Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-12-16
TIL Never Forgive Him.

and upon this Holy Bible /"
"Stop, husband. John remem-
Der he is my brother; and by the
love you bear me, forbear to curse
him. He has done you wrong, al
low, but oh, John he is very young
and very sorry. The momentary
shame you felt yesterday will hard
ly be wiped out with curse. 1t
will only injure yourself, John.
Oh, please don't say anything
dreadful"
The sweet-faced woman prevail
ed; the curse that hung upon the
lips Of the angry man was not spoll-
en-; but still he said, an never
forgive him-he has done me
deadly wrong"
The young man who had provok-
ed his bitterness, humbled and re-
pentant, sought in vain for forgive
ness from him whom in a moment
of passion, he had injured almost
beyond reparation. John Locke
steeled his heart against him.
In his store sat the young village
merchant, one pleasant morning,
contentedly reading the morning
paper. A sound of hurried foot
steps approached; but he took no
notice of it, until hatless boy
burst into the store screaming at
the top of his voice, "Mr. Locke,
Johnny is in the river-little John
ny Locke"
To dash down the paper and
spring for the street, was the first
impulse of the agonized father.
On, on, like maniac, he flew, till
he reached the brink of the river.
pallid and crazed with anguish.
The first sight that met his eyes
was little Johnny lying in the arms
of his mother, who, with her hair
hanging dishevelled around her,
bent wildly over her child. The
boy was just saved. He breathed,
and opening his eyes, smiled faint
ly in his mothers face while she,
with a choking voice, thanked God. /
Another form lay insensible,
stretched near the child. From
his head the dark blood flowed
from gastly wound. The man
against whom John Locke had
sworn eternal hatred had, at the
risk of his own life, been the savior
of the child. He had struck
floating piece of driftwood as he
came to the surface with the boy,
and death seemed inevitable.
John Locke flung himself down |
on the green sward, and bent over
the senseless form. "Save him."
he cried, huskily, to the doctor,
who had been summoned; "restore
him to consciousness if it be only
one little moment have some
thing important to say to him"
"He is reviving," replied the doc
tor.
The wounded man opened his
eyes-they met the anxious gaze Of
the brother-in-law, and the pale
lips trembled forth, "Do you forgive
met"
eyes, yes; God is witness, as l
hope for mercy hereafter, freely
forgive you, and in turn ask your
forgiveness for my unchristian con-
duct"
A feeble pressure Of the hand
and beaming smile was all the an
swer.
Many days the brave young man
hung upon a slender thread of life
and never were there more devoted
friends than those who lowered over
the sick bed. But vigorous con-
stitution triumphed, and, pale and
changed, he walked forth once
more among the living.
"Oh, if he had died with my un-
kindness clouding his soul, never
should l have dared to hope for
mercy from my Father in Heaven |"
said John Locke to his wife, as
they sat talking over the solemn
event that had threatened their
lives with living trouble. anew
er-now / have tasted the sweet
ness Of forgiveness-never again
will | cherish revenge or unkind-
ness towards the erring; for there
Is new meaning in my soul in the
words of our daily prayers, and 1
see that l have only been calling
judgments upon myself.
A correspondent has some good
ideas on the importance Of mental
activity in retaining O good face.