The sun., 1865-09-08
RONALD HERBERT,
THE
Selfish Man


| the best means to regain tho affections Of my edey
children, and compel the Younger cues to love mn
| In deed and In truth. Iresembod msn who FRA
having sovn . crop Of tsrcs in fertile meadow.
throws in . few grains Of whe-t, expecting lhau
| to increase and overcome TIE evil plants.
| NJ name had gone ahrnsd my rcputstion FOE
! wrong ~ss established. The very measures vise-
| " and calmly recommended my sons TO follow
| they we're sure 10 avoid. satisfied by past eIp-r-
ence that ,be'r father had some covert motive u
| his own IN rendering sdvi"e-s mething in view
to tring about his own objects NJ eldest son
posJerse.a strange mixture Of philosophic thousht
snd trihing speculation lie W 4, o. the same time,
| thoughtful ami gay, and alternately laughed ~
hirscf and all tho world. ~ me he laughed
not, however aud with W, 8. lent the si,ge wa
true thai n,ither does rich llnn love his hei-,
nor toe keir his fsthor. He studied Kant, and tn.
] fed vith Rousseau. Ny own moral conduct 40
the world ca.k N, hsd been correct. sn,i though I
| had been sn uaiur and cruel husbspd had never
| been un'sithfil one he was libcrtine, and was
enirapped into marria ~ Jy swonAn of loose chs.
rst tcr. lived to see hun sink intoa sreon grave,
and heard his last words. "Fsther, n st ar carly
age Gu had commended my respect, you ugh,
have guided me with swi'low wand !" NJ second
-ont what aVai's IL to recsrtulalef They al
hated --rll tvGrted rle and when | voulu rave
ohsused--vhsnI would Rave been diHe-un, wu
thrown lack uHon m-s:Hb by. tAs very practice ot
that selhshness IN others which my own s1anirls
had ineulcated. How completely is fatl or at the
mercy OF his offspring when they arc grorn up and
have the car, and interests, ard opinions Of The
world N thoir favour Men forget that tho,e whom
they have known and loved in early life are con-
tinueny diopr!ng around them, while with their
chiloren spring up new who know not their
elders nor nre known Of them. Never was mAu 20
cursed In bis children my second dAughter-.h.
was most like her mother-she bore with me bp,
God took her 10 himself In her fifteenth year an.
died with Ter head upon my arm, sghinR, "yvba
VIII love you' papa, when am gone'" who in.
ceei Oh, that ny experience might enter int,
tne nonts or men' and teach them to lay up tres-
sures for themselves by beuehtino others 40 lbs,
tho holy incense Of prayers and Hess pgs misb,
mount 70 the Almighiy's throne. l Ienyv IN, man
whose ears dri X 10 the grateful looks and word,
OF the poor ami needy. I have never been . rni.e,,
that Is, cared not for TIE aoeursed coin abIch
bear tho l;insly st'mr-oiten the sole chronicle 4,
after Agor thAt such o roysl nothing sxi.fsf Ard
yoe uu4inS earn three score and ten, colld nurn
per on my fingers tho blessings have had thoy
h.ve neither hcsu nsny, nor Of rare ouaIt,S
Ihfec OF my sons have boen open profigste,, and
nave eischarsed their debts to avoid the shame Of
Pubnc disgrace still did II so grudgingly thA,
the creditor saw paid IL no, from honest nr noinI
fd rave gold, ample for the wants and lxur.s
OF hundred such as but what OF that M on.
cares ior me; and am served with service In
winch mo heart has no share know that tboe.
who must have my property sftsr my death think
we oIi m,n lives TOO long, and grudge mo the use
OF my own weath-some Of which came uniustlv
". sroye 10 remedy that also, and sent to youuu
Lawrence tho sum which his father would have "a.
ceVei with my sister had they been united /; ths
proud youth sent 1t back.
Miranda is rch and happy, but storm and cold.
