The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-04-12
FORGIVE HIN
BY sYLvANus COBB, JR.

/" Forgive him!" said Mrs. Stearns.
"Oh, Lowell, forgive him %
The speaker was an aged woman and
a widow. Her head was white with the
frost of years. and her mild features we're
deeply marked by the hand of time
There was tear in her eye. and her face
was clouded with sorrow. She spoke to
her son, middle-aged, strong. eatured
person. whose countenance BETRAYED a
firm-wlled, unbending heart, but yet ap-
Peared an upright, honorable man.
.'Forgive him!" repeated the. white
haired widow. as she raised her'trembling
hands towards her son. s'He is your
brother, your only brother. Oh. if you
know your own heart you will forgive
him.
AAyever."~ spoke Lowell Stearns, in q
firm, deep tone. "John has wronged me
and should lie to my own soul were
TO forgive him.
"And have you not wronged him g.
asked the widow, impressiyely.
81 wronged him? Howl"
"By Withholding from him your love, by
treating him harshly, and causing him to
SIM" answered his mother, kindly.
Cease. mother. Whefyou say have
caused him to sin, you are mistaken. He
has chosen his own path, and now he mus
travel in it. = iss9
Lowell, you are the oldest, and from
you should come that love that can alone
heal the wound between yourself and
John.",
'.Listen.to me, mother" said the stub.
born man. with spice Of bitterness in his
tone, "John has been unjust to me-he
has been unmanly and unkind. He has
| injured me beyond reparation." 2
mo, no, LOWELL . quickly interrupted
his mother, snot beyond repara,lon.''
| "Yes-he has injured my feelings by
the most fatal darts Of malice and Twill
He has lied about me to' my friends, and
even assailed my private character
sand can you not forgive all this!" she
asked. tenderly. G6e hatlu ig
Perhaps might" returned Lowell
Stearns; .but," he added, in hoarse
tone, while his frame quiyered with deep
feeling, he has done more than that. He
has spoken Of my vile, and But
will not tell it all. l cannot forgive him
| this. a
The strong man sank ntoaa chair as he
was silent. Atlength she approached and
laid her hand upon his head. sE
s'Forgive him!" she whispered.
+ "Never!' uttered Lowell.
"Forgive him, and be happy. Alas
my son, you are not happy now, nor can
you be, soslong as you are at enmity with
your brother. O. why will you allow this
breach to grow widera You know that all
this commenced from a mere misunder.
standing between you, and now you are
helping to make it worse. know you
will tell me that yon have done nothing to
harm John, but il you will look into your
own bosom YOU will find that it is filled
with hatred towards him. He knows this
and he acts accordingly He is more
impulsive than you are, but his heart is as
kind as yours, and he is all generosity and
love to his friends. More than forty years
have passed over Johns head, and during
all that time, he never spoke one unkind
word to his poor old mother" eas
! "And did ever speak unkindiy to you
jmy mother?" asked Lowell. aa
MONO. You and John had both kind
hearts, andit grieves me sorely to see you
as you are now. II grieves melo see you
both SO unhappy. All, Lowell. l fear thai
you do not realize how noble thing it is
TO forgive those who have injured you.''
Lowell Stearns made no replyfto his
mother He saw that she was unhappy
and he knew that he himself was unhappy
also. - saq
In former years he had loved his brother
and he knew that he had been faithfully
4 beloved in return. The trouble which had
so unfortunately separated them had been
trivial in its beginning. but Lowell's stern.
ness OF will and John's hastiness Of tenn.
per had keptthe fire on the increase. The
first fault had belonged to the younger