The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-11-07

1
past, or from the air-castles of the future.
In process Of time he married, after
the same fashion that large portion do !;
| because it was convenier to have a wife,
and there was woman of good charac-
ter in the neighborhood, willing to mar
ry whoever first offered her a respectable
home. Her character bore the stamp of
harmless mediocrity. She was industri-
Gus and patient, but ignorant, dull, and
quite obstinate The neighbors said she
was well suited to him, he was SO rough
and passionate and in the main he
| thong ht SO himself though her impertu-
rable calmness sometimes frctted him as
IA rock chafes the lashing ocean into foam.
The child that was born to them they
both loved better than they had ever
loved and according to their light, they
| sincerely strovc to do their duty His
bodily wants were well supplied, often
at the cost of great weariness and self
| sacrifice, of their own rude training had
given them few good ideas concerning
culture of an immortal soul. The infant
did more for them than they for HIM
Angelic Influences, unseen and uuheard
| amid the hard struggles of their outward
life, became visible and audible through
the unconscious innocence of their little
one. For the second time in his life, "A
vision of beauty and love cleaned across
the rugged path of that honest, laborous
man. Vague impressions of beauty he
had constantly received trom the great
panorama OF the Universe His heart
sometimes welcomed bright flower in
the sunshine, or a cluster OF lilies on the
stream he marveled at the splendor Of
the rainbow, and sometimes gazed rever-
emily at the sun sinking to rest in his
rich drapery of purple and gold. But
these were glmpses OF the lnhnite their
beauty did not seem to appertain to him ];
it did not enter like magic charm into
the sphere of his own existence. as did
the vision of Mary Williams and his own
little Joe. The dormaut tenderness there
was in him leaped mp at the smile of his
babe, and every pressure of the little fn-
gers made dlmple in the fathers heart
Like the outbursts of spring, after a
long cold Wiuter, was the revelation of
infancy to him. When he plodded home
after bard days work, it rested him
body and soul to have the little one
spring into his arms for kiss. or come
toddeling along, fitting his little por-
ringer of milk, in eagerness to cat his
supper on his fathers knee
But though this new influence seemed
to have almost miraculous power over
his nature, it could not quite subdue the
bower of temperament and habit. As
the darling babe grew into boyhood, he
was sometimes cherished with injudi-
cious fondness, and sometimes repelled
by bursts of passion, that made him run
and hide himself from the over-indulgent
father Mr.. Barker had himself been
educated under the dispensation of pun
nishment, rather than attraction, and he
believed in it most frmly If his son
committed a fault he thought of no other
cure than severity. If an neighbor did
him an i'll turn he would observe, in pres
ence of the boy, 81 will watch my chance
to pay him for it" If the dog stole
their dinner, when they were at work in
the woods, he would say, "Run after him
Joe, and give the rascal sound beat
ing" When he saw the child fighting
with some larger lad, who had offended
him, he would praise his strength and
courage, aud tell him never to put up
with an insult. He was not aware that
all these things were education, and do
ing far more to form his sons character
than anything he learned at school. He
| did not know it because his thoughts
had never been directed toward it. The
only moral instruction he received was
from the minister of the parish and he
preached of the heard d-hcartedncss of the
Jews two thousand years ago, rather
than the temptations of men and boys
who sat before him. Once he received
an admonition from his neighbor, Good
win, which, being novel and unex pected,
offended him as an impertinent interfer-
encc with his rights. lie was riding
home with Joe, then lad of thirteen,
when the horse took fright at piece of
white paper that the wind blew across
the road Mr. Barker was previously
| in an Ill humor, because sudden squali
of rain had wet some fine hay, ready for
the barn. Pursuing the system on which
| he had himself been educated, he sprang
1 to the ground and cudgelcd the poor
beast numerically. Mr. Goodwin, who
was passing by, inquired the cause of
such severity, aud demonstrated against
it assuring him that horse never was
cured of bad habits by violence He
spoke mildly, but Mr. Barker was irrita-
ted, and having told him to mind his
own business, he continued to whip the
poor frightened animal. The humane
neighbor turned away, saying, "That is
a very bad lesson for your son, Mr. Bar
ker."
"If you say muct more, | will fog you
instead of the horse muttered the an
CRY man. at isn't his horse. What
business is is to HIM ,"
He did not reflect in what narrow
circuit he was mailing up the sympathics
of his child BY such words. But when
he was reseated in the wagon. he did not
feel altogether pleased with himself, and
his inward uneasiness was expended on
the horse The poor bewildered anima
covered with foam, and breathing short
and hard, tried his utmost to do hi:
masters will, as far as he could under
stand it. But nervous and terrified
constantly in expectation of the whip
he started at every sound. II he went
to fast, he was reined in with sudder
Jerk, that tore the corners Of his mouth
if he went too slow, the cruel crack o
the whip made him tear over the ground
to be again restrained by the yiolen
jerk. .