Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-10-15
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A TOUCHMG STORY.


ports to have been given By father to his
son, as warning derived from his own
bitter experience Of the Sin Of resisting ?
mothers love and counsel: .:sos..i!.; Z
What agony was on my mothers face
when all that she said and suffered failed
to move me! She rose to 90 home, and l
followed. at distance. She spoke to me-
no more till she reached her own door. .SGj ,S5
"It is schooLtime now, she said $50,
my son, and once more let me beseech you
to think upon what I hsve said.
81 shan't 90 to school," said L :@,'s.2,'
Shell sstopiahed cot my bolanesa but
replied firmly. .s,.p f-~x5E'.p.I ''i
"Certainly you will, Alfred ! / command
ssI will not!"'. said "you can't get me
up stairs" '--!l -" ''sr'7' -...'. u, ,
-"One of the. two, things you. must do,
Alfred-either to go to school this minute,
or / will lock you up IN your room, and
keep you there until You promise implicit
obedience to my wishes in the future" +. -.
II dare you to do Il, said I; .you cant
get me up stairs" ~ ~: II
o'."Alfred, choose now" said my mother,
who laid her hand upon my. arm. She
trembled violently, and was deadly pale
eff you touch me, I will kick YOU" said
/, in a fearful rage. God knows knew
no: sWiil Win You 60, Allied, M < ~ ,.., = i
"NowI replied, but I quailed beneath
her eye. gr.e,saH nGr .
"Then followme, said she, as she grasped
my arm firmly I raised my foot-"O, my
son, hear m" II raised my. foot and k'qi
ed her-my sainted mother! How my head
reels, as the torment Of memory rnshes
over me! I kicked my mother q feeble
woman-my mother! She staggered back
few steps and leaned against the wall.
She did not look at me. I saw her heart
beat against her breast. so, Heavenly
Fathert' she cried, 'forgite him-he
knows not what he does!" The gardener
Just then passed the door, and seeing my
mother was pale and almost unable to sup.
port herself, she beckoned him to come in.
"Take this boy up stairs and lock him
in bis own room" said she, and turned off
from me. 1t was look Of agony, mingled
with intensest love--it. was the last unut-
+terable pang from heart that was broken
In moment found myself a prisoner
in my own room. I thought for moment
I would fling myself from the open window,
but I felt that I was afraid to die. 1 Was
not penitent. At times my heart was sub
dued, but my stubbornness rose in an in:
stant, and bade me not yield yet. The
pale face of my mother haunted me. I
flung myself on my bed and fell asleep.
Just at twilight I heard q footstep approach
my door. ,Itgwas my sister. - -; -; ~ :.
,!"What shall I tell mother for your she
said. -. r..r..-. ls-,5s,. Ss:T. .:t .=i-t5i
"Nothing," I replied: -. -. u. .', :
20, Alfred, for my sake and for all our
sakes, say that you are sorry: Let me tell
mother you are sorry. She longs to for
give you"
I would not answer. / heard her foot
steps slowly retreating, and again flung
myself on the bed to pass a wretched and
fearful night. a..l .,s> "
Another footstep, slower and feebler than
my sisters, disturbed me. 80 ia! -
"Alfred, my son, shall I come ing' she
asked. s, ....... -. ...s s,s~,. s.se.-.l Il
I cannot tell what influence, operating
at that moment, made me speak adverse
to my feelings. The gentle voice of my
mother, that thrilled through me, melted
the ice from my heart, and I longed to
throw myself upon her neck; but l did not.
My words gave the lie to my heart, when I
said I was not sorry. I heard her with
draw. I heard her groan. I longed to
call her back, bat I did not. - ia
I was awakened from an uneasy slumber
by hearing my name called loudly, and my
sister stood by my bedside. az.
"Get up, Alfred. Don't wait minute.
Get up and come with me. Mother is dy-
ing!" f
I thought 1 was yet dreaming, but got
up mechanically, and followed my sister.
On the bed, pale as marble, lay my mother.
She had not undressed. She had thrown
herself upon the bed to rest and rising to
90 again to me, she was seized with q pal
pitation of the heart, and borne to her roonL
cannot tell you my agony as | looked
upon her-my remorse was tenfold more
bitter from the thought that she never
would know it: I believed myself to be
her murderer. I fell on the bed beside her.
could not weep. My heart burned with
in my bosom-my brain was on fire. MY
sister threw her arms around me and wept
in silence. Suddenly We saw motion Of
mothers hand; her eyes unclosed: She
had recovered consciousness, but not her
speech. She looked at me and moved her
lips. I could not understand her words.
"Mother! mother" shrieked, "say
only say that you will forgive me-" -
She could not say it with her lips, but
her hand pressed mine. She smiled upon
me, and lifted her thin white hands; she
clasped my own within them, and cast her
eyes upward. She moved her lips in pray
er, and thus she died. I remained still
kneeling beside that dear form till my gen.
tie sister removed me. The joy of youth
had left me forever.
Boys who spurn mothers control, who
are ashamed to own they are wrong, who
think it manly to resist her authority, Or
yield to her influence, beware! Lay not
up for yourselves bitter memories for your