The Van Buren press., 1870-09-13
MISCELLANY.
I" Forgive Him.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

Forgive him'' sad Mrs. Stearns.
go Lowell, forgive him"
The speaker vas s'ii 's0d woman and
a widow Her head was white with the
frost of years, and her mild features were
deeply marked by tie hand of time.
There was tear in hereye, and her face
was clouded with sorrow She spoke to
her son, middle-aged. strong featured
person, whose counteaance betrayed a
| firm wiled, unloading hvart, but vet 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
brcther-your only brother. 0, if you
know your own heart, you will forgive
him"
Never! spoke Lowell Stearns, in n
firm, deep tone. "John has wronged me
deeply wronged me, and ! should lie
to my own soul were to forgive him
now
"And have not you wrohged him ?"
asked the widow impressively.
81 wronged him? Howp',
"By Withholding from him your love /;
by treating him harshly and causing him
to SIM answered his mother, kindly.
cease, mother. When you say that
l have caused him to sin, you are mis-
taken, 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 stub
born man, with a 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
his mother" not beyond reparation."
"Yes, he has injured my feelings by
the most fatal darts ofmalice and i'll will.
He has lied about me to my friends, and
even assaied my private character"
"And can you not forgive all this p
she asked tenderly.
Perhaps ! might returned Lowell
Stearns; but" he added in hoarse
tone, while his frame quivercd with a
deep feeling" he has done more than
that He has spoken of my wife, and.
But will not tell it all. l cannot forgive
| him this"
Forgive him, and be happy His
heart is as kind as yours, and he is ali
generosity and love to his friends. More
than forty years have passed over Johns
head, and during all that time he never
spoke one unkind word to his poor
"And did ever ] speak unkindly to
you, my mother?' asked Lowell, in q
half hushed voice.
"No, no. You and John have both
kind hearts, and it grieves me sorcly to
see you as you are now. An, Lowell, !
fear that you do not realize how noble a
thing it is to forgive those who have in
jured you"
Lowell Stearns made no reply to his
mother He saw that she was unhappy
and he knew that he was himself unhap.
by also. In former years he had loved
his brother, and he knew that he had
been faithfully loved in return. The
trouble which had SO unfortunately sepa
| Talcu lucUl, utu Dttu tilNtui III ilo Dc5l ~
ming, but Lowcll's sternness Of will and
Johns hastinoss Of temper had kept the
fire on the increase. The:frst fault had
belonged to the younger brother, but Q
word Of explanation at that time might
have 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.
"Lowel," continued Mrs. Stearns
speaking in trembling tone, al car
spend but few short days longer OF
earth. feel that the sands in my glass
have most all run out, but before depart
! hope may meet my two boys together
in love--I hope ! may see them once
more bound together in the sweet bond.
Of friendship. When you were babies,