Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-11-10

cad him, by love, anywhere; but, un- [
Ter the rule of fear, you will drive him, |
beyond your influence. For
give my plain speech. / have wished to
,ay this before, but until now, saw no
good opportunity"
The whole aspect of Mr.. Somers un-
derwent change. Conviction struck
TO his heart. He saw that he had been
unjust to the boy, unloving and unkind.
Back to his own early days his thought
went with bound, and there came Wv
id remembrances of states into which he
had been thrown by harsh treatment
states from which no punishment, how
ever severe, could move him. Kind |
ness had always been to his heart like |
melting sunshine; sterness like an icy |
wind. And Richard was life to him. |
How strange that he had never thought |
of this before.l
A long sigh quivered up from the OPP
pressed heart Of Mr.. Somers.
"If could only think So" he said.
"But the obstinate self.will Of the boy
is so firmly inrooted."
"That you can never tear it up by
force" spoke out the friend. "The
only way is to weaken its vital currents,
to cut off the flow Of life, and let it with
er for lack of sustenance, and die"
perhaps you are right" said Mr..
Somers, in a troubled, uneasy way.
"But what am to do now? gave him
half an hour in which to do an errand;
laid my commands on him, and en-
forced them by threats of punishment.
Is my word to. go for naught2 Shall a
boy defy me?"
A flash of anger cleaned over the
fathers face.
Gently, patiently, forgivingly deal
with the offender" replied the neigh
Dor, as he laid his hand on the arm of
Mr.. Somers. "Let love rule, not anger.
Is he all to blame? No. Does not the
origin of the wrong lie most with your
self? Has it not grown out OF your un-
wise discipline? Begin correction at
the source. First get in right attitude
yourself, and then bring him right. AS
you provoked disobedience in the pres
ent case, restrain the furnishing arm"
"But shall forfeit my word"
"You will do that, even il you pun
ish."
GLOW so?"
"You will hardly go to within an inch
of your boys life. You were angry and
went beyond yourself. Take counsel of
reason, now Passion and pride are
blind impulses, and sure to lead us from
the right path. Think away from your
present unhappy relation to the unhappy
boy and let love for him prompt you to
seek only his good. He is afar off from
you now; draw him near, even within
the circle Of tenderly embracing arms
That Is your duty, my friend Enter
into it, and all will be we'll"
The neighbor, after saying this, re.
tired, leaving Mr.. Somers to the com.
panionship of his own thoughts. There
was now u weight of concern on the
fathers heart. Anger had given place
to a troubled feeling. He drew out his
watch as the half-hour period advanced
to close, looked at the time, and ther
from the window, anxiously. II Rich
ard had appeared i'll the distance, wha
a sense OF relief it would have produced
But there was no sign of the returning
boy.
"Willfully disobedient! Defiant" TIL,
indignant man said this, as hot bloot
began TO burn in his face, "Perverse
unhappy, wrongly governed boy~ Thi
was the father speaking reply, anC
struggling to hold anger in check.
The half hour expired Richard wa
still away. Another half hour elapsed
and yet he was absent.
"lle shall be punished for this!" sale
Mr.. Somers, as Indignation gained til,
mastery. Then remembrance of tn,
wise words spoken by his neighbo
pressed back the tide of indignation
and he let pity move over the troubled
surface of his feelings and calm then
like oil.
A whole hour beyond the limit o
time had passed. Mr.. Somers wa
growing uneasy. 1t flashed across hi
mind that Richard, in fit of anger, re
hellion and encouragement, might hav,
been tempted to run off He remem
bered very distinctly how, once, in hi
boyish troubles at home, he had medi
tated the same thing, and actually com
menced preparations to abandon fathe
and mother, and try his fortune in tn,
world.
At the end of the second hour, Mr.
Somers was in q very anxious state; anC
he was about making preparation to <,
out in search of Richard, when, OF
glancing from the window, he saw hin
pass in a hurried, stealthy way. II,
stood listening TO hear him enter. TIL,
door opened silently. Tip-toe step
sounded family along the passage. Mr.
Somers followed them with his ears, bu
lost them on the stairs.
What shall do?" that was the diff.
ficult question for Mr.. Somers. He stood
for several minutes, trying to get hi
thoughts clear and his feelings calm
Thus far his harsh methods had proved
wholly fruitless. Threats and punish
ments wrought no salutary reforms; the
boy grew worse instead of better. WHY
this was so, clear PERCEPTION now told
him.
Poor boy!" he said, with sigh; and
this very utterance OF a sentiment OF
pity helped him to more pitying state
OF mind. An image of fear and suffer
ing, instead of hard defiance and reck-
less disobedience, took distinct form in
his thoughts.
"Now is the time to reach him with
gentleness and love-" AS Mr.. Somers
thus spoke with himself, he opened the
door and went out in the passage.
did you see Richard?" he asked,
speaking to domestic who happened
to be there at the moment.
"No, sir," she replied.
thOuShb hS tetiilC III just now,
Il did not notice him, sir"
Mr.. Somers went to the foot of the
stairway and called "Richardr" Not
harshly, but kindly.
No answer came.
''Richard" His voice went un louder
through the stairway and passages. But
no sound, save echo was returned.
81 am certain he came in"
at might have been some one else"
suggested the domestic. 81 haven't
seen anything of him for two or three
hours"
Mr.. Somers went up stairs to the lads
room. The door was shut. He opened
it and went in. Richard was lying on
the bed. He did not stir, but lay crouch
ing and motionless like one exhausted
by pain. His face was of an ashen hue.
Mr.. Somers noticed an expression of fear
to sweep over it, as the boys large,
strangely bright eyes turned on him. AS
he advanced across the room, the fear and
shrinking changed to something like the