to him. Don't imagine that he had not given it long and serious
thought, but he had shrunken from it with unutterable terror and dismay;
he had no loving, tender memories of his father--nothing but cruelty and
drunkenness and sin by which to remember him. Still oftentimes during
these later years he had told himself that he ought to seek out his
father; he ought to make some effort to reclaim him. He had prayed for
him constantly, fervently, had poured out his whole soul in that one
great desire; still he knew and remembered that "faith without works is
dead." He had made some effort, had written earnest appeals hot from his
heart, to which he had received no sort of a reply. He had written to
one and another in Albany, prominent names that he remembered, clergymen
of the city as he learned their addresses, begging for some assistance
in the search after his father. Each and all of these attempts had
proved failures. To some of his letters he had received answers,
courteous, Christian answers, and the gentlemen had lent him their time
and aid, but to no purpose. Apparently the name and place of the poor,
low rum-seller had faded from the memory of the Albanians. He had
disappeared one night after a more tremendous drunken row than usual,
and had never been seen or heard of since. This was all. And Theodore,
baffled and discouraged, had yet constantly meant to come to the search
in person, and as constantly had shrunken from setting out, and delayed
and excused himself until the present time. Now, however, he intended to
set about it with vigor. "No matter what he is, nor how low he has
sunken, he is _my father_, and as such I owe him a duty; and I must
constantly remember that it is not he of whom I have bitter memories,
but rum, rum! rum!!" This he told himself with firmly set lips, and a
white, determined face.

CHAPTER XXVII.

DAWN AND DARKNESS.

Tweddle Hall was reasonably full. The citizens of Albany had turned out
well to do their townsman honor, howbeit they did not know that he had
tumbled about in their gutters and straggled about their streets up
almost to the verge of young manhood. Theodore had felt many misgivings
since that day when he suddenly and almost unexpectedly to himself
pledged his word to address an Albany audience on this evening; but he
had three things to assist him. First, he was thoroughly and terribly in
earnest; secondly, he was entirely posted on all the arguments for and
agai