The Grand Haven news., 1864-11-30
THE FIRST WRONG.

an old man, not far from seventy now,
with white hair, a tall, spare form, and
decided features. Next, bis wife, moth
erly old lady, with such an expression Of
such calm benevolence on her face as to
charm all who knew her. Yet at this
moment, anxiety, grief and entreaty
struggled for the mastery. The third
figure in the tableau was young man
with frank, handsome face, years not
exceeding twenty, who stood in the mid
die of the floor with a downcast look,
shrinking from the angry words which
his father uttered.
"Henry," said the deacon, sternly,
@you have disgraced yourself and me, a
deacon of the church. You have embit-
tered the declining years of your parents" I"
~Don't be so hard with him, Deacon
Holbrcok," interposed his wife. "Re-
member il is his first fault"
If it we're anything else,' said the
father still unappeased, "but to think
that my son should become gambler !
NY son who has been so carefully trained
in the way he should CO."
at is only once" urged the wife, with
all mothers instincts.
"There are some crimes which cannot
be committed once without sinking the
soul deep in SIM" returned the father,
-, l. .,..k~toJ .to~cooee
All this while the young man remain
ed silent, though his varying color show
ed that he felt deeply the harshuess of his
fathers words. AT length he spoke;
+" Father" said he firmly, "you will one
day repent of your severity. No sooner
had l sinned than / repented, and made
confession to you and my mother. In
stead Of encouraging me in my repent
ance, you load me with reproaches 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 that ! have disgraced you. I will re-
move myself and my disgrace from your
house,"
AS he was about 10 leave the room his
mother asked anxiously: "Where would
you 60 to, Henry"
"Stay him not, Hannah" said the
deacon sternly, " il is well that 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.
"I would that ! could forget it." was
the unrelenting reply. These last words
reached the ears Of the young man as he
stood upon the threshold, and an express
ion, half Of pain, half of indignation,
swept over his face. He knew that he
had done wrong, but he felt that he had
not forfeited forgiveness. With one fare
well glance at bis mother, full of unspok-
en- gratitude and love, he left the house
which had SO long TO him been home.
This is the fault of which Henry Hol-
brook had been guilty. Having been
sent 10 New York by his father TO collect
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. Having
lost part of the money in his charge, he
kept on playing, in the hope of recover
ing his losses. But, as might have been
expected, instead of this, he lost all that
remained. Then, thoroughly ashamed,
and bitterly upbraiding himself for the
breach of trust, he went home and con-
fessed all. This confession was received,
as we have seen, in such way as to chill
his confidence and excite his Indignation.
And now he had gone forth from home a
wanderer, he knew not whittier, with not
one effort on his fathers part 10 stay him,
Let me do Deacon Holbrook the JUS
tice to say that it was not his own per-
sonal loss that excited his rigor. The
SUN, though not large-a hundred dol
lars-was yet ofimportance to him. Still,
he could overlook that, but not bis sons
weakness and crime, as he termed it, by
which it was lost. After Henry's de-
parture, the old house became quietel
than before. All the life had gone ont
of it. Deacon Holbrook himself was q
man of few words, and his taciturnity
had abated his wife's social tendencies. =
Very long, very quiet, and very tedious
we're the evenings which they spent to.
gether. On ono side Of the fireplace sal
the deacon, gravely reading the agricul
tural papers which came weekly. Oppo
site him sat his wife, her fingers actively
engaged in knitting, her mind intent upor
her absent boy. All was staid quiet, sub