The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-19
The Hasty WOrd.
A Life Lesson.

/ wi AiSht VI III
So spoke Mrs Dorrence to her little
daughter, a bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked Girl
Of eleven years. She meant nothing out
OF the way, but she had allowed herself tC
become fretted, and the harsh, ungrateful
words slipped from her tongue without
thought or meaning. The child left the
room, and the mother piled her needle
more vigorously than before.
| But Mrs. Dorrence was not left alone.
Mrs. Naseby, a cousin of her husband,
was there on a visit, and had been spec
tator of the scene which had just passed.
And these two women were much alike.
They were both true and faithful wives ::
kind, indulgent mothers, and warm heart
ed, trusty friends. Mrs. Naseby was
some years the oldest, and had conse-
quently more of life's experience to guide
and direct her.
For some time after the child had gone
both women sat and sewed in silence but
at length Mrs. Naseby spoke:
maria" said she, addressing her
friend by her most familiar name, . you
will pardon me if presume SO far upon
your friendship as to speak plain to You. :"
"Certainly," replied Mrs. Dorrence,
with a slight dropping of the eyes, and a
tremulousness of the neither lip.
You will confess pursued the visitor
"tbat you are not so happy as you would
have been if you had spoken kindly and
softly to your sweet little child
"But," said Mrs. Dorrence, "you dom
know what poster she can be-
"That is much as a mother plea>es TO
make it, Maria. l have been here over a
week, and must say that Lizzie has ap-
peared TO ne to be one of the best children
l ever knew. Am not right p
"Yes. yes. Matilda: You are right.
But still, She sometimes plaques me dread
fully
And then" said Mrs Naseby, soften
ing her remark beneath :; kindly smile.
"you lose your patience, and set your
child an example which must influence her
for evil in time TO come"
Weren't You ever inpatient with
your children !" asked Mrs. Dorrence
g used to be but think | am not
now" answered Mrs. NaSeby. Il will
tell you a story of my experience" she
continued, folding her work and laying il
upon the table by her side. ''Iou re-
member our little cottage by the Sca-shore
where we used to live before my husband
went into business in the city. My old
est son. Clarence, was then thirteen Years
of aga bold, fearless, noble-hearted boy
who never knew what ii was to be cruel.
and who was the pet and pride of his
friends, both Old and Young. Still | used
to think that he sometimes bothered me-
When he was at home from school his
wants We're SO many. and his persistence
in claiming his privileges so determined.
that often allowed myself TO speak very
harshly and unkinlly TO him; and though
the hasty words always fell upon nv own
heart with pain and modification. still l
was slow to break myself OF the unplcas-
ant habit
"One day, while l was engaged at bak-
ing, Clarence came in and asked me for
some cake. My hands were covered with
dough, and told him that | could not
get it for him. He then asked me if he
might not get some himself. | answered
him quite sharply-'No.' The feeling
manifest in my quick, short answer called
up corresponding feeling in his bosom.
and he did not attempt to hide it. He re-
piled TO me. and then spoke more harsh
ly than before He finally told me that
if | dIdn give him the cake he would
take one of his fathers boats and 90 out
into the harbor Two of his school-mates
he said were going with him. | haG suf-
ierred myself by this time to get entirely
out of patience, and spoke words which
even now make me Shuddcr when l re-
call them to mind told him TO 90. and
l also told him that did not care if he
never came back. Ofcourse meant no.
thing The words were the fungi of my
heated blood-heated partly 10y work and
partly by contact with the strong charac-
ter of my son.
"He went away, and after he was gone
[ was sorry that had spoken to him As l
had. | stopped my work, and wished that
had not spoken those words. As
stood there alone, | called to mind the
tirst-born of my love-I remembered the
smile of my curly-haired boy-I remem-
bered his warm kisses, and his ringing
laugh-his soft, warm arms about nv
neck, and his dear mamma o, now |
wished l had not spoken those hasty words
I do not care If you nerer come back =
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 l involuntarily prayed TO God
that no harm mi ght come to my child,
Dinner time came but no Clarence. My
husband was in New York. and | was
alone with my three younger children
! Towards the middle of the afternoon 9
messenger-a soldier stationed In the fort
} at the entrance of the harbor-came to
our house, and told me that one of my
J husbands boats had been capsized off Ea
gle Point: that three boys were in the
water and two boats had put off from
the fort to their assistance What passet
during the next half hour / know not, ex
l cept that ran down upon the beach, anc
: stood there, wringing my hands and pray,