Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-31

n sheet oil manuscript 10 ore OF the CO.
partments. All this may seem n mere
triile to you-and perhaps il is--yet |
shall remember il for long time.
But | desire TO narrate o you a cir.
cumstance winch happened in the
family OF q friend aud correspondent oI
mine In the city Of Bostoi. some ten
years ago, and the history OF which
will commend i,self,o the heart OF every
father and mother who ha. any sym.
pathy with or affection foi their chill.
drcn. That IL Is entirely true. you
may be well assured. | was convinced
ofthis when | opened the etler from
l.. III. B., which announced IL. and
in the detail Of the syent which was
subsequently, furnished me.
A few days before he wrote, he had
buried his eldest sou, fine manly liISle
fellow of some eight years Of age. who
had never. he said, known a days i'll
ness. until that which finally removed
him hence. to be here no more. His
death occurred under circumstance
which were peculiarly painful to hi,
parents. A younger brother. deli
cate, sickly child from its birth. the mex
in age to him. had been down for nearly
fortnight with an epidemic fever. :
In consequence Of the nature Of the
disease. every precaution had been
adopted that prudence suggested, tc
guard the other members OF the family
againstit. Butte Of this one. the fathers
eldest, he said he had little to fear. SC
rugged was he and so generally healthy
Still. however. he kept vigilant eye
upou him, especially forbade his going
into the pools and docks near his school
which it was his custom sometimes to
visit; for he was but n boy. and "boys
will be boys" and we ought more
frequently to think that It is their ma
tire TO be. Ofall the unnatural things
reproach almost to childish frankness
and innocence. save me from boy man!
But to the story.
One evening this unhappy father
came home, wearied with long days
hard labor, and vexed with some little
disappointment which had soured his
naturally kind disposition, and rendered
him peculiarly susceptible to the small
lest annoyance. While he was sitting
by the fire in this unhappy mood Of
mind. his wife entered the apartment
and said.
"Henry is just come in. and he is a
perfect fright, he is covered from head
to foot with dock mud, and is as wei
as drowned rat"
"Where is he?" asked the father
sternly.
"He is shivering over the kitchen
fire. He was afraid 10 come up here,
when the girl told him you had come
"rell Jane to tell hiIn to come uT
here this instant"
Presently the poorboy entered, hall
perished with fright and cold. Iii.
father glanced nj his sad plight, re.
preached him bitterly with his dis.
obedience, spoke OF the punishment
which awaited him in the morning. as
a penalty of his offence, and, in harsh
voice, concluded with
Now, sir, 90 to your bedr'
But, fatber,' said the little fellow,
al want to tell yo-"
"Not word, sir; go TO bodp"
81 only want to say, father, that
with perempsory stamp, and i'm.
peratlve wave OF his hand towards the
door, aud lrown upon his brow, did
the father without othcr speech, again
close the door Of explanation or ex-
postulation.
When the boy had gone supperless
and sad TO bed, the father sat restless
and uneasy while the supper was
being prepared; aud ut tea table ate bur
little. Hts wife saw the real cause OF
his emotion, and interposed the re-
mark
T" think, my dear. you ought at
least to have heard what Henry had to
say. My heart ached Tor him, when
he turned away, with his eyes full of
tears. Henry Is u good boy alter all,
u he does sometimes do wrong. lie
Is tender-heartcd. allectionate boy -
lie always was"
And there withal the water stood in
the eyes OF Mercy. in "the house of
Che interpreter" Us recorded by Bun.
yam.
After tea. the evening paper was
taken up; but there was no news and
nothing OF interest for that father in
the journal OF tho evening. He sat
for some time IN evidently painful
rvverie, and then rose aud repaired to
ms bcd-chambor. As he passed the
room whore bis little boy slept. he
thought he would look in upon him
before retiring TO rest. llo efcpt to
his low cot and bent over him. A big
tear had stolen down the boys check,
and rested upon it; but ho was sleep.
Ing calmly and sweetly. The father
deeply regretted his harshncss aa ho
gased upon his soni he felt also the
Sense OF duty" yet in the night.
talking the matter over with the lads
mother, he resolved. and promised In.
stead ofpunishing. as he had threatened
10 make amends TO the boys aggrieycd
spirit. In the morning. for the manner
IN which he had repcllcd all explana-
ton OF his oilonce.
But that mornIning never came to
that poor child In health. lie awoke
the next morning with u raging fever
on his brain, aud with delirium. In
iorly.eight hours 10 was In his shroud.
lie knew neither his father or mother,
when first called to his bedside, nor at
any moment afterward, Waiting,
watching, for one tone OF recognition,
hour after hour, In speechless agony,
did that unhappy father bend over the
A. IL. a -