Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-07-16

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toe far. really Think he continued
I"that it would be an act Of Kindness, as
well as justice, to give the young man :
hint of her exploits"
is'No, nol' said Mr. Eskridge. "Do nc
such thing-it can do no good, and may
be gross injustice to her for il, as you
lintimated, she intends to assume a new
character, it would be cruel to throw OBJ
stacles in her way. We should always en-.
deayor to make easy the task of reform
by casting the veil of forgetfulness over
the past. For my part, l would rather
entice offenders into the path of virtue by
strewing it with flowers, than frighten
them from vice by exposing its deformity,
The love of truth is ever better security
| against falsehood than the fear of punish
ment, and even justice, when not tempered
by gentleness and mercy, often drives
offenders into deeper guilt, and confirms
the habits it intends TO cure"
81 think you mistook your talents,
George, when you turned merchant, for /
believe you would succeed better at preach
ing than measuring tape, and your text
should be-if a man smite thee on one
cheek, turn to him the other also--for
hang me, if ever knew you to show any
resentment but once, and that was when
you caned an impertinent upstart for call
ing this same Helen Berne an arrant
Airt."
"And did you not cane another young
man about the same time," asked Mr..
Eskridge, "and for precisely the same
ofrense2 Then why do you condemn me
for doing as you did?" h
II do not condemn you, George, for
consider it the best act of your life. But
our cases are not parallel you beat your
man for telling the simple truth Ipunish-
ed mine for an insult offered to you through
third person But feel sorry for them
both--they were punished twice-once, in
incurring the expense of wedding outfit
and then in being beaten, in the bargain. "
~ don't think Helen was so much to
blame in that transaction, said Mr.
Eskridge, because both the young men had
declared that if they could, get her fortune
without taking encumbrance with it, they
would greatly prefer it. And in point Of
guilt, both parties stood upon the same
footing She deceived them by making
promises she never intended to fulfill, and
they deceived her by seeking to gain her
fortune under the false pretext of love for
her"
"And will you justify her conduct to
yourself and dozen others, upon the
same plea?" Asked Mr.. Motley. "Ifnot,
where can you find justification for her p
Not in her ignorance; for no one better
knows right from wrong than she. You
say she has good heart then it can not
be for want of feeling that she thus acted
And l ask again-where do you find a
plea for justifying her numerous acts OF
this kindP"
"Your indignant eloquence, my friend,
Mr., Eskridge replied, sis thrown away
upon your own misapprehension of the
meaning of words. Remember, that to
justify is one thing-to palliate, quite an
oibor No,y I m, VOW c,,ra that vo,, pouor
heard me justify any wrong whatever, tho
| trust I shall always be ready to give its
due weight to any palliating circumstance,
before pronouncing sentence upon the
actor, be the act what it may. Bullet me
ask you Ned and in all seriousness, why
you are so ready to condemn Helen with
out hearing her defence? Iknow you are
not in the habit of acting so hastily; then
why do you make her case an exception?' ?'
81 don't know, George, unless it is my
partiality for her father, who is one of the
best men in the world, and the little regard
/ have for you, When we were school
boys, you know | had to do all your fight
ing, and it has become habit with me to
look upon every indignity to you as a
direct insult to myself"
"Then, injustice to the daughter, Ned
is, according to your reasoning, proof OF
regard for the father The argument is
certainly original to say the least of it. u
at seems unreasonable, George, because
you do not understand me and the idea
which you think is conveyed by my re.
mark, is yours, not mine, | meant to say
that Helen is culpoble for any act that
would be likely to give pain to so good a
man and so kind a father, because no pre-,
cept or example of his can be adduced in
support Of such act Had he been such q