Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-25
I'll istfII Iautons.
II. 1F2EaaN9sER9 2EaaNlsER9 AND SON:

III Then let HIM die"
1t was not the words, terrible as they were
NJ IN their simplicity nor was it the thought of
Death to one so young and manly, bitter as that
N thought was nor yet was it the fact that any
one could speak thus of fellow-being but it
. VAS The voice, the tone, the suppressed but de-
termued anger that heard in the words, and
was the horrible truth that it was father
speaking OF his only son, that so shocked me.
LET him die" And wherefore should he
die? He was young. and not ready-by years
Or wtariness-for death He was not tired
Of living, nor had he sought the end himself
His eve was not dim, his voice was not bro
ken, his ear was still attuned to the pleasant
sounds Of earth and it was beautiful EARTH
too. that in which he was born, and in which
he had grown to be stout, strong man and
he loved life, and knew how to enjoy it-and
vhv should he die He was not one of the
worthless and useless men of this world either,
living for SELF and needless of all others, un-
loving, unlOved, in cold sensual sefshness-
Not he He was noble man-young, ardent,
afectionate full of the love OF life and of his
fellows, beloved by all who knew him, and al
ways ready to aid friend or stranger with
purse, hand, and heart.
Why then should he die
There were mary reasons why Stephen For
ser the elder was willing at that time that
Stephen Forster the younger should die.
Twenty-Five years before the time at which
our history is dated, there lived in an obscure
village in the country, not far from the Hnd-
son river, man, some thirty years of age,
with young wife, not more than eighteen or
twenty The latter was the daughter Of the
Wealthiest man in the county and, as it af-
terward proved by the death of her brother,
she and her children were his sole heirs Ste
phen Forster was lawyer, gifted with some
powers Of mind not quick, but shrewd, in the
true acceptation of that word and making
money rapidly by speculations in farms and
farm lands. | shall not pause to relate the
painful circumstances through which he won
the hand of the young daughter of the old
Judge her heart he never had won. That
was not hers to give him and from the day
he learned that fact, he hated her, with stea-
dy, persevering hate But he married her
nevertheless and when the wedding ring was
placed, | should say forced on her finger, she
Shuddered. and well-nigh tainted, for her eye
caught at that moment the sad CLEAN of an
eve that had once looked deeper into her own
than had any other persons, aud she knew
then that as true heart as man ever possess
ed was broken
Broken hearts are not always followed by
Death. 1t is romantic notion that supposes
1t Necessary. | have known men that lived
many years with what in common parlance
would he called broken heart. Nay, have
hot lo,l IT, Al e. o
years. wandering restessly, almost hopeessy
up and down the paths of this miserable world
yet bearing about with them cool, quiet faces
and eyes speaking no sort of passion whatever
Very much such a man was William Nor
Ton after the marriage of Ellen Dusenberry
and he was never seen again in the little vii
lage, where he had been his fathers clerk il
The Only store, until after all the events occur
red which | am now about to relate
As years crept along Stephen Forster's ia
mliy increased, and four children sat at hi
board when he was forty years old. But there
was no love between the father and his family
lie was harsh, cold, stern, unforgiving in hi
treatment, and they rebelled, as children will
Once, when he was furnishing the oldest boy
ior some fancied offense, neighbor who wa:
passing and overheard the occurrence, enter
cd aud demonstrated with Forster for his bru
'allty. The result might have been anticipat
td' lie was turned out of doors without cere
Mony, and left to console himself by relating
T tae story to his neighbors, whose opinion o
,hster rhorster was neither improved nor injured
Death came into the household, and th'
e'S'eyard gate was opened three times within