Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-08
l56
Alistrllanccns.
The Fathers Mistake.
nr LfwIs oArLonp cLAnE.

and CORRESPONDENT of mine in the city of
Boston. some ten yenrs ago, the history of
which will commend itself TO the heart of
every father aud mother who has nny sym
. pntliy with, or affection for, their children
That il is entirely true, you may be well as
surcd. was convinced of this when i
opened the letter from l.. ii. B., which
announced II, and IN the detail Of the event
which was Subsequently furnished Inc.
f. A few weeks before he wrote, he had
buried his eldest son, fine, manly little fell
low, of some eight years of age, who had
never, he said, known days illness until
That which finally removed him hence TO be
here no more. His death occurred under
circumstances which were peculiarly pain
ful to his parents. A younger brother, deli
cate, sickly child from its birth, the next in
ngc to him, hud been down for nearly fort
night with an epidemic fever. In conse-
quence of the nature OF the disease, every
precaution had been adopted that prudence
suggested to guard the other members of
the family against IT, But of this one, the
fathers eldest, lie said be had little 10 fear,
so rugged WINS he, and so generally healthy.
Shll, however, he kept vigilnnt eye upon
him, and especially forbade his going into
the pools aud docks near his school, which
Il was his custom sometimes TO visit; for he
was ont a boy, and boys ,eiH he boys" and
we ought more frequently to think that il is
their nature TO be. Of all unnatural things,
q rcproirb almost to childish fiankness and
Innocence, save me from "5oy-mda," but
10 the story.
Ono evening this unhappy father came
home, wcaried with long days hard labor
and vexcd at some little disappointment
which had soured his naturally kind dispo-
silion, and rendered him peculiarly siscep-
tible TO the smallest annoyance. While lie
was sitting by the fire in this unhappy mood
of mind, his wife entered the apartment, aud
said, ete.5tae vca
!. Henry has just come in, and he is per
feet fright; he is covered from head 10 foot
with dock mud, and is as wet as drowned
rat" tHua TH7
"Where is he ?" asked the father, stern
w.
He is shivcriug over the kitchen fire. He
was afraid to come up here, when the girl |
told him you had come hoine."
"Tell jane TO tell him to come here this !
instont," was tue brief reply to this iniorma-
ton.
Presently the poor boy entered, half per-
ished with alright and cold. His father
glanced at his sad plight, reproached him
bitterly with bis disobedence, spoke of the |
punishment which awaited him ia tho NOR
ming as the penalty for his offence, and, in
Now, SIR, 80 to your bedw
But, father" said the little fellow, al
want to tell you---n7
7" Not a word, sir; 20 TO bedw
only wanted to say, father, that"
With n peremptory stamp, an imperative
wave Of bis hand toward the door, and
frown upon his brow, did that fiither, with
out other speech, again close the door Of ex-
PLANTATION or expostulation.
When his boy had gone supperless and
sad 10 his bed, the father sat restless and un-
easy while supper was being prepared and,
at tea<table, ate but little. His wife saw the
real cause or the additional cause of his
emotion, and interposed the remark
VI think, my dear, you ought ut least to
have heard what Henry had to say My
heart ached for him when he turned away,
with his eyes full of tears. Henry is good
boy, after all, if lac does sometimes do wrong
lie is tender-hearted, affectionate boy. lie
always wBs." r.as e,as,,
Aud therewithal the water stood in the
eyes of that forgiving mother, even as il
stood in the eyes of Mercy, in "the house
OF the Interpreter" as recorded by Bunyan.
+. Aiier tea, the evening paper was taken up I;
bur there WINS no news and nothing of in-
terest for that father in the journal of that
evening. He sat for some time in an evil
dently painful revery, and then rose aud re-
paired 10 his bed-chamber. AS he passed
The bedroom where his little boy slept, he
thought he would look in upon him before
retiring TO rest. He crept TO his low cot and
bent over him. A big tear had stolen down
tho boys cheek, aud rested upon il; but he
was sleeping calmly and sweeily. The fitll-
er deeply regretted his harshness as he GU
zed upon his son; he felt also the sense of
dufyT yet in the night, talking the matter
over with the lads mother, he resolved and
promised, instead OF Furnishing, as he had
Threatened, To make amends 10 the boys ag.
g1eyed spi.I in the morning for the man
ner in which he had repelled oil explanation
of his offeuce.
But that morning never came TO that poor
child in health. lie awoke the next morning |
with raging fever on bis brain, aud wild |
with dclirinm. In 45 hours he was in his |
shrond. lie knew neither his father nor bis |
inotlieE when they were first called to his |
bed-side, nor at any moment uferward-
Waiting, watching for one token OF recogni- |
slon, hour after hour, in speechless agony, |
did that unhappy father bend over the couch |
OF bis dying son. Once, indeed ho thought |
ale saw smile of recognition light up his
slying eye, mud he lenned engerly forward,
Tor iIc would have given worlds TO have
WHISPERED enc kind word in his ear, and
Auve been answered but that gleam OF ap-
paront intelligence passed quickly away, alid
was succeeded by the cold, unmeauing glare,
and tile wild tossing of The ievered iinbs,
which lasted until death came 10 his relief.
Two days ailarHard the undertaken came
with little coffin, and his son, playmate
ot the deceased boy, bringing tha low stools
ON which II was TO stand IN the entry hall.
" | was with Henry" said the lad, .when
iIe got into the wnter We were plnyiug
down al the Long Wharf Horny, and Charles
stiuniord, and j; aud the tide was out very
low; aud there was beam run out from the
wharf; and Charles got out ON Il to get a
fish line aud hook that hung over where the
water WIS deep; aud the first thing we saw,
TO had slipped Oh, and was struggling in the