The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-11-11
a Story from IIeaI Itt.,


young lad of twelve years. "Take ,b,i,',
added, striking the boy heavy blow ON n
side OF the head sand that. and that =, =
Peaung me blows as he spoke, the las.
standing BY his sid Get Sef np p'o@ n"s tina, aad !"
INTO the honse," continued the father. 81 :
pt see If you can't keep out of mischief for
~nile, and stop that crying, or ~ give yo
something to cry for"
The boy started for the house, strugglip
to suppress his sobs as lie went.
10 ut Is astonishing" said Doring, addres,
% ing a neigbbor named Hanford, who wa
% % near IN barn, and of course had seen an
10 heard all that had passed, ..how troublesom
u boys are. Just see those oats now that "
got 10 pick up for that boys carelessness.
=, ana he pointed to measure of oats whicl
William had accidentally overturned
;; And 1t was for that trihe that you rs
sauited your child and knocked him NV, 2,
. replied Mr.. Hahtord, in sor.owtul tone.
DorlnS looked from the oats in surprise
and repeated: Assaulted my child ane
knocked him I~-"s why, what do YOU
mean neighbor Hanfold ?"
Just what say. Did you not knock the
Il child ever the plow7"
hy-~wei-no. He kind O. stsahle
and fell over il, doggeily replied lnring,-
"""'"st paternal authority p
ado you go 80.
Haven't l right to puni.h my own cnll-
dren?"
Certainly you have" responded Mr.. Han
| ford, ''n "a proper manner, and in proper
spirit. but not otherwise. Do you think that
u father has right to revenge himself upon
his child o.
"Of course not but who's talkiug about
revenge?'
well, friend Doring, let me ask you an
other question For what purpose should d
child be punish d p
"Why, to make it better, and to do It good ,
Of course, quickly anawered Doring.
For any other?' quietly asked Hanford
''Well, no. not that | can think of lust
now" replied Doring, thouehtlully.
And Low, my friend, kindly continued
Mr.. Hantord, do you suppose your treat
ment TO your few moments ago did
him any good, or has increased his respect
I aid affection for you? The boy, | venture
10 say, is utterly unconscious OF having done
| any wrong, and yet you suddenly assaulted
hIm with anger and violence, and gave him
Il beating which no penitentiary convict can
be subject to without having the outrage III
qured into by a legislative committee. But
let me tell you long story. You know my
son Charles y
:The one that is preaching in Charles,
town.
Yes: you have probably no iced that he
| is lame =
i have noticed it, said boring, "and
asked him how it happened, and he told me
/ he got hurt when boy
Yes responded Mr. Hanford with emo
ton, 1.-The dear boy could never be made to
( -i.- ~ HI f.tn It,r..f-,r
/ !isten," he continued, as be saw Doring about
To speak.
When Charles was about tad age Of vour
son William. he was one of the most active
/ aaG intelligent boys | had ever seen. | was
fond of him, and especially of his physical
beauty and progress. But unfortunately |
vas cursed with irritable and violent tenn
per, and WAS in the habit of punishiU. my
children under the influence OF passion and
vengeance. instead of from the dictates OF
reason, duty, aud enlightened affection One
=. day Charles offended me by some boyish and
trih;ng misdemeaaor, and | treated him
almost exactly as You tr.at ID your son few
minutes ago. | struck him violently, aud he
fell upon pile Of stones at his side. and
injured his lett side SO badly that the result
was he crippled for life, said Mr.. Han
ford. ia tones OF deepest sorrow aud :emorSe,
CONSIIll MS idCt WIN
\ period of oppressive silence followed,
winch was at last broken by Mr. Hanford,
saying: o.
when found that my boy did not rise
from the stones on which he had fallen, |
seized him by the arm and rudely pulled him
to his feet, and was about to strike bm
agau, when something that i saw in his
face. in his look, arrested my arm, and |
asked him if he was hurt
IL am afraid that | am, pa he mildly au-
. swered, clinging to my arm for support.
"Where 2" ! asked in great alarm, for not
withstanding my brutality, | fairly idolizcd
the boy.
Her" he replied, laying his hand upon
his hip. C e.-e- z.
In silence took him in my arms and
carried him to his bed, from which he never
arose the same bright, active, glorious boy
tha ] had so cruelty struck down on that
pile of stones. But after MANY months be
came forth. a pale, saddened little fellow,
hObbling on a crutch :!
Here Mr.. Hantord broke down and wcpt
like :, child, and the tears rolled doxn Dos-
g's cheeks. When he resumed. Mr.. Han
tord said:
This is a hunilia'ing narrative neigh
b.r DoriHg, aud | would not have related
t. you had | not supposed that you need,
the lesson which it contains. | is impossi-
Bile tor me to give you an adequae notion Of
the suffering that have undergone on ac
count of NV brutal rashneSs to my boy. But
fortunately. it has been overruied to my good
aud TO that OF my family also. The remedy
though terrible, was complete, and no other
child o. mine has ever been punished bv NE
except when | was in TIE full possession and
exercise of my best faculties, and when my
e. Int, hos ,aar, hos ctaroI nd Snfian.t
bv reason and affection.
Il devoted myself to poor Charley from the
time he left his bed, and we came TO under
stand one another as think few fathers and
ms ever do. The poor boy never blamed
me for blighting so much happiness for him,
and sometimes tried to think that his life
had been made happier Oh the whole than it
would have been had | not be- taught my
duty through his sacrifice. Still, neighbor
Doring, | should be sorry to have you and
-aur Sou William pass through a similar
I or.,eal"
81 trust that We shall not" empha'cally
and gravely responded boring. - thank
YOU for your story, friend Hanfbrd and shall
try and profit by it,
And he did profit by it, and we hope that
every parent who is capable of striking bis
child in anger or petuIance, that reads this
sketc., from life, will profit BY it.
An IMPORTANT DoG.-A certain witness IN
an action for assault and battery, mixeu .l'nes
up considerably in giving his account OF the
affair. After relating how Dennis came tc
him, he proceeded: $50 your honor, i jest
hauled off and wiped his jaw. Jest then the
dog cum along and hit him agin." "IIit THE
dog?" mo yer hono.: hit Denni And then
I IL nd ,, ,I
rolled him-over and over" Threw a stone
u y: :. tL.,l11r hcnnr Al L..