Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-10-20


not very seldom, were tempted to tres
pass on private grounds, at the risk of
arrest and punishment This was sad
school for an ungoyerned boy, but he
. learned Its lessons rapidly, and they
made deey impressions on bis heart
tie loved to stroll! over the country in
pursuit Of amusement, and when no in
cidents occurred to .enlis7en the day,
his companions were not slow in devil
sing mischief, in which John heartily
joined. This mischief was not always
lof the most harmless kind, and when
once entered upon, train of deceit
! was laid to conceal the authors.
But | viii not trace the progress Of
this yuuth in the road to ruin; nor stop
to notice the gradual influence of evil
associations upon his susceptible mind
TWAS with him as with other boys who
are suffered to go dngoverned, to spend
their days as they please, being sup
piled with money freely, and encour-
aged, rather than checked, in the pur-
suit Of pleasure. That lie became a
profane swearer was almost matter Of
course. That he was reckless, dissi-
pated, and impatient even Of the Sigh
test restraint that his fathers house inn
posed, was natural He knew that his
father loved him, and Met sometimes
served to hold him back in his prodigal
career. He often wished that he was
away from home, and when he limited
to his father that it would be better to
let him go to the city, and engage in
some kind of business, for the first time
liz his life his father denied his request,
and told him that he could never con-
sent to have him 60 from home. q Not
that Mr.. Wilson had any fears Of the
consequences. He knew that John
was inclined to some bad habits, but
he said he was only Sowing his wild
OATS and would be sober when he be-
came man,
When John found that he could not
leave home, he resolved that he acould.
One of his boon companions rallied at
him for being governed-by his Fold IA
ther,' and he soon made up his mind to
seek his fortune in the world. He left
his fathers house in the night, andne-
yer entered = a gam.
Mr.. Wilson was inconsolable when be
found that he was childess; and child
less not by the stroke Of death; that
might have been borne. Batwhen the
son on whom he had dotted from infan-
cy, around whom all the affections Of
a strong heart clustered, the only be-
ing in the universe whom he loved,
and the only hope that smiled on the
gloom Of his dark souf-when that son
deserted him and became a vagabond,
Mr.. Wilson found how
-'worse than serpent's tooth it is,
To have thankless child
He sought him, but he found him not.
.He sent advertisements to the city pa
pers, and offered strong inducements to
"a wandering child to persuade him
to come back; or, if he would not re-
turn, shis father would only ask to
know where he could be seen, and his
wants shall be abundantly supplied.'---
But no answer came. Perhaps his son
never saw bis appeals, or perhaps he
did, and laughed at them.
In those long, anxious nights which
followed the departure of his prodigal
son, Mr.. Wilson was compelled to re-
view his mode of training up his child,
and his own good sense convinced him
that he had suffered his affection for
John to blind him to his faults, and
that those faults were the appropriated
fruits of parental indulgence. lie had,
neuer governed his son, and how could
his son be expected to govern himself?
He had never required his son to obey
him when he was a child, and why
should he obey noaO that he had grown
to be young mar. These reflections
were like daggers in his heart; and BIT
ter were the tears with which his pillow
was wet, when he felt that his darling
boy was probably rained, and'that ruin
caused by excessive love.
Months passed, and years wore away,
but John returned not. No tidings
reached his fathers ears; hope failed,
and John. was seldom or never men
toned. Mr.. Wilson was stern man,
and no one wished his displeasure
and as all al1usion to the lost one evi-
IDENTIFY reused strong emotions, John
was never referred to in his hearing.
Several years after his sons depar-
ture, Mr.. Wilson was returning one
evening from a distant market town,
and having been retained later than US
ual, the night overlook him before he
reached home. He had occasion to
pass through piece Of woods; the
darkness and silence of the place, and
the hour. were conoenial to the sadness