Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-03-02
THE LAST PARDON.

"My father, forgive me-
He turned away with a strong negative
gesture.
u did not know what ! was doing"
The papenl was yet silent.
II was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
"But you had pronisedi Here-here il
your written oath-deliberately signed-so-
lemnIy sworn to-neYer TO approach the gam
bling table again. 1t is broken. You are a
p%erinrer. You arc no son Of mine"
ut was in a moment Of hilarious reyel that
/ allowed myself to be ensnared into the COM
mission Of an act abhorrent to my soul"
sand then your blow upon the forehead of
him who had not injured you-your profigate
duel, and your persevering attempt to infict
death upon your generous foe Carlo, you
make nv blood cold. Whence came this
ruthless and bloody temper! Your mother
was mild, pure and g~entIe--and !, | am no
brawler--no ruffian-no stabber--Carlo, Car
10, you have almost broken my heart !"
my fa'her--I will tell you whence came
my evil dispositiou-and ! do 80 in part to
reciprocate the severe reproaches which you
advance against me. In my childhood | was
beautiful. My charms fattered the vanity Of
a father and mother, who then had 1t in their
power to correct my passions. They did not
70. They weakly preferred their pleasure
before my interest, and now ] reapthe bitter
fruit. is it now, that | am what you and she
have made me-, that you would abandon me to
poverty? What would do without money !
You acknowledge that | am wild, and iDcapa-
BILE of governing myself. Fear then. to throw
upon his own resources, in a world full Of
temptations, one whom your blindness has
rendered toe feeble TO resist them.'
@Carlo, you are a fiend! Has your sainted
mother, from her early grave, no voice for
your bosom? Have | deserved your sneers,
ysur insults !"
'You have. He who brings into life a be-
ing. owes it 10 him TO watch his course to the
end-to guide and protect him through good
and through evil"
"My son. reioined the aged sire, in a calm
voice, but with deep emotion. "in some degree
you are right. / am, at least, partly TO blame
that you are what you are. Had |, in your
earliest youth, adopted with you severe meas
ures, / might have crushed the demon in you.
Your accusation is unfeeling-but it is just.
will, therefore, for this once, again forgive
you. Since your maturity, as during your
boyhood, you have been a continual pain,
terror and disgrace to me. You have deprived
nv DAYS of peace, and my nights of repose
YOU have squandered my money, and brought
dishonor on my name--yet once more | for
give YOU. had formed a different determi-
naiion--it was my design to dIsown you for,
however wrong I may have been during your
infancy, in INDUCING you injudiciously, | have,
for the years which have since passed, made
all the atonement in my power, and without
avail. You do not love me-you do not even
respect the shade of your lamented mother.
If, in my bosom, in spite OF my reason, lingeF
vet much affection for you, il is mourrful and
almost hopeless but ! forgive you. You are
the last scion of our noble house. With you
our family name expires. | am reluctant to
deal too severely with you. Your banker.
shall be authorised TO pay your debta, and !
will use my influence with the king in your
shameful affair with Count B."
"You make me breathe again" cried the
youth, throwing himself into his fathers arms !:
the old man, however, r~epulsed him.
"Before I bestoW upon you my aid and my
forgiveness, hear me swear upon this holy
cross-I forgive no more! Be the past for
gotten. For the future, the consequences of
your deeds fall on your own head. On this
sacred reflex | repeat the oath: ] interfere nc
more-I forgive no more. Now embrace me,
my son, and show yourself hereafter more
worthy of your name.
The smooth azure OF the bay OF Naples wa!
| suddenly darkened and scattered with foam
by one of those violent tempests which q
frequently sweep over the Mediterranean