The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-10-17
DAVENPORT, SCOTT CO., IOWA, THURs1
THE sULKS.

i THE SULKS.
In Christopher North's new series Of articles
in Black wood, entitled, sChistopher nuder Can
vas,' we find the following capital picture Of a
boy: bit Of ofautobiography that is well worth
quoting.
have what TEN piers they choose with one sole
sxception-T'he Sulks. Once ard once only, du-
ring one OF the longest and best spent lives
cord. was in the mood described, and il endured
most Of whole day. The anniversary Of that
day ! always observe, in severest solitude, with
a salutary horror. And it is my birthday. Ask
me not, my friends, TO reveal the cause. Alcof
from confession before men, we must keep to our
selves, as John Foster says, a corner Of our own
souls. black corner il Is; and enter il with or
without light you see here or there, something
dismal hideous, shapeless, nameless, each lying
10 its own place on the floor. There lies the
cause. It wss the morning Of my ninth year
As kept sitting high up stairs BY myself, one
family face after another kept ever and anon look
ing al me, all with one expression. And one ia
miiar voice after another sII with one tone kept
ma,tering at the, sHe's in his suIksr' How
hated them with an intense hatred, and chiefly
them had loved best, at each opening and each
shutting Of that door. How hated myself as
my hlubbered face grew hotter; and knew how
ugly must be, with my fixed fiery eyes; it was
| painful to cit on such chair for hours in one
posture, and to have chained a child would have
been great cruelty. But was resolved 10 die
rather than change it; and had I been told by
any one under an angel to get up and 60 to play,
I would have spit in his face. II was lonesome
attic. and had the fear Of ghosts; bnt not then,
my snperstitious fancy was quelled by my troubled
heart. Had not deserved TO be allowed 10 60? /?
Could any one ofthem give reason for not allow
ing me 10 gol What right had they TO say that
\ . r i 4 IL e. n. trE
by myself back? What right had they to say
that Roundy was biackgnard, and that he would
lead me 10 the gallows? Never before in all the
world had good boy been so used on his birth
day. They pretend TO be sorry when am sick
anti when / say my prayers, they say theirs too;
but am sicker now, and they are not sorry; but
angry; there is no use in prayers, and won't
read one verse in my Bible this night, should my
aunt go down on her knees. And in the midst
OF such unworded soIiloquies did the young BIAS
phemer faliasleep.
q know not how long slept but on waking, I
saw an angel with most beautiful face and most
beautiful hair-a little young angel-about the
same size myself, sitting on stool at my feet.
sAre you quite we'll now Christopher. Let US
60 10 the meadow and g,ther fowers.' Shame
sorrow, remorse, eontrition, came TO ne with
those innocent words; we wept together, and
was comforted. q have been sinful But you
are folgiven!' Down stairs hand 10 hand we gil
ded, and there was no longer anger in my eyes;
the whole house was happy. All voices were
kinder il that were possible than they had been
when rose in the morning boy in his ninth
year Parenta, hands snoohed my hair, ,paIental
lips kissed it, and pare ntal greetings, only little
more cheerful than prayers, restored me 10 the
love ] had never ios:, and which felt now hac
animated that brief and Just displeasnre. Never
has Christopher been in his snlks since that day
Peyond doubt was that day possessed with .
devil; and an angel il was that drove himout.'
| The following anecdote, which we find floating
in the sea OF journalism, strikes US as conveying
an important moral.
Stalking to One's RishL.-Old stories very Of.
ten have forcble applications 10 present times
Tile following anecdote we met with lately IN on
exchange paper:
| .IIow is il. John, that You brisg the wagon
home in snch condition.
Il broke it driving over stump
| sWhere?'
! s3ack in the woods, halfa mile or so.'
'But why did you run against the stump =
Couldn't you see how TO drive straieht!'
/ 81 aid drive straight, sir, and that is the very
reason that drove over it. The stump was di-
iectly 10 the middle Of the ro,d.'
! fWhy then did yon moi 90 round ~
s}ecause, sir, the stump had no right in middle
Of the road, and l had risht in it,
| ITne, J0nh, Inc stump ought ho' ~ Hdsc ose I
in the road, but wonder that yon were 80 ioolish
as mot TO consider that it ,eas there, and that y
was stronger than your wagon
tWhy, father, do you think that am always
going to yield up my rights? Not II am de-
ieimined to stick up 10 them, come what will"
but what is the use, John, Of standing up 70
rights, when you only get greater wrong by So
doing'
u Shall stand up for them al all hazards
sWell, John, ali have TO say is this--hereaitef
you must furnish your own wagon