Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-03-05
Touching Incident.

* FORGIVE Us OUR 1RESPASSES, AS WE
FORGIVE THOSE THAT TREsPAss AGAINST
US. p" I'll never forgiven never"
I" Never. is "a hard word, John" said the
sweetiacked wife of John Locke as she
looked up moment from her sewing.
+" He is mean. dastardly coward, and
upon this holy biblel t."
Stop, husband John remember he
is my brother; and by the love you bear
me, forbear to curse him. He has done
you wrong, allow; but O, John he is
very young and very sorry. The momen.
tary shame you felt yesterday will hardly
be wiped out with a curse. 1t will only
injure yourself John. 0 please don't say
anything dreadfulp
The sweet faced woman prevailed: the
curse that hung upon the lips Of the an
CRY man was not spoken; but he still
said, Il will never forgive him-he has
done me deadly wrong.''
The young man who had provoked his
bitterness, humbled, repentant, sought in
vain for forgiveness from him whom, in a
moment of passion, he had injured almost
beyond reparation. John Locke steeled
his heart against him.
In his store sat the young village mer-
chant, one pleasant morning contentedly
reading the morning paper. A sound of
hurried footsteps approached; but he took
no notice of it until hatless boy burst
into the store screaming at the top of his
voice, Mr.. Locke, Johnny is in the river
little JOHNNY Locke"
To dash down the paper and spring for
the street, was the first impulse of the
agonized father. Oa.on, like maniac
he flew, till he reached the bank of the
river, pallid and crazed with anguish
The first sight that met his eyes was little
Johnny lying in the arms Of his mother.
who, with her hair hanging dishevelled
around her bent wildly over her child
The boy was just saved. He breathed,
and, opening his eyes, smiled family
in his mothers face; while she, with a
choking voice, thanked God. Another
form lay insensible stretched near the
child. From his head the dark blood
flowed from q ghastly wound. The man
against whom John Locke had sworn
eternal hatred had, at the risk of his own
life, been the saviour of the child He
had struck floating piece of driftwood
as he came to the surface with the boy.
and death seemed inevitable.
John Locke flung himself down on the
green sward, and bent over the senseless
form. Save him." he cried, huskily, to
the doctor who had been summoned; "re-
store him to consciousness. if it be for on
ly one little moment have something
important to say to him."
He is reviving," replied the doctor.
The wounded man opened his eyes
they met the anxious glance of the broth
er-in-law, and the pale lips trembled forth.
do you forgive me?'
" Yes, yes; God is witness, as l hope
for mercy hereafter, freely forgive you,
and in turn ask you for forgiveness for
my unchristian conduct"
A feeble pressure of the hand and a
beaming smile was all the answer. :
Many days the brave young man hung
upon slender thread of life; and never
were there more devoted friends than
those who lowered over the sick bed L.
But a vigorous constitution triumphed,
and, pale, and changed, he walked forth
once more among the living.
20, if he had died with my unkindness
clouding his soul, never should | have
dared to hope for mercy from my Father
in Heaven!" said john Lock to his wife,
as they sat talking over the solemn event
that had threatened their lives with a
living trouble. Never--now have tasted
the sweetness of torgiveness-never again
will cherish revenge or unkindness to-
wards the erring; for there is new
meaning in my soul in the words of our
daily prayer, and see that | have only
been calling judgements upon myself, while
| have impiously asked. " Forgive US our
trespasses, as aOe forgiue those acho tres
pass against as.