The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-12-13

ture but II bis fathers regimen hue
been too severe, that of bis geutls moth
er had been too indulgent, and 80 Meth
ler bad succeeded in barmoniziny the
discordant elements Of his character.
A few words will toll the rest. He
entered the largo rercantile house Of
bis uncle in New York. The relaxa-
tion Of all parental discipline proved too
sudden, for Ralph was uuacqlain.ed
with the world, aud his country life had
little fitted him to be his own master -
1t is the old story--be was decoyed into
a gambling saloon, induced to drink
freely, aud finally to play. Of course,
be was at first successful, and this
prompted him to stake larger sums Of
money. Then the tide turned. and oa.
night Ralph Hitler rushed out madly
from the gambling saloon, for be was iu
debt Eve hundred dollars. A few days
Of uumitigated misery went by, and the
wretcbed youth discovered there was no
method of escaping detection but by do
fraying this debt.
There was but one way to do this
: 1t will not he robbery whispered the
tempter in Ralph H,ller's ear, for you
can win back your money and refund i,
to your uncle But he vas not so sue
cessful as be had anticipated, and the
theft was discovered
Fer the sake of both families, Ralph q
uncle would not give his nephew's crime
publicity, but accompanied him home,
aud there revealed to his borri6ed par.
enis the deed their son had committed
Stung to incipient madness by the stern
reproaches Of bis father, Ralph Hitler
refused to solicit even the forgiveness OF
his uncle
There was a fearful scene that fair
June morning in the parlor Of the par
sonage, with the harsh commands of the
father, the vehement refusals of the son,
added to the tears Of the distracted
mother, and those of the little Maggie.
At last, 6uding bis son inAexitle, par
son Hitler spoke clear aud slow, Ralph,
yield at once to my commands, or 60
out that door no longer child Of mine'
And Ralph went.
Sir, is there no hope ? and the sick
man turned and fastened his eyes with
such wild appealing eagerne,s on the
physician, that his heart was strangely
touched.
The doctor shook his head sadly
s My dear sir, it would only be cruel
kindness to deceive you now You can
not probably live fortnight
The invalid turned with low moan
upon his couch, aud the doctor went
out softly. There were two other occu-
pants Of the small, lily furnished cham
ber, whose every adjustment betrayed
the absence Of woman's harmonizIng
taste, and these were boy and girl /:
he could hardly have reached his seventh
year, and four summers had just braided
their light in tho golden hair that fell
rich aud bright As sunset cloud over
her brothers. lap, for the child was
sleeping But the boy had listened to
every word the doctor had spoken; aud
it you had seen the quivering OF the lit
tie fellows lips, or the tears dashing
over his dark eyes, you would have
known he telt it, too.
Papa, papa, did tke doctor say you
must die ? The voice was very mourn
ful, aud the liuls fingers gently pulled
those of the sick mau away from his
face.
Yes, Walter. o my children my
children y
'Don't there, please don't, papa. 1t
frightsns me o to see great man cry.
II mamma was only alive, or if l was
only bigger ani could take care of Ma
ry; but she's so little, you know, papa,
aud l'm hardly seven. l can't do any
thing to help her. He said it very
mournfully, with the tears trickliug
down his checks
Papa, papa = and the lips we're
brought nearer the sverted face Of the
lick mau, cant you take US with you ;
| shau't want to stay behind when YOU
arc gone, and sister won't either. You
sipt est any bsay 70 lesvs us 10 yvs