The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-12-17
Into the Sunshine.

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Into the Sunshine.
II wish father would come home"
The voice that said this had troubled
tone, and the face that looked up was
sad.
"Your father will be very angry" said
an aunt, who was sitting in the room with
book in her hand.
The boy raised himself from the sofa,
where he had been lying in tears for half
an hour, and with touch of indignation
in his voice, answered. ss-.ss.ssz-.
-"He'IT be sorry, not angry. Father
never gets angry"
For a few moments the aunt looked at
the boy half curiously, and let her eyes
fall again upon the book that was in her
hand. The boy laid himself down upon
the sofa again, and hid his face from
sight.
"Thats my father, now !"
lie started up after the lapse of nearly
ten minutes, as the sound of bell reached
his ear, and went to the room door. He
stood there for little while, and then
came slowly back, saying with disap-
pointed air:
at is MT father. I wonder what keeps
him so late. o, wish he would come!"
"You seem anxious to get deeper into
trouble" remarked the aunt, who had
only been in the house for a week, and
who was neither very amiable nor very
sympathizing towards children. The
boys fault had provoked her, and she
considered him fit subject for punish
ment.
II believe, aunt Phebe, that you'd like
to see me whipped said the boy little
warmly; "but you won't"
II must confess" replied aunt Phebe,
"that 1 think little wholesome discipline
of the kind you speak of would not be
out of place. If you were my child, l
am sure you would not escape"
al am not your child. l don't want
to be. Father is good and loves me-"
"If your father is so good, and loves
you so well, you must be very migrate
full or a very inconsiderate boy. His
goodness don't seem to have helped you
much"
"Hush, will you! +" calculated the boy,
excited to anger by this unkindness of
speech.
"Phebe!"
1t was the boys mother who spoke for
| the first time. In an undertone she
added
"You are wrong. Richard is suffering
quite enough, and you are doing him
harm rather than good"
Again the bell rang, and again the boy
left the sofa and went to the sitting-room
door.
ats father"
And he went gliding down stairs.
"Ah, Richard" was the kindly greeting,
as Mr.. Gordon took the hand of his boy.
"But what's the matter, my son? You
do not look happy"
"Won't you come in here" Richard
drew his father into the library. Mr..
Gordon sat down, still holding Richards
hand.
"You are III trouble, my son. What
has happened?"
The eyes of Richard filled with tears
as he looked into his fathers face. He
tried to answer, but his lips quivered.-
Then he turned away, and opening the
door of the cabinet, brought out the frag-
ments of broken statuette, which had
been sent home only the day before and
set them on the table before his father,
over whose countenance came instantly a
shadow of regret.
"Who did this, my SOM" was asked
in an even voice.
al did it."
"How?"
81 threw my ball in there, once-only
once, in forgetfulness.
The boys tones were husky and trem-
ulous.
A little while Mr.. Gordon sat control
ling himself, and collecting his disturbed
thoughts. Then he said gently:
"What is done, Richard, can't be help
ed. Put the broken pieces away. You
have had trouble enough about it, can
see, and reproof enough for your thought
lessness, SO / shall not ada a word to in
crease your pain"
20, fatherl' And the boy threw his
arms around his fathers neck. "You
are so kind-so good!"
Five minutes later, and Richard enter
ed the sitting-room with his father. Aunt
Phebe looked up for two shadowed faces,
but did not see them. She was puzzled.
"That was very unfortunate" she said,
little while after Mr.. Gordon came in.
at was such an exquisite work of art.
1t is hopelessly ruined"
Richard was leaning against his father
when his aunt said this. Mr.. Gordon
only smiled and drew his arm closely
around his boy. Mrs. Gordon threw upon
her sister look of warning, but it was
unheeded.
'I think Richard was very naughty
boy"
1--WE have settled that, Phebe," was the
mild but firm answer of Mr.. Gordon; "and
it is one of the rules to get into the sum
shine as quick as possible"
Phebe was rebuked; while Richard
looked grateful, and, it may be, little
triumphant for his aunt had borne down
upon him rather too hard for boys pa
tience to endure.
Into the sunshine as quickly as possible!
o, is it not the better philosophy for our
homes?
Is it not true Christian philosophy 1t
is selfishness that grows angry and rebels
because fault has been committed. Let
us get the offender into the sunshine as
quickly as possible, so that true thoughts
and right feelings may grow vigorous in
its warmth. We retain anger, not that
anger may act as wholesome discipline,
but because we are unwilling to forgive.
All, if we were always right with our
selves, we would oftener be right with
our children.
Or Missouri has State debt of $685.
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