Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1874-06-04
A TOUCHING: STORY.

The following affecting narrative purports
to have been given BY father to his son as
warning derived from his own bitter expert
ence OF the sin of grieving and resisting
mothers love and counsel:
What agony was visible on her face when
she saw that all she said and suffered failed
to move me. She rose to go home and fol-
lowed ut Il distance. She spoke no more to
me until she reached her own door
Its school time now,' said she. "Go,
my son, and once more let me besecch you to
think upon what have said.
II shant 90 to school" said |.
She looked astonishcd at my bol,lncss, but
replied, firmly:
"Cer,ainly, you will go, Alfred COM
mand you.
81 will not, said l. in u tone Of defiance.
"One of the two things you must do, AL
fred, either go to school this morning, or
will lock you IN your room and keep you
there till you are ready to promise implicit
obedience to my wishes in the future"
IL dare you to do it," said |; "you can't
get me up stairs"
"Alfred, choose now," said my mother,
who laid her hand upon my arm.
She tremblcd violently, and was dcathly
pale.
''If you touch me will kick you" said l
in terrible rage. God knows l knew not
what said.
"Will you go, Alfredo"
"No." l replied, but l quailed beneath
her eyes.
"Then follow me-" she said, rs she grasped
my arm.
raised my foot-eh, my son, hear me!
raised my foot aid kicked her-my sainted
mother! How my head reels as the torrent
of memory rushes over me. kicked my
mother-a feeble woman-my mother! She
staggered back few steps and leaned against
the wall. She did not look at me. saw her
heart beat against her breast.
"Oh. Heavenly Father" she said, "for-
give him-he knows not what he dOes
The gardener just then passed the door,
and seeing nv mother pale and almost unable
to support herself he stopped. She beckoned
him in.
Take this boy up stairs and lock him up
in his room, she said, and turned from me.
Looking back rs she was entering her
room, she gave me such q look of agony,
mingled with intense love! it was the last
unutterable pang from heart that was
!; broken.
found myself a prisoner in my own room.
thought, for q moment, would ding my
| self from the open window and dash my
|
not pcnitent At times my heart was sub
ducd; but my stubborn pride rose in an in
! slant and babe me not yield. flung myself
on the bed and fell asleep. just at twilight
heard Il footstep approach the door. 1t was
"What may tell your mother from you!"
| she asked.
"Nothing!" l replied.
"Oh. Alfred for my sake, and for all our
sakcs, say that you are sorry. She longs to
forgive you.
| Iwoula not answer. heard her footsteps
slowly retreatirg, and again l threw myself
upon the bed, to pass another fearful night.
Another footstep, slower and fecaler than
my sisters disturbed me- 1t was my mothers.
"Alfrcd. my son, shall cOme?' she asked
cannot tell you what influence, operating
at that moment, made me speak adverse to
nv feelings The gentle voice of my mother
thrilled through me, melting the ice of my
obduratc heart, and longed to throw myself
upon her neck, but did not. But my words
gave the lie to my heart when said l was
not sorry. heard her withdraw. heard
her groan, | longed to call her back; but l
did not.
| Twas awakened from my uneasy slumbers
by hearing my name called loudly, and my
sister stood at my bedside.
''Get up and come with me. Mother is
dying"
1 thought was yet dreaming, bu; l got up
mechanically and followed my sister.
On the bed, pale and cold rs marble, lay
my mother.
She had not undressed. She had thrown
herself on the bed to rest; rising to 60 again
to me, she was seized with palpltatlon OF
the heart and borne scnseless to her room.
! cannot tell with what agony looked upon
her; my remorse was more bitter from the
thought that she would never know It.
believed myself to be her murderer fell on
the bed beside her. could not weep. NY
heart burned in my bosom my brain was on
fire. My sister threw her arms around me
and then commenced to weep in silence.
Suddenly we saw q slight motion of MOTHER .
hand: her eyes Enclosed. She had recovered
consciousness but not speech. She looked
at me and movee her lips. could not un-
derstand her words.
"Mother, mother" shrieked, "say only
that you forgive me-
She could not say it with her lips, but her
hand pressed mine. She smiled upon me,
and lifting her thin, white hands, she clasped
my own within them, and cast her eyes up.
ward She moved her lips In prayer, ana
thus she died. remained kneeling beside
that dear form, till my gentle sister removed
me- The joys of youth had left me forever.
Boys who spurn q mothers control, VINO
are ashamed to own that they are wrong VINO
think it manly to resist her authority, or yield
to her influence, beware! Lay not up for
yourself bitter memories for future years.
THERE is lady in Benton, Michigan, Who
subscribed for the Detroit Free trsss IN 1850,