Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-04-14
miscellaneous.
THE TIMELY WARNING.
BIZ A SUFEERER.

him. He had made his last voyage. and
rejoiced to have reached haven of rest
from the perils of the sea- During his
absence l had grown. from a mere child
and baby of my mother's-for | was her
youngest-into a rough. careless. aud
head strong boy. Her gentle voice no
/ longer restrained me [ was often wilful.
and sometimes disobedient l thought it
/ indicated manly superiority to be indie
pendent of woman's influence Ny ia
theirs return was fortunate circumstance
/ for me. He soon perceived the spirit of
! insubordInation stirring within me /
saw by his manner that it displeased him,
although, for few days, he said nothing
to me about it.
! 1t was an afternoon in October, bright
and golden. that my father told me to get
my hat, and take walk with him We
turned down a narrow lane into a fine
open feld-a fayorite playground for the
children in the neighborhood. After
talking cheerfully on different topics for
a while, my father asked me if [ observ-
ed that huge shadow, thrown by a mass
of rocks that stood in the middle of the
field [ replied that [ did "My father
owned this land" said he at was my
playground when boy That rock stood
there then TO me it is a beacon and
whenever look at it, recall dark spot
in my life-an event SO painful to dwell
upon, that if it were not as a warning TO
you l should not speak of it. Listen,
( then, my boy, and learn wisdom from your
/ fathers errors
MY father died when I was a mere
child | was the only son. My mother
was gentle, loving woman, devoted to
her children, and beloved by every bady
[ remember her pale, beautiful face-her
sweet. affectionate smile-her kind and
tender voice In my childhood [ loved
her intensely; was never happy apart
/ from her and she, fearing that | was be-
coming too much of a baby, sent me
to the high school in the village After
associating a time with rude, rough boys,
/ [ lost, in a measure, my fondness for
/ home and my reverence for my mother,
and it became more and more difficult for
her to restrain my impetuous nature |
/ thought it an indication Of manliness to
resist her authority, or to appear to feel
penitent, although [ knew that my con-
dreaded was girI6oy [ could not bear
to hear it said by my companions that l
was tied to my mothers apron strings -
From a quiet home loving child, [ soon
became a wild, roistering boy. My dear
mother used every Pursuasion to induce
me to seek happiness within the precincts
of home. She exerted herself to make
our freside attractive, and my sister, fol-
( lowing her self sacrificing example, sought
to entice me by planning games aud di-
versions for my entertainment. l saw
all this, but ! did not heed it.
/ 1T was one afternoon like this, that
as [ was about leaving the dinner table
| to spend the intermissioH between morn
/ ing and evening school in the street, as
usual. nay mother laid her hand on my
shoulder. and said mildly but firmly. My
son. / wish you to come with me.
| would have rcbeled. but something in
her manner awed me She put on her
bonnet. aud said to me, We will take a
little walk together [ followed her in
silence and. as | was passing out the
door. | observed one Of my rude compan-
ions skulking about the house and
knew he was waiting for me He sneered
as I went past him Ny pride was wound
ed to the quick He was a very bad boy.
but, being some years older than myself.
he exercised 8 great influence over me
[ followed my mother sulkily, till we
reached the spot where we now stand, be-
meath the shadow Of this huge rock O.,
nv bov. could that hour be blotted from
nv memory, which has cast dark shad
ow over my whole life gladly would l ex-
change all that the world can offer me for
the quiet peace of mind | should enjoy.
But no like this huge, unsightly pile
stands the monument of my guilt forever.
"My mother, being feeble in health, sat
down, and beckoned me to sit beside her.
Her look, so full Of tender serrow. is pres
ent to me now. / would not sit, but con-
tinued standing sullenly beside her. AL
fred. my dear son. said she, have you
lost all love for your mother p did not
reply. / fear you have she continued
and may God help you to see your own
heart and me to do my duty She then
talked to me of my misdeeds, of the
dreadful consequences of the course [ was
pursuing By tears, and entreaties, and
prayers. she tried to make an impression
upon me. She placed before ms the lives
and examples of great and good men she
sought to stimulate my ambition. | was
moved, but too proud to show it, and re-
; mained standing in dogged silence beside
her | thought, What will my compan-
ions say, if, after all my boasting, l yield
! at last. aud submit to be led by womaul
What agony was visible on my moth.
Ier's face. when she saw shat all she had
said and suffered failed TO move me She
rose to 60 home, and I followed at dis
tance Size spoke no more to me until
we reached her own door. 1t is school
time now, said she Go, my son, and
once more let me beseech you to think
. upon what have said to you
'''I shan't 90 to school, said l.
'.She looked astonished at my boldness,
but replied frmly, Certainly, you will 60,
Alfred l command you
L will not, said |, with a tone of de.
fance
One of two things you must do, Al
: fred-either 60 to school this moment, OF