Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-06-26

LIQUID you not set MIN 10 oolng some
thing ?"
Z" | might, but I hav'nt time to attend
10 him, Margaret. Business is business,
and cannot be interrupted"
Mrs. Grecnsighed, and then remarked:
"I wish you would call on Mr.. Eden
and have talk with him about John"
I will, if you think it best.''
"Do so, by all means. And, beside,
I would give more time to John in the
evenings. If, for instance, you devote an
evening to him once week, it would en-
able you to understand how he is pro-
crossing, and give you a control over
him not now possessed"
"You are right in this, no doubt. Mar
garrett"
But reform went not beyond this ac
acknowledgement. Mr.. Green could never
find time to see Johns teacher, nor feel
himself sufficiently at leisure, or in the
right mood of mind. to devote to the boy
even single evening.
And thus it went on from day 70 day.
from month to month, and from year to
year, until finally. John was sent home
from school by Mr.. Eden, with note to
his father, in which idleness, disorderly
conduct and vicious habits were charged
upon him in the broadest terms.
The unhappy Mr.. Green called imme-
diately upon the teacher, who gave him
a more particular account of his sons bad
conduct, and concluded by saying, that
he was unwilling to receive him back in
to his classes.
Strange as it May seem, it was four
months before Mr.. Green "found time"
to see about another school, and to get
John entered therein; during which long
period, the boy had full liberty to 60
pretty much where he pleased, and to
associate with whom he pleased. 1t is
hardly to be supposed that he grew any
better .or this license.
By the time John was seventeen years
of age, Mr.. Green's business had become
greatly enlarged. and his mind was still
more absorbed therein. With him, gain
was the primary thing; and. as conse-
quence, his family held secondary place
in his thought. If money was, needed,
he was ever ready to supply the demand,
that done, he felt that his duty to them
was mainly discharged. TO the mother
of his children, he left the work Of their
wise direction in the paths of life; their
government and education-but she was
Inadequate to the task.
From the second school at which John
was entered, he was dismissed within
three months, for bad conduct He was
then sent to school in distant city,
where, removed from all parental re-
straint and admonition, he made viler as
sociates than he had heretofore known,
and took, thus. lower step in vice.
He was just seventeen, when letter
from the principal Of his school. convey
ed to Mr.. Green such unhappy intelli-
gence of his son, that he Immediately re-
solved as last resort, 10 send him to sea
before the mast-and this was done. spite
of all the mothers fearful remonstrances,
and the boys threats that he would es>
cape from the vessel ON the very first OPP
portunity.
And yet for all this sad result of parental
neglect, Mr.. Green devoted no more time
nor care to his children. Business absorb
ed the whole man. He was a merchant,
body and soul. His responsibilities were
not felt as extending beyond his store and
his counting room. further than to provide
for the worldly well-being of his family. Il
it any cause of wonder that, with his views
and practice, it should not TIN out well
with his children; or at least with some Of
| them?
Az the end of the year John returned
home ON sea, n rough. tobacco chewing,
cigar m-drinking, Over-grown
boy OF eighteen, with all his sensual dc Tres
and ami pa lois gnore active than when
he went away, whf1 his intellectual facul-
ties and moral feelings were in a worse
condition than at his separ ion from home.
Grief at the change oppressed the hearts of
his parents; but their grief was unavailng.
Various efforts were made to get him into
some business, but he remained only short
time in any of the places where his father
had him introduced. Finally he was sent
to sea again. But he never returned to his
occurred while he was on shore at VaIpar-
also, he was stabbed by Spaniard, and dice
shortly afterwards.
On the very day this tragic event tool
place. Mr.. Green was rejoicing over sue
cessful speculation from which he had come
out the gamer by Eve thousand dollars. In
the pleasure this circumstance occurred. ali
thoughts of the absent one, ruined by hi
neglect, were swallowed up.
Several months elapsed. Mr. Green had
returned home. well satisfied with his day
business. In his pocket was the afternoon
paper. which. after the younger children
were in bed. he sat down to read. To the
telegraph columns his eyes turned. There
had been an arrival 10 Boston from the Pa
cifc. and almosE the first sentence he read
was the intelligence Of his sons death. The
paper dropped from his hands. while he ut.
tered an expressiOa Of surprise and grief
that caused the checks Of his wife who was
10 the room 10 turn deadly pale. She had
not power 70 ask the cause Of her husbands
sudden exclamation: bat, her heart, that