s
January, 1944
Are you a parent, often wearied and outwitted by some smart èhild? Are you a teacher of lively boys and girls? Here is encouragement; for the grace of God is just the same in 1944 as in that earlier dav—
♦ When God Saved the Brewer's Boy By LOUIS T. TALBOT as told to MILDRED M. COOK
Chapter I.
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S O N ”—M Y F A T H E R eyed me Sharply, “ did you have anything to do with what happened at the church tonight?” To my teen-aged mind, this discern ment was uncanny. I wondered how he knew, so quickly and so well. Had he been there, watching from some van tage point the family pew in this sub stantial old church in the Sydney of forty years ago? Had he, by some means, seen the interest of one small boy shift suddenly to the flickering- gas jets that illuminated the build ing? Did he know about the uncon trollable curiosity to find out “ how it works” ?. If so, he had seen a lithe figure slip unobserved beneath the pews, emerge in the vestibule where the gas meter was kept, turn off the
this tattling he laid himself open to the punishment that Father promptly gave to each of us. I have come to feel that the advice my father gave me that night was a revelation of his own character—©f the strength of honesty and truth and fair dealing that was so highly de veloped in him. He used to say that He lived by the Golden Rule, and in all the years of my experience, I never have known any other man who has come so near to attaining that high standard as he did. But it was not until near the close of his life that he
gas, and creep back to sit piously with the others before the lights dimmed and went out. Father did not often go to church; eight young Talbots and their mother went regularly. But father seemed to know all about the consternation that had followed the scene. He repeated his question to me: “Did you have anything to do with this mis chief? Because, if you did, you must confess it, son. No good ever «comes from covering up what is wrong.” The words meant.little to me then; so little, in fact, that I did not answer. My younger brother, aware of what had taken place, and unsure (as he had a right to be) of my loyalty in shielding him, confessed for me. By
Copyright 19iS. Mildred M. Cook.
“My mother knew the v a l u e of suspense. ‘Some day — I’ll tell you,’ she said softly.”
Left: Louis T. Talbot as he appears today.
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