Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-06-01
The Hasty word.

So spoke Mrs. Dorrence to her little daugh-
ter, bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl of eleven
years. She meant nothing out of the way
but she had allowed herself to become fretted
and the harsh, ungrateful words slipped from
her tongue without thought or meaning. The
childleft the room and the Fnother piled the
needle more vigorously thanbeforea 2$
But Mrs. Dorrence was not left alone
Mrs Nasty, a cousin Of her husband was there
ON visit, had been a spectator of the scene
which had Just passed And these two women
were much alike. They were both true and
faithful wives; kind, indulgeut' mothers; and
hearted, trusty friends. Mrs Nasby
was some years the oldest, and consequently
had more of life's experience TO guide and d.
rect s n
For some time after the child had gone, both
women sat and sewetl, in silence, but at
length Mrs. Nasty Spoke.
Marie, said she, addressing her friend by
her most familiar name, you will pardon me
speak plainly to you H'4f' " .At "
CERTAINTY replied Mrs. Dorrence, with a
slight dropping, Of the eyes, and tremulous-
ness of the neither lip.
.Ynn will oonfess pursued the visitor, that
if you had spoken kindly and softly to your
sweet little child ,
But, said Mrs Dorrence, You don't know
what a pest she can be-
That is as much as mother pleases to make
it, Marie. I hayeabeen here ovcra week, and
must say that Lizzie has appeared to meto
be one of the best children ever knew. Am
| not rightY' nj
"Yes, yes, Matilda; you are right. But
still, she sometimes plaghes me dreadfully'
a'And then, said Mrs Nasty, softening her
remark beneath u kindly smile, you lose your
patience, and set your child an example which
must influence her for evil in the time to-
come O.. .,l t.,.-. ..,,.
Weren't you ever impatient with your chill
dren? asked Mrs Dorrence, @ a So rr
i used to be, but I think am not now
answered Mrs. Nasby.q Twill tell YOU a story
Of my experience, she continued, folding her,
work and laying it upon the table by her side.
You remember our little cottage by the
sea-shore, where we used to live before my
husband went into business in the city. My
Oldest son, Clarence, was then thirteen years
Of age, bold, fearless noblehearted boy,
who never knew what was to be cruel, and
was the pet and pride of his friends both old
and young Still used to think that he some
times bothered me- When he vas at home
from school, his wants were so many, and his
persistence in claiming his privileges so deter
mined that | often allowed myself to speak
very harshly and unkindy to him; and though
the hasty words always fell upon my own heart
with pain and modification, still was slow to
break myself of the unpleasant habit
tOnp doy while, woo opp,,od 10
Clarence came and asked me for some cake.
NJ hands were covered with dough- and told
him that | could not get it for him He then
asked me if he might get some himself Ian
swered him quite sharply-'No!' The feeling
manifest in my quick, short answer, called up
a corresponding feeling in his own BOSOM and
he did not attempt to hide it. He replied to
me, and then spoke more harshly than be-
fore. He finally told me that if did not give
him the cake he would take one of his father
boats and 60 out into the harbor Two of his
school mates he said were going with him.
had suffered myself this time to get entirely out
of patience, and spoke words which even
now make me shudder when recall them to
mind. l told him to Co. aud told him that
did not care if he never came back. OIL
course meant nothing. The words were the
fungi Of my heated blood-heated partly by
work and partly by coutact with the strong
character Of my SON.
He went away, and after he was gone Twas
sorry that had spoken to him as 1 had
stopped in my work and wished that l had not
spoken those words. As | stood there alone,
] called to mind the first born of my loye--I
remembered the smile of my curly y-haired boy
i remembered his warm kisses, and his ring
ing laugh-his soft, warm arms about my neck,
and his dear mamma 0, how wished |
had not spoken those hasty words--I do not
care If you never come backr stG
Il became nervous and uneasy A heavy
hand was upon me, and chill was in my
heart. The cruel words rang in my ears as |
they had dropped from my lips and / involun-
tarily prayed to God that no harm might come
to my child Dinner time came, butno Clar-
ence. My husband was in New York, and |
was alone with my three younger children
Towards the middle Of the afternoon a mes
senger-a soldier stationed in the fort at the
entrance to the harbor-came to our house.
and told me that one of my husbands boats
had been capsized off Eagle Point that three
boys were in the water; and two boats had put
OF from the fort to their assistance What
passed during the next half hour know not
except that l ran down upon the beach and
stood there wringing my hands and praying
to God to spare my child. At length one Of
the fort boats came to the shore and when the
men brought my boy to- me thought he was
dead. His boat had been struck by flaw of
wind in rounding the Point, and when she
went over, he had used his first energies in
saving his two companions He had got them
in safe position upon the overturned boat
and just As heswas about to secure safe hold
for himself a heavy sea came rolling in and
swept him off When the boat from the fort
reached him he had sunk the third time, and |
one of the men caught him by the hair of his
head, and drew him out But no one there
knew what to do for him. They simply laid
him upon some old sails, and brought him to
me. And then some one took me BY the arm
and led me to the house, while two men bore
my child after me. When he had been laid I
upon q bed heard some one say that the boy
was gone. 20, God only knows what / suffered |
at that momentl In the anguish Of my heart,
I could cry out, God spare my .childp H ~
But help was at hand An old sailor, who
had had experience in such cases, and who
had seen the boy brought in, came to save
him He gathered together every blanket in |
the house, and had men heat them by the blaz-
ing fire. AT first my child was utterly sense
less; his legs and arms were cold as ice, and |
the pulse in the wrist not perceptibe. Iknelt
by his bedside while the strong man piled the
hot blankets, He gasped and struggled, and
i nv knA fkakH