American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-09-14
CANTON, MISS. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER n, 1872

a Observation-Disclosures at first, and
only sensible to fceling-came creep
| ing i'm between us. She no longer ran
| to greet me with Il kiss. She cOntrived.
instead of the sweet welcome home | eX-
pected from nv boy. to have him snugged
away i'm his crib. where 1 was requested
to gaze upon his sleeping loneliness, rs il
he was her treasure, instead of mine. She
| exercised the prerOgatfve of partnership
in the child more and more decidedly; and
her winning 8 If SAMMY loves mother he
must be a good little boy" commanded
ment if my demands upon his obedience
were not complied with. ''Naughty
papa and g tross old boy" did not con-
| trast pleasantly with ''pecious moZZer,' -
or 9 Sanny's Emmy"
| One day, Edward had been unusually
refractory. The weather was sitting
and the little fellow. toward evening" was
| fretful and mpatient-wanted something
| one moment. and the next rejected it :; was
| lily pleased with any attention: and to all
my requests that he would speak a piece
| for some visitors. was mute for it was
one of my especial vanities to display him
as a prodigy, and l had trained him, par
rot-like, to repeat g MY name is Norval, -
| and Mark AntOny's Grafton. the effect of
which Emily always nullified, when she
was present. by Now, SAMMY, say Ban.
baa. black sheep!'' and when, mt the top
of his voice. he would gleefully shout,
g Pa. pa. black seepr' she never corrected
his mOrtifying INSTRUMENTATION.
On this evening 1 was particularly
anxious to exhibit nv sons wonderful
accomplishments l forced him into
repetition of his pieces. and finished by
urging him to sing g want to be an
angel" / shall never. never forget the
pleading tenderness of that little voice
when he said, ''Sanny does want to be a
angel: he's so tiredH'
The grave physician who came three
DAYS after this evening of exhibition and
pride. was reticent and cautious of eX-
preston. But Aunt Sodis had private
interview with him, and the angelic ten
derness with which she sOothed the boy
after, told lis that life and death were
struggling for mastery. Would that the
lied boy in his arms. and so spared me
the dreadful retribution I live to pay.
But he lived lived, to be-oh, God!
that should speak the dreadful word
an idiot!
IT. that hour of awful conviction, when
the truth dawned upon us, and the ply
sician sadly confirmed it, my educational
theories were shattered into fragments
and the dear old man, with tenderness
| shall ever remember. taking me by the
hand, said: 'You have attempted to fill
this golden bowl too rapidly. The work
of a lifetime can not be accomplished in
a few years. Stimulated mental activity.
resulting in precocity, is no evidence of
genius or great talent. You are paying
the penalty of transgressed physical laws
a painful and sad one-but Nature de-
mands the exaction, so0i!er or later. May
God pity and help you.''
In my rinutterable sorrow. I covered my
face and snbbed aloud. Nettie uttered no
word of reproach. Emily wept silently,
Al
ing to ask guidance and help through Il
dark and wandering way. lifted it re-
verently to my lips, and vowed to devote
my life to my child, and redeem, if posi-
bic. my errors by my tenderness and love.
Years have passed away. Nettie and
have other children now-bright and
lovely boys and girls happy and health
full. We have endeavOred to train them
wisely and well. But we have guarded
them from precocity as we would have
done from disease. En-. has never mar
ricd. But no one could be less like n
g sour old maid.'' She is the joy and de-
light of the children. and the great COM
fort and stay of their mother. Amt Sods
has gone to the quiet land. She left SAMMY
her whole fortune. which. we trust. will
shield him from want till he, also, is
called home. He and / spend hours in
the woods and fields. He is gentle and
harmless. but is ever seeking for some
thing he has lost and can not find. Poor
CHILD! it is the lost path. He is almost a
man i'm years and stature; but l speak of
him yet as MY BOY !-Ocerland Monthly.