True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-08-11
a SKETCH FOR FATHERS.
he ALWAYS came I'M Sunshine

AAS &AW0yo N0AAAO Al
There are men who always come to
- you in sunshine and there are men
whose presence you feel as shadow. It
is ever so, meet them when and where
you villa, home, in the street, on
Change, in tie store, office or counting
room-there is ever the radiant sunshine
or the projected shadow.
As men are, so, in the main, will you
find their homes. The man who turns
his face always to the light brings his
warm and genial sphere into his home
circle while the man whose back is to
the sun never enters the door Of his
dwelling without throwing a shadow over
the household.
- My uncle Florian was man whose
spirit seemed to know perpetual sunshine.
] never saw cloud on his face; never
knew his coming 10 shadow even the
heart of little child. Dear uncle Florian!
What rare pleasure it was when, leave
obtained, l turned my steps lightly
from the shadowed house where nv
early years were spent. and came, for
brief season, into the brightness OF thy
beloved presence.
"Ah! Hatty dear, is this you - Me-
mory will never lose the echo Of his
pleasant voice as he greeted my coming |;
nor do feel the pressure of his hand
lighter now upon my head than it was
thirty years ago, when it buried itself
among the golden curls of childhood.
My aunt was not so cheerful in spirit
as uncle Florian. She was more inclined
10 look upon the dark side of things, and
to prophesy evil instead of good. But
uncle Florian never permitted the clouds
to 1arken the whole swoop other horizon.
IF he could not always scatter the leaden
mass of vapor he would break into riffs
and lsl in, Eere and there, broad strips Of
sunshine.
Children are always children-thought-
less, given to fits Of passion, disobedient
in little things, inclined 10 selfshness. |
give the pictures shadowed side. My
cousins were no exception. Children are
not born angels; they come to US in the
natural plan of life, and receive by inher.
itence natural inclinations, which unhapily
show q downward proclivity. But the
germs of angelic life are in the inmosts oI
their being, and the wise parent gives
loving yet earnest heed to the insemina
ton ofthese, which is done by the ava
kening of gentle, tender unselfsh affec
tons and the storing up Of good true
principles in the mind.
NY cousins were like other children
and their mother, like too many mothers
weakly indulgent at times, and passionate
unreasonable, and exactng at other times
I'll health, the curse of American mother.
--made her often fretful, and dimmed he
vision when she looked out upon life.
remember one June day that I spen
as great privilege. at uncle Forian's.--
Ibid not ask of my father the privilege
for feared his universal mo" l,u
after he had gone forth, l enticed, will
childish art, my weak, unhappy mothe
into consent. Quietly, almost demurely
fearing to show any exhuberant feelings
II stole out from my shadowed home an
when once fairly beyond the gate, an,
across the road into the green fields,
few over the intervening distance wit
the tremulous joy Of an uncaged bird.
'Ah. Hatty, dear y |. was the kin
voice Of uncle Florian. | met him at til
gate surrounded by my cousins. He lai
his hand upon my head as usual, an
stopped to receive my kiss.
elbow are father and mother :"
swell, thank you"
All, but it was not we'll with them.-
Why, in my childish ignorance. l kne'
not But somehow, my father alway
came to us in shadow. His presenc
hushed the sports of his children OF
home rarely knew the blessing of chee
ful sunshine.
rTake good care OF Hattie, dears,
said uncle Florian, with beaming coul
tenance, as he turned from the gate
= and make this day in her lle's calend
golden one."
And it was a golden one, as were
the days ! ever spent at uncle Florian'
Yet was not the day all cloudless.
was shadowed more perhaps, than ar
day I had ever spent with my cousin
who were, as have said, like other chi
dren, given to fits Of passion, and sway,
by the sudden impulse of selfish feeling
Several times Aubrey, the oldest Of n
cousins, who seemed for while posse
sed with a teasing spirit, worried
gentle sister Marion into tears. and sad
marred our pleasure. He would not
away and find his own enjoyment, b
kept with us nearly all morning. for
other reason, IL seemed, than 10 graft
an unamiable temper.
n at dinner time--uncle FIoria.. had 90
to the city. and would not return towar
evening-Marion complained bitterly
Aubrey's conduct, and my aunt scolt
sharply. The boy did not receive
mothers intemperately spoken reproot
avery good spirit and was sent from
table in consequence Of disrespect
word dropped thOughtlessly from bis !