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

&
M UJ NI sR ID Ig 8 81 !. S. 8.
ling in the Library with ni !. Il was on
the 9 tl !, Of june, q loycl spring Morn.
ing, Manrice had been very restless and
inattentiYe to his books. Tho sun.
beams dazzlEd his eyes, and the fresh
wind auttered among tho pages before
him. Tue boy removed his books, and
sat down at a table far from the open
4 window. / turned round an hour after
from d volume which had abstracted all
my thoughts. The weather was very
hot and the child had fallen fast asleep.
He started upat once when I spoke.
| asked him if he could say his lesson?
| He replied Yes, and brought the book
Instantly; but he scarcely knew aword,
and seemed careless, and evtn indifer-
ent. Iblamed him, and! he replied pet
ulantly. had given back the book TO
lin, when a servant entered and told
me that "a person was waiting my pres
ence below. desired the boy, some
what with. an angry tone, not to STIR
from the room I'LL 1 returned and then
to let me he1r him say his lesson perfect
ly. He promised to obey me. There
is a small closet opening from the libra
| ry; the window Of this closet overlooks
the stable. Probably the dear child
obeyed me in learning perfectly his les.
son; but I was detained long; and he
Ito the closet III which I had allowed him
to keep the books belonging to himself.
"a boy and arrows which Z had lately
given him were there; perhaps the boy
could not resist looking on them; they
we're lying on the door when 4 entered
afterwards. From that closet Maurice
heard the sound of a Mhip-he heard
springing up, he ran to the window;
beneath he saw one of the grooms beat
ing, with q savage cruelty his little cour-
ser. The animal seemed almost mad.
dened with the blows, and the child call
ed out loudly to bid the man desist. At
firstt the groom scarcely Needed him, ,and
then smiled coldly at the indi gnant boy
told him the beating was necessar and
that so young O gent leman could not
understand how a;shorse should man
aged. IN vain did my child command
the brutal fellow to stop. The man
pretended not tohear him, and led the
spirited creature farther away from be.
meath the window. Instantly the boy
rushed from the room, and in a few mo-
ments was in the yard below. Ienter-
cd the library shortly after my son had
left it. The person who had detained
me brought news which had much dis
concerted, nay displeased me. was
infayery ill.humor when I returned to
the room where Ihad left Mourice; T
looked yainly for him, and was very an
cry to perceive that my request had
been disobeyed; tho closet. door was opon
Isought him there. While wondered
at his absence, / heard his voice loud
in anger. For some moments Z gazed
from the window in silence. Beneath
stood i" boy, holding with one hand
the reins Of. his courser, VINO trembled
all over, his fine coat and slender legs
reeklng and streaming with sweat; in
his other hand there was a horse-whip,
with which the enraged boy aslashing
the brutal groom. In a voice Of loud
anger z ] called out. The child looked
up; and the man who lad before stood
withhis arms folded, and smile calm
insolence on his face, now spake with
pretended mildness more provoking to
the child, but which then convinced me
that Maurice was in fault. He spoke
but Isilenced him. and commanded him
to come up to me instantly. He came
ilstantantlv, and stood before me get
painting with emotion, his face all flushed
and his eyes sparkling with passion.
Again he would have spoken, but Z
would not hear. Toll me, sir, Z cried;
Answer me ono question, are you right
or wrong?' Right the bog replied
proudly. He argued with me--my fnry
burst out. Alas, IkneW. not WhatiI
did! but Z snatched the whip from his
hand-I raised the heavy handle, z
meant, not to strike achere I did. The
blow fell with horid force on his fair
head my only son droptd lifeless at
my feet. Ere he fell, 7 was deadly
cold, and the murderous weapon had
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