Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-11-29

asked him how it happened, and he tolt
me he got hurt when boy"
eyes," responded Mr.. Hanford viii
emotion, "the dear boy would never b.
made to cay that it was by his fathers bru-
tality. But listen," be continued, as he
saw Doring YVES about to speak. "When
Charles was about the age of your sen
William he was one Of the most active
and intelligent boys l had ever seen. l
was fond of him, ana especially of his
physical beauty and progress But unfo,-
tunately I was cursed with an irritabh
and violent temper, and was in the habit
Of Furnishing my children under the inAu-
ence Of passion and vengeance, instead Of
from the dictates of reason, duty and en-.
lightened affection. One day Charles cI.
feuded me by some boyi.h and trifins
misdemeanor, and l treated him almost
exactly as you treated your son few min.
utes ago. struck him violently, and he
fell upon pile Of stopes at his side, and
injured his left side SO badly that the re-
suit was he was crippled fur iifc, ssId
Mr.. Hanford, in zones of deepest sorrow
and remorse, and covering his face with
his hands.
A period Of oppressive silence followed,
which was at last broken by Mr. Hanford
saying:
"When found that my boy did not
rise from the stones on which he had fall
en-, l seized him by the arm and rudely
pulled him to his feet, and vas aoout to
strike him again, when something that
saw in his face, in his look, arrested my
arm, and l asked him if he was hurt"
"Iam afraid that | am, pa" he mildly
answered, clinging to my arm for support
"Where Z" l asked 10 great alarm, for
notwithstanding my brutality, l fairly
idolized the boy.
'Here," he replied, laying his hand
upon his hip.
I'm silence l took him in my arms and
carried him to the bed, from which he
never the snne bright, active. giori-
Gus boy that had so cruelty struck down
on that pile of stones. But after many
months he came forth, pale, saddened
little fellow, hobbling on crutch p
Here Mr.. Hanford broke down and
wept like child, and the tears also rolled
down Doring's cheeks. When he resum-
ed, Mr.. Hanford said
"This is humiliating narrative, neigh
Dor Doring, ard | would not have related
it to you had | not supposed that you
needed the lesson which it contains. 1t
is impossible for me to give you an ade-
quate notion of the suffering that / have
undergone on account Of my brutal rash
ness to my boy. But fortunately it has
been overruled to my good, and to that of
my family also. The remedy, though ter
rible, was complete, and no other child of
mine has ever been punished by ne ex-
cept when l was in the full possession and
exercise of my best faculties, and when
my sense of duty has been chastened aud
softened by reason and affection. I de-
voted myself to poor Charley from the
time he left his bed, and we came TO un-
derstand one another as l think few faith
ers and sons ever do. The poor boy ney-
er blamed me for b!ighting so much hap
piness for him, and l sometimes tried to
think that his life has been made happier
on the whole than it would have teen had
l not been taught my duty through his
sacrifice. Still, neighbor Doriug, l should
be sorry to have you and your son Will
liam pass through similar ordeal"
81 trust that we shall not" smphati-
cally and gravely responded Doring. IL
thank you for your story, friend Hanford,
and l shall try and profit by it."
And he did profit by it, and we hope
that every parent who is capable Of stri-
king his child in anger or petulanoe, that
reads this sketch from life, will profit by
q