The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1862-05-29
THE FIRST WRONG.

MY story opens In New England ST.
ting room.
There were three persons present. Let
me introduce them in order. First, there
was Deacon Holbrook, an old man, not
far from seventy now, with white hair, a
tall, spare form, and decided features
Next, bis wife, mosherly old lady, with
an expression of such calm benevo' ence
on her face as to charm all that knew
her. Yet, at this moment, anxiety, grief
and entreaty struggled for the mastery.
Tho third figure in tho tableau was q
young man with frank, handsome face,
of years not exceeding twenty, who stood
in the middle Of the floor with downcast
look, shrinking from the angry words
which his father uttered.
Henry said the deacon steruly,
"you have disgraced yourself and me, a
deacon Of the church. You have embit-
tered the declining years of your par
ents."
Don't b, too hard with him, Deacon
Holbrook,' intsrposed his wife. Re-
member it is his first fault"
"1f it were anything elsc," said the
father, still unappeased, "but to think
that my son should become gambler q.
My son, who has been so carefully trained
in the way that he should go!"
"It is only once" urged the wife,
with al mothers instincts.
"There are some crimes which cannot
be committed once without sinking the
soul deep in SIM" returned the father
with undated sternness.
All this while the young man had re-
mained silent, though his varying color
showed tina. he felt deeply the harshness
Of his fathers words. At length he
spoke:
Father" said he, firmly, "you will
some day repent your severity. No SOON
er had | sinned than l repented, and
made immediate confession to you and
my mother. Instead of encouraging Inc
in my repentance, you load me with re-
proaches which my own conscience had
anticipated, and which, heaven knows, l
did not need
Deacon Holbrook was about to speak,
but Henry rapidly continued:
"You tell me | have disgraced you.
l viii remove myself aud my disgrace
from your presence.
As he was about to leave the room, his
mother asked anxiously, "Where would
you 60 to, Henry? p
"Stay him not, Hannah" said the
deacon, s:ernly. at is we'll he should
leave place where he can no longer look
an honest man in the face."
deacon Holbrook, he is our son."
said the wife, reproachfully.
az would that could forget it," was
the unre'enting reply.
These last words reached the ears of
the young man as he stood upon the
threshold, and an expression, half Of
pain, half Of indignation, swept over bis
face. He knew that he had done wrong,
but he felt that ho had not forfeited for.
giveness. With one farewell glance at
his mother, full of unspoken gratitude
end love, he left the house which had
been 50 long to him home.
This was the fault Of which Henry
Holbrcok had been guilty: Having been
sent to New York by his father to collect
a sum of money, due him, he had been
allured to gaming house by compan,-
ion, and there induced to play, though
not until after much persuasion. Hav-
ing lost part Of the money in his charge,
he kept on playing, in the hope of re-
covering his losseS. But a, might have
been expected, instead of this he lost all
that remained. Then, thoroughly asham-
Cd, and bitterly upbraiding himself for
his breach of trust, he went hcms and
confessed all. This confession was re-
ceived, AZ We have seen, in such way as
to chill his confidence and excite his in.
dieuatiou. And now he had gone forth
from home, = wauderer, he knew not
whittier, with not one effort on his faith
sr's part to stay him.
Let me do Deacon Holbrook tho jus.
tice to say that it was not his own per
sonal loss that excited his rigor. The
sum, though not large-a hundred dol.
lars-was yet Of importance to him
Still, he could overlook that, but not his
sou's weakness and crime, a. be termed
- L. -b;ch Il was lost