True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-08-11
q. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor,

"a word repentcd Of as soon as uttered
and which wiser reproof on his mothers
part would not have provoked. l
| tasted no more food after Aubrey was
sent from the table.
"Your father shall hear Of this" said
my aunt, sternly, as Aubrey left the
room.
My cousin did not trouble us again
during the remainder of the day. l met
him several times but he did not look
cheerful. His own thoughts were, saw.
furnishing him severely. A restless spiri.
kept him wandering about, and doing all
sorts of out of the way things. Now
you would sec him turning the grindstone
vigorously, though no one held the axe or
knife blade upon the swiftly revolving
periphery; now he was on the top of a
hay NOW now climbing the long straight
pole that bore up the painted bird box. to
see if the twittering swallow had laid an
egg; and now lying upon the grass in
restless Incidence.
Crash What is that? The boy had
found his way out upon the branch of
one of his fathers choice plum trees,
which had only this year came into bear.
ing, and was laden with its first offerings
Of half ripe fruit. His weight proved too
heavy for the slender limb, and now, torn
from its hold upon the tree, it Law in ruin
upon the ground.
Aubrey was unhur!. In falling he had
alighted upon his feet. But if his body
had escaped without harm, not SO his
mind for he comprchended in an instant
the extent of injury sustained by his
fathers favorite tree-a tree to which
two years careful attention had been given
and to the ripening Of whose choicely
favored fruit that father had looked with
so much pleasure. The shape of the
tree was also matter Of pride with uncle
Florian. He had pruned it for two sea-
sons with a careful attention to symmetry
as we'll as fruit bearing, and had more
than once heard him speak of its almos
perfect form.
Tears we're in the eyes of cousin Aubrey
as we came up TO where he stood, gazing
sadly upon the broken limb. Ny aunt
had heard The crash and fall, and came
running out from the house with fright,
ened air. The moment she comprehend
ed ule nature of what had occurred, she
struck her hands together passionately
and stung the already suffering mind o.
the boy with sharp, reproving words
Aubrey made no answer. Fhe pain h'
felt was too severe 10 find much conces
sion from this cause; though any addet
pang was cruelty, no matter from wha
source it came.
"If it had been any other tree" sale
Aubrey. was sitting at his side, trying
to comfort him an hour after the accident
"I If il had been any other tree | woul
not have cared so much. But father val
ued this one so highly. I.was his favor
lite tree"
"He will not be angry" I was think
ing how angry my own father would hav
been under like circumstances, and hov
severely he would have punished m
brother had he been guilty of simila
fault. "Ho is always so cheerful-al
ways so ready to forgive" "
at isn't that, cousin Hattie-it ism
that" answered the boy, in a trouble
voice. cit is not his anger | fear.".
"What then, have you 10 fear :" | in
quired.
" His sorrow, cousin. All, Hattie
that is worse than his anger. He too
so much pride in this tree, and now it
ruined forever !"
"Only single limb is broken, II
tree is no! destroyed. There is muc
fruit on it STILL" said, trying to comic
, him.
) :" Its beauty is gone" replied Aubre.
. That beauty which father produced B
r careful pruning. No, Hattie there
!. no bright side to the picture. All
dark"
; It was in vain; we could not comic
/. the unhappy boy, who spent the rest
the day alone, brooding over the eve
r which had so troubled his peace.
There's your father now," | hea
\ my aunt say, a little before sundown.'
). She was speaking to Aubrey, and h
I, voice had in il neither announcement n
v comfort The breaking of the tree h
J, excited her anger, and she still felt som
/. thing Of unkindness. l looked from Z
d window and saw unole Florian alightiI
). from his horse. His face was turned
Y wards us--his kind, good face, that
5. ways looked as if the sun was shini
is upon it. Aubrey arose-he had be
y sitting by table, with detected air,
% head resting on his hand--and wen. {
ut hastily TO meet his father.
10 81 hope" said my aunt, that he v
Ty give him good scolding; he richly
serves it.! What business had he
,e climb into that tree, and out upon
ds slender a limb 7" M
Of felt an almost hreathless interest
ed the meeting between my cousin and un
lis Florian. | had never seen that mild Fl
in clouded, but was sure it would be cl
he ded now. How could it help being
ful Ills countenance, az he stood with
ns hand rasiin0 nm the neck of his hOr