Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-07-29
SELECTED STORY
~~O~~Oo~>~~~~~~~-~ -O>~->~>~~-o>---~-
FORGIVE HIM !"
BY sYLyANUs COBB, JR.

BY SYLVANUS COBB, JR.
Forgive Him said Mrs. Stearns. 80
Lowell, forgive hint
The speaker was an aged woman and {
widow. Her head was white with tho fros
Of years, and her mild features were deeply
marked by the hand Of time. There was
tear in her eye, and her face was cloudeG
with sorrow. She spoke to her son, mid.
dle-aged, strong featured person, whose
countcnance betrayed firm. wilIed, unbend-
ing heart, but yet who appeared an upright
honorable man.
Forgive him repeated the white-haired
widow. as she raised her trembling hands
toward her son. He is your brother--your
only brother. 0, if you know your own
heart, you will forgive him
Never! spoke Lowell Stearns, in firm,
deep tone. John has wronged me-deeply
wronged NE, and should lie to my own
soul we're I to forgive him now
And have not you wropged hi3ns' asked
the widow impressively.
I wronged him /? How
BY Withholding from him your love; fy
treating him harshly, and causing him to
SIM answered his mother, kindly.
Cease, mother. When you say that
haye caused him to sin, you are mistaken.
He has chosen his own path, and now he
must travel in it,
Lowell, you are the oldest, and from you
should come the love that can alone heal the
wound between yourself and John
Listen to me, mother said the stubborn
man, with spice Of bitterness in his tone
John has been unjust to me,-he has been
unmanly and unkind He has injured me
beyond reparation.'
No, no, Lowell quickly interrupted bis
mother; mot beyond reparation.'
'Yes,-he has injured my feelings by the
most fatal darts of malice ppd ill-will He
has lied about me TO my friends, and even
assailed my private character
And can you not forgive all this 2 she
asked, tenderly.
Perhaps l might returned Lowell
Stearns but, he added, in hoarse tone
while his frame quivered with feeling
shc has done more than that. He has spo
ken of my wife, and--. But I will not tell
it all, I cannot forgive him thia.'
Forgive him, and be happy. His hear
is as kind as yours, and he is all generosity
and love to his friends More than forty
years have passed oyer Johp's head, and dH
ring all that time be never spoke one unkine
word to bis poor mother
And did ever speak unkindly to you
my mother 2 asked Lowell, in half hushee
voice.
No, no. You and john have both kind
hearts, and it grieves me sorely to see you a
you are now Al. Lowell, I fear that yol
Do not realize how noble thing it is to for
give those who have injured you
Lowell Stearns made no reply to his moth
er. He saw that she was unhappy, and h
knew that he was himself unhappy also. II
former years he had loved his brother, ant
he knew that he had been faithfully loved il
return. The trouble which hal SO unfortu
nately separated them, had been trivial il
its beginning, but LowelPs sternness o
will and Johns hastiness Of temper hat
kept the fire on the increase. The first faul
had belonged to the younger brother, but {
word of explanation at that time might hav
healed it without trouble; now, however
the affair had become deep and dangerous
and there was but one way for remedy
That way the aged mother would point out
Lowell continued Mrs Stearns, speak
ing in trembling tone, Il can spend but
few short days longer on earth. [ feel tina
the sands in my glass have most all run out
but before depart, hope I may meet m
two boys together in love-I hope I may Sc
them once more bound together in the swee
bonds of friendship When you were babies
I nursed you and cared for you, and trie
to do mothers duty. I tried to make 20
both fit for the great world. AS you grey
older, promised myself full share Of hap
piness in your compromising, and naugh
has come to dim the Joy Of my widowe
heart, till this sad cloud lowered upon me
I love my ehildren-I love them both alik
and yet they love not each other: Low
ell, my son, one thing weighs heavily upo
me. Should this thing last till am dead
then how will you and John meet by tn
side of my corpse How will you feel whe
you come to
Hush, my MOTHER uttered the stor
man, trembling like reed. Say no NOR
now. This evening I will speak to you m
mind ......
* * y * i
John Stearns sat in his easy. chair in n
own cosy parlor, and about him were h
wife and children. Everything that none
could procure toward real comfort was hi
but yet he was not happy; Amid all b,
comforts there was one dark cloud 70 t1o9}o
him The spot where for long years he ha
nurtured brothers love, was now vaoan
No, not vacant, for it was filed with bitte'
ness. Heknew that he was in the fault, but
tried to excuse himself by thinking that b
brother hated him. This, however, did nj
ease his conscience, for he knew that he WI
lying to himself. !,
While he sat thus, he heard rap at Il
front door, and in few moments one OF II