Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-05-21
MisceIlapeous.
THE MISTAKE.
A LESSON TO PARENTS.

,J0Tf A LESSON TO PARENTS.
"fli never do it,-neyer, so long as
liver And the boy clenched his hand.
together, and strobe up and down the room
his fine features flushed, and his forehead
darkened with anger and shame. .Pd ash
the minister's pardon, in fathers presence
of course l would; but to 60 before tht
whole Academy, boys and girls, and dc
thisw His whole frame writhed st the
thought. Ellsworth Grant, you'll brand
yourself as coward and fool all the days
Of your life" s 1s
"But father never retracts, and he said ]
must do this or leave the school, and 90
out on the farm to work; and the whole
village will know the reason, and shall be
ashamed to look any body inthe face. I've
a good will to run away" The boys voice
grew lower, and troubled, bewildered ex-
preston gathered on his flushed features.
at would be very hard to leave all the
old places and then, never see Nellie again
it would break her heart; know it would.
And his face worked cenvulsively a mo
ment, but it settled down in look of dog
ged resolution the next. u mustn't think
that now: though it's only ten miles to the
seaport, and could walk that in an hour,
and get a place on some ship about to sail
before father was any wiser. Some time
I'd come back, of course, but not until ]
was old enough to be my own MASTER
The boy sat down and buried his face in
his hands, and the sunset of the summers
day poured its currents of crimson and am
Der into the chamber, and over the bowed
figure of the boy.
At last be lifted his head-there was q
look of quiet resolve in the dark hazel eyes
and about the usually smiling mouth, which
in youth is SO painful because it always in
dicates mental suffering.
Ellsworth Grant was, at this time, just
fifteen; be was his fathers only son, and
he was motherless.
The deacon was q stern, severe man ;
while Ellsworth inherited his mothers
warm, sunny temperament. His father
was man Of answering integrity and
rectitude-a man who would have parted
with his right hand sooner than have COM
mitted dishonest act; but one who had
few sympathies for faults indigenous to pc
caliar temperaments and characters; man
whose heart had never learned the hight
and depth, and the all-embracing beauty of
that mightiest text which is the one dia-
mond among all the pearls and precious
stones of the Bible: "Be ye charitable"
He was hard, exacting parent, and
Ellsworth was fun-lovi,g, mischief-brew-
ing boy, that every body loved, dispite his
faults, and the scrapes he was always get
ting his neck into. There is no doubt
that Deacon Grant loved his son, but he
was not demonstrative man; and, then
it is the sad,, sad story that may be written
of many parent-ahe didn't understand
his child" and there was no mother, with
her sweet voice and soothing words, to
come between them.
Ellsworth's last offence can be told in
few words. The grape vine, which, heavy
with purple clusters, trailed over the kitch-
en- windows. of the school-teacher's resi-
denee, had been robbed of more than half
its fruit, one Saturday afternoon, when the
inmates were absent.
The perpetrators Of this deed were, how
ever, discovered to be party of the school
boys, among whom was Ellsworth.
The rest of the scholars privately solic-
tied and obtained the school-teacher's par
don, but the deacon, who was terribly
shocked at this evidence of his sons want
Of principle, insisted that he should make
a public profession of his fault, before the
assembled school.
In vain Ellsworth explained and entreat-
ed. His father was invulnerable, and the
boys hsutghy spirit entirely mutinied.
Ellsworth, Ellsworth, where are you
goingP There came down the garden
Walk an eager, quivering voice, that made
the boy start, and turn around eagerly. as
he stood at the garden gate, while the light
of the rising day was fourishing the grey
mountains IN the east with rose-colored
hues. A moment later, a small LIGHT f;o-
ure, crowned with golden hair, and n LARGE
shawl thrown over its night dress, stood by
the boys side.
AWhy, Nellie, how could you! you'll
take cold in your bare feet among these
dews.
s1 can't help It, Ellsworth" Ih was 4
tear-swoolled face that looked up wistfully
to the boys. .You see, 1 haven't SLEPT
sru b.-SI,, III c:r,Lk tb;nL;nov ahos1t Won