The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-05-13

this unnatural enlargement fernaPs
dim iealousies OF their fathers favor;
selfish thoughts, that will sometimes
force themselves into poor mems hearts.
respecting temporal expectations; un-
accommodating manners on both sides;
taunting words that mean little when Ut
tered, but which rankle and tester in
remembrance; imagined opposition OF
interest, that duly considered, would
have been one and the same these and
many other causes, slight when single,
but strong when rising up together in
one baneluI band, had gradually and ia
tally infected their hearts, till at last
they, who in youth had been seldom
separate, and truly attached, now met
at market, and, miserable TO say, at
church, with dark and averted faces,
like different clansmen during feud.
Surely, il anything could have soft
ened their hearts towards each, other,
it must have been TO stand silently side
by side, while earth, stones, and clods
were falling heavily upon their fathers
coffin. And doubtless their hearts were
so softened; but pride, that destroyer
OF mans peace, prevented the holy al
| fec,ians Of nature from being shown
| And thus these two brothers stood there
together, determined not TO let each
other know the mutual tenderness that
in spite OF them was gushing up their
hearts, and teaching them the uncon-
| fessed folly and wickedness OF their
causeless quarrel. s4.
A headstone had been prepared, and
a person came forward to plant ia
plain stone with a sand.glass, skull and
cross. bones, chiseled not rudely, and a
few words inscribed. The younger
bro ,her, regarding the operation with a
troubled eye, said, loud enough TO be
heard by several Of the bystanders-
"Wiliiam, this is not kind in you
you should have told me this. ! loved
my father as well as you could have
loved him. You were the elder, and,
| it may be the fayori,e son, but ! had a
right in nature to have joined you in
ordering this headslone-had not?"
i During these words, the stone was
sinking into the earth, and many per.
sons who were on their way from the
grave returned. For while, the elder
brother said nothing, for he had con
seriousness in his heart that he ought to
have consulted his fathers son, in De
: signing this last mark Of affection and
: respect to his memory; so the stone
was planted in silence, and now stood
erect, decent and simple, among the
: other unostentatious memorials OF the
.. humble dead.
The inscription merely gave the
! name and age Of the deceased, and tole
that the stone had been erected by hi:
: "affectionate sons" The sight Of these
: words seemed 10 soften the angry man
: and he said, somewhat more mildly
"Yes, we are his aflectionate sons; and
since my name is on the stone, an
: satisfied, brother. Wehave not drawn
= together kindly Of late years, and per
haps never may, but | ackno wledgt
and respect your worth; and here be
lore our friends, and the friends Of oul
: father, with my foot upon his head,
] express my willingness to be on othel
: and better terms with you; and if we
Z cannot command our hearts, let US a
;. least bar out all unkindness."
s The minister who attended the fune
;, raj, and had something entrusted to hin
!, to say publicly before he left the church
" ward, now came forward, and asked tht
: elder bro,her why he spoke not regard
! ing this matter. He saw that Their
!, = was something Of cold sullen prid
= = rising up in his heart; but not easil.
! NAV any man hope to dismiss from tn
! chamber Of his heart even the viles
= guest, if once cherished there. With
: solemn and almost severe air, he locke
: upon the relenting man, aud then chang
!, :. ing his countenance into serenity, sal
y gently oi so9 ii ynnfsiy sli n,
~ Behold how good thing il is, {
'e And how becoming WELL
OIL 1860 Together, such as brethren are, 81 W
ne bnB In unityto dwell D ~ hpuR
- The time, the place, and this beaui
,e fuI expression Of natural sen,imen
n. quite overcome heart in which man
rs kind, if not warm affections dwelt; an
m the man thus appealed to, bowed dow
in his head and wept. alls atcti bsa'
lie "e;ive me your hand brotherp and
a was given, while a murmur Of satisfat
ID tion arose from ali present, and a
h. hearts feltmore kind and human
,nl towards each other. aeYipfT9H % y
u,1 Asi,he brothers stood, fersently b,
,g composedly grasping each other's han'
Id in the little hollow lay between III
ID grave Of their mother. long since dea'
ds andso their father, whose shroud WI
Ill haply notyet sill, from thesfall OF du'
q to dust, the minister stood beside then
III !, ~ with a nlea Mt n Nh M oman coo N