The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-19
Migrrlllnr0n5.
Duty and Kindness.
DY 7. g. ARTHUR.

There was an angr7 frown on the cOunte-
nance of deacon Jonas Browning. There
were tears on the sad face Of his wife.
ale shall be sent to sea-" said deacon
Browning. sternly.
There was pleading look in the eyes OF
Mrs Browning. as she lifted them to the
iron face OF her husband But no words
passed her lips.
"IIc shall be sent to sea- 1t is my last
hope"
"Philip is very young, JONAS" said Mrs.
Browning.
"Not too young for evil, and, therefore,
not too young for the discipline needed to
eradicate evil. lie shall 90 to sea ! Capt.
Ellis sails in the Fanny Williams on the
next Monday. will call upon him this
very day"
"Isnt the Funny Williams whaler? ?''
The lips of Mrs. Browning quiyercd, and
her voice had choking sound.
EYES," was firmly answered.
al wouldn't send him away in whaler,
Jonas. Remember he is very young, not
thirteen until next April"
"Youns or old, Mary, he's got to co."
said the stern deacon, who was believer in
the gospel of law. He was no weak advo.
cate of moral suasion, as il is familiarity
termed. lie went in for law, and was q
strict constructIOnist Implicit obedience
was the statute for home, and all deyiations
thcrctrOm met the neyer.withheld penalty.
Mrs Browning entered into no argument
with her husband, for she knew that it would
bc useless. She had never changed his pur.
poses by argument in her life. And 80 she
bcnt her eyes mcekly to the floor again,
while tie tears crcpt oyer her face, and fell
largo drops upon the carpet. Deacon
Browning saw the tears, but they did moi
move him. lie was tcar.proof.
Philip, the offending member the Brown
ins family, was bright, active, restless
boy, who, from the start, had been u rebel
against unreasonable authority, and as a
matter Of course, not unircquently asains,
authority both just and reasonable. Pun
ishments had only hardened him; increas
Ing instead Of diminishing his powers of en-
durancc. The particular offence for which
he was now in disgrace, it must be owned
rather serious one.
lie had in compNuy with three other boy
OF his age, known as the greatest repro ate
in the village, ria,d choice plum tree be
longing toa neishbor, orall the fruit it con
tanned, and then killeda iavorite dog, whicI
happening to discover them at their wickc'
work, attempted to drive them from the gar
den. The neighbor had complained to dea
con Browning, accompanying his complain
wlth a thrca, to have Philip arrested 70
stealing.
"Ifyou don't do something with that bo
OF yours" he added with considerable feel
ing, ..he'll end his days in the State Prison
or on the gallows"
Hard words were these for the cars Q
Deacon Browning, the risidly righteous =
Hard words, and with a prophetic convictio
in them. lie hal not very creative imas
iuation. but in this instance the prediction
orhis angry neiShbOr eonjured up in hi
mind the image Of prison and gallow'
causing shudder to pass along his nerves
and the cold perspira,ion to start upon h
forehead. From that moment the resolutio
: of Deacon Browning was taken.
| The boy was on the brink Of ruin, an
, must he saved at all hazards. As TO IL
= means of doing this, it never entered int
. the heart Of deacon Browning to conceive
, any other than such as involved harsh di
, cipline. The Canaanite was in the Ian