The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-02-19
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
a Lesson for Parents.

and correspondent Of mine in the city % Boston,
some ten years ago, the history Of which will
commend itself u the heart Of every father and
mother who has any sympathy with, or affection
for, their children. That it Is entirely true, you
may be we'll assured. / was convinced Of this
when / opened tine letter from l. II. B,
which announced it, aud in the detail If the
event which was subsequently, furnished Inc.
\ few weeks before he wrote he had buried bis
eldest son, a fine, manly little fellow, Of some
eight years Of age, VINO had never, he said
known Il days illness until that which finally
removed him hence 10 be here no more. His
death occurred under circumstances which were
peculiarly painful TO hIs parents. \ younger
brother, u delicate. sickly child from its birth,
the next IN age to him, had been down for nearly
= fortnight with an epidemic fever. In cOnse-
quence Of the nature Of the disease, every pre-
caution had been adopted that prudence suggest
ed to guard the other members OF the family
against it. But Of this one, the fathers eldest,
he said he had little 70 fear, 80 rugged was he
and 50 generally healthy. Still. however, he
kept q vigilant eye upon him, and especially for
babe his going into the pools and docks near his
school, which 10 was hU= custom sometimes 70
visit for he was but u boy, and % boys will De
boys" and we ought more frequently u think
that IL is their nature 10 be. Of all unnatural
things, q reprOach almost 70 childish frankness
and innocence, save me from a : boy man -
But u the story.
One evening this unhappy father came home,
wearied with a long days hard labor, and yexed
NJ sOiEe little disappOIntments which had sOured
his naturally kind disposition, and rendered him
peculiarly susceptible 10 the smallest annoyance.
While he was sitting by the FIRE, in this unhappy
mood Of mind, his wife entered the apartment,
and said
Henry has just come in, and he Is a perfect
fright He is covered from head to foot with
~dOck-mud, and Is a. wet a. Il drowned rati
Where l. he ?'' asked the father, sternly.
- He Is shiyering over the kitchen fire. He
was afraid u come up here when the girl told
him you had come home"
Tell Jane TO tell him to come here this in
slant - was the brief reply to this information.
Presently the poor boy entered, half persisted
with alright and cold. His father glanced at
his sad plight, reproachcd him bitterly with his
disobedience, spoke of the punishment which
awaited him in the morning, as the penalty for
his offence and / in a harsh voice concluded with:
"NOw, sir, go to your bed :"
But, father - said the little fellow, " want
to tell you"
{" Not a word, sir go TO Jedr'
81 only wanted to say, father, that"
With a peremptory stamp, an imperative wave
of his hand toward the door, and u frOwn upon
his brow, did that father, without other speech.
again close the door Of explanation and expostu-
latiOn.
When the boy had gone supperless and sad to
his bed, the father sat restless and uneasy while
but little. His wife saw the real cause, or the
additional cause Of his emotion, and interposed
the remark
g think, my dear, you ought at least 70 have
heard what Henry had to say. My heart ached
for him when he turned away, with his eyes full
of tears. Henry is a good boy, after all, if he
does sometimes do wrong. He is a tender-hearted,
afectionate boy. He always was
And therewithal the water stood in the eyes of
that forgiving mother, even rs it stood in the
eyes OF Mercy, In - the house of the Interpreter
as recorded by Bunyan.
After tea, the evening paper was taken up;
but there was no news and nothing of interest
for that father in the Journal of that evening.
lie sat for some time in an evidently painful
reverie, and then rose and repaired TO his bed
chamber. As he passed the bedroom where his
little boy slept, he thought he would look in
upon him before ret4r.Ig TO rest. lie crept to
his low cot and bent over him. \ big tear had
stolen down the boys cheek, and rested upon it;
but he was sleeping calmly and sweetly. The
father deeply regretted his harshness as he gazed
upon his son but he felt also the " sense of
duty - yet in the night, talking the matter over
with the lads mother, he resolved and promised,
instead OF furnishing, rs he had threatened, to
make amends to the boys aggrieyed spirit in the
morning for the manner in which he had repealed
all explanation Of his Ofense.
But that morning never came TO the poor child
in health. He awOke the next morning with Il
raging fever on his brain, and wild with delirium.
In fOrty-eight hours he was in his shrOud. lie
knew neither his father nor his mother. when
they were first called To his bedside, nor at any
moment afterward. Waiting, watching for one
token of recognition. hour after hour, in speech
less agony, d. that unhappy father bend over
the couch of his dying son. Once, indeed, he
thought he saw a smile Of recognition light up
his dying eve, and ne leaned eagerly forward, for
he would have given worlds To have whispered
one kind word in his ear. and have been answer
ed but that CLEAN of apparent intelligence
passed quickly away, and was succeeded by the
cold. unmeaning glare, and the wild tossing Of
the feyered limbs, which lasted until death cant
10 his relief.
Two days afterward the undertaken cam with
the little coffin, and his son, a playmate of the
boy, bringing the low stools on which it
to stand in the entry hall.
/" was with Henry" said the lad, " when he
into the water We were playing down at
the Long Wharf, Henry, and Frank Mumford,
and | and the tide was out very low and there
was 4 beam run out from the wharf and Charles
got out on it TO get a fsh-line and hook that
hung over where the water was deep and the
first thing we saw, he had slipped off, and was
struggling in the water Henry threw off his
cap and jumped clear from the wharf into the
water, and, after 4 great deal Of hard work, got
Charles out; and they waded up through the
mud to where the wharf was not so wet and slip
perry and then | helped them to climb up the
side. Charles told Henry not TO say anything
about it, for if he did his father would never let
go near the water again. Henry was very
sorry and, all the way going home, he kept
saying:
What will father say when he sees me to-
/ wish we had not gone 10 the wharf"
Dear, brave boy - exclaimed the bereaved
: and this was the explanation which [
go cruelty refused to hear :" And hot and bitter