The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-06-13

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THE SON AND HEIR.
AgsToRY FOR THE IRAsCIpLE.
Myyouth was passed in the thought
less and extrayagant gaiety Of the
French court. My temperwas always
violent; ;.and 1 returned home one morn.
ing, long after midnight, frantic with
rage at some imaginary insult which I
had received. My servant endeavored
to speak to me as ] entered the house,
but repulsed him violently, aud rush.
ed up to my room. Hooked the door,
and sat, down instantly toswrite chal-
lenge. My hand treubled SO much
that itSwould not hold the pen; I started
up and paced the room; the pen was
again in my hand, when ] heard q low
voice speaking earnestly at the door
entreatjng to be admitted. The voicc
was that of my fathers old and favorite
servant. ! opened tho door to him.
The old man looked upon ne with o
very sorrowiul countenance, and I has
tily demanded tho reason of temperance.
He started at me with surprise, and
spoke not; he walked to the table where
had sat down, and took from it let
ter, which in my rage l had not noticed.
1t announced tc mo the dangerous ILL
ness of my fathers; it was written by my
mother, and entreatinly besought me
instantly to return to them. Before
dawn I was far from Paris. My ia
ther's residence was in the north of
England. Iarrived there only in time
to follow the corpcs ofmy beloved father
to the grave. Immediately on my re-
turn from the funerel, my mother sent
to me, requesting my attendance in her
own apartment. Traces ofa deep-sea-
ted grief were fresh upon her fine coun-
tenance, but she received me with calm
seriousness. Love for her living child
had struggled with her sorrow for the
dead; and she had chosen that hour to
rouse me from the sins of my past life.
My mother was always, superior crea-
ture. I felt: as listened to her.. the
real dignity of q Christians matron's
character. She won me by the truth
the affection. the gentleness Of her
words. She spoke plainly Of my de-
grading conduct, but she did not up
braid me. She set before me the new
duties which I was called upon to per-
form. She said, 81 know you will not
triAe with those duties. You are not
your own, my son; you must not live to
yourself; you profess the name of Chris
tian. you can hold no higher profession.
God hath said to each of us, My son,
give me thine heart Have you CIV
en- your heart and its desires to God?
Can you be that pitiful creaturc-a half
Christian? have spoken thus, be.
cause I know that if you have clear
ideas of your first duties, and do strive
to perform them, then will your rela-
tive duties be no longer slightly regar-
ded. Oh, my son, God knows what I
feel in speaking to you thus in my heavi-
est hour of aftliction, and I can only
speak as a feeble and perplexed wo-
man. I know not how to counsel you,
but I DO hesecch you to think for your
self, and to pay earnestly to God for
his wisdom and guidance" Before l
left my mothers presence, she spoke to
me also on my master passion, anger
mad, ungovcrnable rage. She toldme
that even in the early years of my
childhood, she had trembled at my an
gcr-she confessed that she dreaded to
hear while I was absent, that it had
plunged me into some horrid crime.
She knew not how just her fears had
been; for had not my fathers death re-
called me to England, I should proba-
bly, have been the murderer Of that
though:less strikling who had unknow-
ingly provoked me, and whom l was
about to challenge to fight on the morn
ing [ left Versailles.
My mother did not speak to mo in
vain. l determined tc turn at once
from my ways, to regulate my conduct
by the hign and holy principles of the
religion professcd, and to reside on
my own estates in habits Of manly and
domestic simplicity.
About three years after I had sue
cccded to the titles and possessions of
my forcfathers, I became the husband
of the lady Jaue Ne, and / thought
myself truly happy. Two years passed
away, and every day endeared my
sweet wife to my heart, but / was not
quite happy. We had no child; | had