Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-05-16
HE WILL FORGIVE YOU FATHER

. HE WILL FORGIVE YOU FATHEi
He stood leaning upon broken ,gat
in from, of his miserable dwelling. Hi
: tattered hat was in his hands and ll
cool breeze lifted the matted locks whic
r covered bis noble brow. His counte
. nance was bloated and disfgured, but il
his eye there was an unwanlon look
; mingled expression Of sadness and re
gret. Perhaps he was listening to th
melancholy voice of his patient wife a
she soolIled The sick babe on her bosom
or perchancc he. was gazing on the swee
face of his elGest daughter, as at the oper
window she piled her needle TO obtair
for her mother and the poor children ;
: sustenance.' Poor Mary! for heIseI
she cared NOT; young as she was, hei
spiriIwas crushed by poverty, uakind'
ness and neglect. AS The inebriate thu:
stood, his eyes wondered over The mise.
rable habitation before him. The win
dows were broken and llle doors hinge
less; scarce veslige Of comfort re.
maired; yet memory bore him back lc
the days Of his youth, when it was The
abode Of peace and happiness. In in
fancy he saw again the old arm chair
where sat his father with his bible upon
his knee, and seemed 10 hear again the
sweet tones Of his mother as she laid her
hand upon her darling boy, and prayed
that God would bless him and preserve
him from evil. Long years had passed
away, yet tears came iLto the eyes OF the
drunkard at the recollection OF his
mother's love.
"Poor mother,' he mut,ered, Sit is
well that thou art sleeping in iIie grave;
it would break thy heart 10 know tina,
thy son is wreIched and degraded being
"a miserable outcasl of society,""
He turned sIowl ly away. Deep within
an adjoining forest was dell where the
beams Of The sun scarce ever penetrated:
Tall trees grew on either side, whose
branches, meeting above, formed a cano-
py Of leaves, where the birds built their
nests and poured forth happy sons.
Thilher lle dIunkafd bent his steps. 1t
had been his favolite haunt in The days
of bis childhood, and as he threw him
cJfferuuns b, fssr fssr eseaalRe ssHaEd ibe re- re-
over his mind. He covered his face
with his hands, and the prayer Of the
prodig al burst from his lips, oh, God |!
recei"e returning wanderer.' Sudden
ly soft arm was thrown around his
neck, and a sweet voice murmured ed
"He will forgive you, father" Starting
to his feet The ineblate saw standiug
before him his youngest daughter, a
child ofsix years old.
'Why ale you here, Anne?' he said,
ashamed that the innocent child should
have Witnessed his grief.
Il came 10 gather the llllies which
grow upon The banks,' she replied. See,
| have got my basket full, and now am
going TO sell.then.' :.
And what do you do with the money?'
asked the father, ashe turned his Dyes to
the basket, where, among the broad
green leaves, the sweet lilies Of the
valley were peeping forth.
The child hesitaled; she thought she
had said 100 much; perhaps her father
would demand the money, and spend il
in the way in which all his earnings went.
You are afrat 20 tell me, Anne7,
said the father kindly. well do not
blame you; have no righ, to my chill.
dlcn's confidence.
The gentIeness Of tone touched, the
heart of The afectionate child. She
threw her arms around his neck, and eS,
claimed, 'Yes father, | will tell you
Mother buys medicine for poor little
Willie. We have no other way 10 gc'
it. Mother and Mary work all the time
they can get it, 10 tuy bread.
A pang shot through the inebriate':
heart. Il have robbed them Of the com
forts of lite,' he exclaimed: from thi:
momen, the liquor fire passes MY lip:
no more
Anne stood gazing at him in as'onish,
ment. She could scarce comprehend
her fathers words; but she saw tia
some change had taken place. She
threw back her golden ringlets, raisee
her large blue eyes with an earnest look
TO his face, 'wiIl you never drink any
more rum = she whispered timidIy!
Never dear Anne,' replied her fatbc
solemnIy::
Joy danced in her eyes. 'Then WI
will all be so happy. Oh, father, wha
happy home ouIs will be 2
Years passed away. The words o
little Anne, the drunkard's daughter hal
proven true. The home of the reforme'
! man, her father, was indeed happ,
, one. Plenty crowned his board, an
health and JOY heamcd from the face o
his wifoland children; where once sqnali
misery alone could be traced. Th
pledge had raised him from his degrada
ton, and restored him once more (
peace and happiness.