, I will find some person who will."
"Esther!" The offended husband fixed a look of stern rebuke upon his wife; but her large eyes looked steadily into his, and he saw in them, not rebellion, or anger--but a spirit that his own heart told him instinctively, it would be folly for him to oppose. That look determined his action.
"I"ll go with you," said he, after pausing a few moments, turning to the officer as he spoke.
The charge brought against Andrew by the watchman, was an intention to set fire to the buildings in which he found him. Several unfinished houses had been burned of late, and there was some excitement in the public mind thereat. Had it not been for this, Andrew might have made his way into the building where he intended to sleep, without, in all probability, attracting attention.
Unfortunately for him, a few matches were found in one of his pockets. This fact, added to his attempt to escape, and the rather exaggerated statement of the watchman, caused the Mayor to look upon the case as one that ought to go before the Court. He accordingly decided to require an appearance, under bail.
Not a word was spoken to Andrew by his stern father, on the arrival of the latter at the Mayor"s office. Mr. Howland looked at the evidence which went to support the charge of intended incendiarism against his son, and to his mind, prejudiced as it was against that son, the evidence was conclusive. In fact, the watchman"s eyes had seen rather more, than in reality, was to be seen, and his testimony was strongly colored.
The required security given, Mr. Howland, without turning toward his son, or speaking to him, left the office.
"You can go home, young man," said the Mayor, addressing Andrew.
"Oh, sir!" exclaimed the unhappy boy, in a distressed tone--"I am not guilty of this thing. Father turned me from the door because I was not at home at ten o"clock, and I had no place to sleep."
"Disobedience to parents ever brings trouble," replied the Mayor, in a voice of admonition. "Go home, and try to behave better in future.
If innocent, you will no doubt be able to make it so appear when your trial comes on before the Court."
Slowly the lad arose, and with a troubled and downcast look, retired from the office.
"Where is Andrew?" eagerly asked the mother, as Mr. Howland entered the house, after returning from the errand upon which he had gone.
"I left him at the Mayor"s office," was coldly replied.
"Did you go his bail?"
"Yes."
"Why didn"t he come home with you?"
"I didn"t ask him."
"Andrew!"
Mr. Howland started at the tone of voice with which his name was p.r.o.nounced. Again there was an expression in the eyes of his wife that subdued him.
"I gave bail for his appearance at Court, and then came away. He will, no doubt, be home in a few minutes," he replied. "But I do not wish to hold any intercourse with him; for he has disgraced both himself and me."
"Is he not your son?" asked the mother, solemnly.
"He is not a son worthy of affection and regard."
"Andrew! when the sons of men wandered far away from G.o.d, and broke all his laws, did He turn from them as you have turned from this erring boy? No! All day long He stretched forth His hands to them, and said, in a voice full of infinite kindness, "Return unto Me; why will you die?" It is not G.o.dlike to be angry at those who sin against us; but G.o.dlike to draw them back with cords of love from error. Oh, Andrew! you have wronged this boy!"
"Esther! I will not hear the utterance of such language from any one!" exclaimed Mr. Howland, whose imperious nature could ill brook an accusation like this.
"I have uttered only what I believe to be true," answered the wife, in a milder tone, yet with a firmness that showed her spirit to be unsubdued. No further words pa.s.sed between them. Half an hour afterward, up to which time Andrew had not come home, Mr. Howland left the house and went to his place of business.
Time pa.s.sed on until nearly noon, and yet Andrew was still away.
Mrs. Howland, whose mind was in a state of strong excitement, could bear her suspense and fear no longer, and she resolved to go out and seek for her wandering son. She had dressed herself, and was just taking up her bonnet, as the door of her room opened, and Andrew came in, looking pale and distressed. Across his forehead was a deep, red mark, the scar left by the wound he received, when he fell on the pavement, in the attempt to escape from the watchman.
"My son!" exclaimed Mrs. Howland, in a voice that thrilled the poor boy"s heart--for it was full of sympathy and tenderness--and then she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Overcome by this reception, Andrew wept aloud. As soon as he could speak, he said--
"Indeed, indeed, mother! I am innocent. You wouldn"t let me in last night, and I was going to sleep in the building, when the watchman came and said I meant to set it on fire! I"m bad enough, mother, but not so wicked as that! Why should I set a house on fire?"
"I didn"t believe it for a moment, Andrew," replied Mrs. Howland.
"But, oh! isn"t it dreadful?"
"I"m not to blame, mother," said the weeping boy. "I didn"t mean to stay out later than ten. But I was deceived in the time. I was a good way off when the clock struck, and I ran home as fast as I could. I"m sure it wasn"t ten minutes after when I rang the bell.
But n.o.body would let me in; not even _you_, mother--and I thought so hard of _that!_"
With what a pang did these last words go through the heart of Mrs.
Howland.
"I wanted to let you in," replied the mother, "but your father said that I must not do so."
"And so you left me to sleep in the streets," said the boy, with much bitterness. "I couldn"t have turned a dog off in that way!"
"Don"t, don"t speak so, Andrew! You will break my heart!" returned the mother, sobbing, "I did open the door for you, but you were not there."
"I knocked and rung a good while."
"I know. But I had to wait until your father was asleep. Then I went down, but it was too late."
"Yes--yes, it was too late," said Andrew, speaking now in a firmer voice. "And it is too late now. I am to be tried as a felon, and it may be, will be sent to the State Prison. Oh, dear!"
And he covered his face with his hands, and sobbed.
What little comfort she had to offer her unhappy child, was offered by Mrs. Howland. But few rays of light came through the heavy clouds that enveloped both of their hearts.
At dinner time, Andrew declined meeting his father at the table.
"Go and tell him," said the unyielding man, when the servant, who had been sent to his room to call him to dinner, came back and said that he did not wish to come down, "that he cannot have a mouthful to eat unless he comes to the table."
"No, no, Andrew--don"t say that!" quickly spoke Mrs. Howland.