Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-12-18
Ghildrem's department.
THE PRODIGAL.

THE PRODIGAL.
The following letter, in our humble opin-
ion, is worthy of careful perusal by large
number of young people, especially young
men:
"Dear Friend: We were, in our childhood
and youth, warm friends but for number
of years no direct intercourse has been kept
up between US. 1t is more than thirty years
since saw you, and since that time, have
heard from you only through others. My
object in writing to you at present is twofold !:
First, | am anxious to hear from you, and
through you of the mutual friends Of our
youth but my main object is to impart to
you brief synopsis of my history since left
the old homestead. You, am sure, have a
vivid recollection of the time, and no doubt,
have heard number of vague rumors res
pecting the cause of my sudden and unex-
pected departure. desire before 1 die, brief
ly to make statement of the facts in the case,
and their attendant results.
AS you remember, my father and mother
had three sons. 1 was the oldest. From my
earliest youth I was restless spirit. YOU,
nor no one except my own family, knew this.
| was one thing at home, and another away
from home. Strange and unnatural as it may
seem, my father and myself never could agree.
From the time that was, as we'll as am
able now to remember, fifteen years old, l re-
solved in my mind. and declared to the other
members of the family, that would leave as
soon as was ofage. This threat, for such it
surely was, seemed to keep every member of
the family in state of depression and gloom.
Often have seen my mother weep as if her
heart would break. My little brother, who
was much younger than myself, often would,
when we were alone, beg me not to 60 away.
But strange as it may seem to you, and
strange as it seems to me to-day, this anxiety
on the part of my mother and little brother,
actually intensified my resolution into fixed
purpose. Really my father was kind but he
was desirous that I should grow up and be-
come good and useful citizen hence he often
pointed out to me what was right, but inva-
riably rejected his counsel, and opposed all
his wishes respecting myself. So contrary
and wayward was I, that it does seem to me
now, that had my father desired me to do
wrong, would have done right, simply to be
contrary. This unpleasant state Of things
continued until I was in my twentieth year,
when I formed habits which were very dis
tressing to the whole family. cannot say
that I was ever rebuked, not even by my
father but all wept over me and on account
of me. TO intensity their grief, and lacerate
their hearts, determined one morning, with
out giving any intimation to a single men,
ber of the family, that I would leave. For
tunately for the family, 1 met you short
distance from home and communicated the
fact to you. But for this it might have been
suspected that had been, as Jacob thought
concerning Joseph, torn in pieces by wild
beasts. The first night after leaving home, I
spent under the roof of Judge -. He
treated me with marked kindness. did not
expect to be treated in any other way than
as runaway. Although he had several
servants in the house, he himself showed me
the room in which was to sleep. After ta'
king me to the room, he proposed that he
would pray for me. This struck me as very
strange, for he had prayed in the family be-
fore coming to the room. This made me
think seriously of home, and of my wild and
reckless undertaking. L do not think [ slept
one moment that night Frequently, during
the night, was on the point of getting up and
returning. In the morning there was great
struggle in my mind what 1 would do. FL
nally the prodgal spirit prevailed, and l
again turned my back upon home and kim
dred. Unfortunately for me, for all time, at
an early hour of the day, 1 fell in with boon
companion. I soon forgot home, and so far
as know, no member of the family ever GER
tainly knew where was. I will not weary
you by attempting to give you even brief
statement of what took place in the interval
between the morning after left the house Of
Judge - and the present moment. Suffice
it to say, that as you are aware, am an old
man with broken constitution, and although
1 hope I am changed man, nobody has any
respect for me. 1 recently heard that my
father, mother and youngest brother have
been dead for number of years; and that
nv other brother moved about ten years ago
to another State; but which one I could not
ascertain. 1 am, and I feel it, alone in the
world. hear, tonight, the sobs of my heart
broken mother, and the entreaties of my
little brother. Sad as this may be, it is only
part of the bitter potion which is mingled
in the cup of my sorrow. have three sons,
and as I treated my father, so they treat me.
My tears fall by them disregarded, and my
entreaties are answered by scofing. They
seem to have no affection for me nor for one
another You know that so far as family po-
sition was concerned, ours was honorable, and
1 understand that my brother, when he left
the place of our birth, was man Of influence,
loved and respected by all who knew him.
Alas I am poor vagabond, having no in
Auence over my own children, and loved and
respected by no one.
have not many more days to spend on
earth, and when die, uniess some kind stran-
ger is moved with pity, will not get decent
burial. My post Office is -. Write to me
soon, and if you know, or can find out, tell
me the post office of my brother William. l
would be glad to hear from him, although I
am sure he feels that I shortened the days of