WIG hselitv tho hsrBhness, bu. no. the tendern.a.
l showed her: thus IL IS a. at mtn's faults oy,y.
ta, whIe their virtues scarce weigh in the balance
DC VIII not suf r me TO seo her children In FOR.
iaer times uhey uset to visit me occ.sionaliy br,
she thinks Kept one reading % Ion that il tec,tas
cOLsufnpive, and hat, while walking round ths
~ I,saritn, leaned SO heavily on She shoulder
OF another that u grew awry. Il Is impossipls for
NAV ~ my time ~ hfo TO think Of y oso uttls
mast'. Atsr all have no loss, for children are
VI uouo.esom and think very s.iash-a vics
~hicn halo .1 well I may.
l fear that ! myself grow childish, for tres,
"''sn upon and overcome me frequently.
me house feels very lonely /; and the laughter,
se senselefs Laughter Isometimes hesr from the
orm ,pm hsl grows Strangely offensive. l will
iIroit h Why should ih'y laugh, Nhils l. vii,
eNe tem bresC, AN misersbel
is : possible. them, that tho sole cou,prnion Q,
i1oneIG herbert is bis IDIOT son-onc, whose eri,
,ehse ne would fain hde from the whole yyorl',
! nnI 70, ina. poor, harmless, msmmering boy is
ssIuy me only living creature who Ieels towards
MIN Al atom OF affection.
Poor lad he loved hi, do, too 5o.r,v ,,.
W .hink loving brute makes US more brutal. SEN,
'1' uOs AWAY and the boy wept ior days.
Nn very, very lonely here, in tho home where NJ =
sres and grandsres have lived for centuries Tbs
spiders weave their eternal webs without ,he nsin,
% glass While the blue flies buzz Within and lool,
upon eacn other undisturbed, calculating, for augh,
lnN can tel, upon the nature of the glass which ]
,.pIes !. - .u mem giant might stride the court
NS nrouRh' yet bis foot would not be heard up-
oh 'he long soi grass which overgrows the te.seI.
eu 4 pavement. Why should IL he removed Why
mould lay out money " benefit those who viii
nov o,d God save WHOM ! do pass, Yea the birds
M ~. Gees seem happy and there's goat beneath
po NV nnaow MAT s,ips and blests from morn ill
,xgo' IN we very abundance OF joyful rplrit but
fools. NN "'S wv NOS
, rave seen flnersl-i, was q dim and mis,v
mornins-.nd this funeral passed
"aa what is called In tho wolld's be.ri's.. nhr.
Wand yuneral. There w,sa splendid hesrsr,
,Lu zoe noble black horses might have drawn an.
.A, car "a dArke, night SO proudly did th,v
, 'ace osnesth their trarplngs. And there wsr.
IL saNeu mourning, coaches but they were
- ~ "ish some disputng earnestly about Inc pro-
'ao'e division OF the dead rnaris good,' ubiI,
.nsrs 'aiked Of Jete' and mourninSs in the sans
I e ea'n; And the pageant, as have said, passed
arough we crowded village, and the people thought
YER hno sight; but noted IL at iher, were
sgns nor tears, so aad, THAT must bs
Ne ). iuher.I of the stranger"
,rt on' no ~ vas the reply. "Hc our lAnd- :
- - ,ca snc mighty gentleman (; but Uko nerey
"a any o.dy Gny good.'
a psseed TO TIE house where the great man had
,, ~ suseie-s Nie Everything was in cOnfuhiont
-, ~ ~"N ehieny attracted my step:'on waJ
ouns man. G-outin,, IN oxtrGVsgant Joy, over
"s ~nNeh seemed as wild as himself, and Which
80 .eu . ~ every endeaTng sp!ihe!. Learned
- usreloleed because hG old father was dead
10 , 1'eyented MS having his dog constantly with
read 't no ts,c was Joy throughout the Household!
- I.nd aiu s1 page o'my cwn life FOR even then
'.''n wa: u9on me.
And must die, aud leave behind mo hi. rob.