Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-08-13
Che 5torp Geller.
DUTY AND KINDNESS.


snance of Deacon Jonas Browning
There were tears in the sad face of his wife.
He shall be sent to sea-" said Deacon
Browning stsrnly.
There was pleading look in the eyes of
Mrs. Browning. as sho lifted them to the
iron face of her husband. But no woods
passed her lips.
He shall be sent to sea. 1t is my last
hope"
"Philip is very Young. Jenas." said
Mrs. Browning"
mot too young for evil, and therefore
not too young for discipline needed to Grad
icate the evil. He shall 60 to sea. Capt
Ellis sails in the Fanny Williams next
Monday. will call on him this very day
Isn't the Fanny Williams q whaler?'
The lips OF Mrs. Browning quivsrsl and
her voice had a choking sound.
YES" was firmly answered.
Il wouldn't send him away in whaler.
Jonas Remember he il very young. not
thirteen until April.
Young or old. Mary. he has got to go, %
said the stern I'D deacon. who was q be-
lever in the gospel of the law. He was
no weak advocate of moral suasion, as it
is Familiarity termed. He went in for law
and was q strict constructionist Implicit
obedience was the statute for him, devia-
tions thsrefrom met the never withheld
penalty.
Mrs. Browning entered into no argument
with her husband for she knew that would
be useless. She had never succeeded in
changing his purpose by argam,nt in her
life. And so she bent her eyes meekly to
the floor again. while the tears crept over
her face, and fell in large bright drops up
on the carpet. Deacon Browning saw the
tears, but they did not move him. he was
tear proof
Philip, tie offending member of the
Browning family. was bright. active. rest.
less boy, who. from the start had been a
rebel against unreasonable authority, and.
as matter of course. not unfrequently
against authority both just and reasonable.
Punishment had only hardened him, in
creasing instead of diminishing his power
of endurance. The particular offence for
which he was now in disgrace was. it must
be owned, q very serious one. He had, in
company with three other boys of his age.
known as the greatest reprobates in the
village. riflsd choice plum-tree belonging
to a ssighbor of all the fruit it contained,
and then killed q favorite dog which hap
psned to discover them at their work. and
attempted to drive them from the garden.
The nsighbor had complained to Deacon
Browning. accompanying the complaint
with the threat to have Philip arrested for
stealing.
"If you don't do something with that
boy of yours" he added. with considera-
BILE feeling, "he'll end his life in the state
prison or on the gallows"
Hard words were those for the ears Of
Deacon Browning. Hard words with a
prophetic meaning in them. He had not
very creative imagination but in this in
stance the prediction of his angry neighbor
conjured up in his mind the image of a
prison and gallows causing q shudder to
pass along his nerves and the cold perspi-
ration to start upon his forehead. From
that moment the resolution Of Deacon
Browning was taken.
The boy was on the brink of ruin and
must be saved at-sll hazards As to the
means of doing this it never entered into
the heart Of Deacon Browning to conceive
any other means than harsh discipline
The Canaanite was in the land and must
be driven cut with FIRE and sword. With
him the word duty had q stern signitica.
ton. He had always tried to do his duty,
moving steadily on in the path of life, and
crushing down all sanities aHd evils that
sprung up by the way. under heel shod
with iron.
Gle shall be sent to sea-" That was
the last desperate remedy. In his mind
a. in the minds of many like him some years
ago. ship was the great school Of reform
and when . boy was deemed incorrigible
he was sent of to sea. usually to have hi,
evil inclinations hardened into permanent
qualities.
When Deacon Browning met his sor
Philip after recsiving the intelligence o.
his great offenss it was with q stern and
angry repulsion- He did not see the lool
of appeal, the sign of repentance. the Piles
for mercy that was in his fearful eyes. A
single word of kindness ould have broker
up the great deep OF the boys heart, ant
impelled by warmer impulses inherited
: from his mother. he would have flung him
self weeping into bis fathers arms. Blu
Deacon Browning had separated duty from
kindness The one was stern correcto
of evil, the other q smiling approvor o
good.
From his home to the wharf where thu
Fanny Williams lay all equipped for sea
Deacon Browning bent his steps. CaptaiE
Ellie. rough, hard man. was on board
After listening to the fathers story and re
quests, be said, bluntly-
eff You put your boy aboard the Fanny
Williams, he'll have to bend or break
that Is certain. Take my advice and Civ,
the matter second thought. He'll hav,
dogs life of it in whalsr. It's m,
opinion that ysur lad hasn't stuff enough
in him for this experiment"
"I'll risk IT," replied the Deacon, che
got too much stuff in him to stay at home
that's the trouble. The bend or brak
system is the only one in which l hav
any faith"
Gas you like, Deacon. want anothe
hey and yours will answer, guess"
s"When do you sail?" be inquired.
Next Monday"
Every we'll; I'll bring the boy down to
marrow