The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-12-24

ne eatus FhDWit anu eobehDHiys VI rtnHN
alton, Davis-of actual want Of food"
"a gsaflenan starving in London; in
Ialingtun--a baronets aon, tool Why, IL
is incredible. EEE8T
"Not at ALL" said Mr.. Brnadman
s'these are the very people who d" die of
starvation in London. and in all great
cities Not the poor. who know where
the workhouse il, and who can get Mt the
relieving officer, il the worst comes TO
worst; but the we'll born, who have fallen
into destitute poverty. and who carry
their pride with them. dive into a back
alley. like some wild animal into hole.
10 die alone. Mr.. Vincent wants wine
and jelIies and all sorts of good fhings.
if help hasn't come too late. No, no,
my friend" he continued" !" putting back
my hand, for was ready to give my
money in q proper cause. "No. no; !
have left them all the. want at present,
Davis. But Ill tell you what you can
do; you can, If you like 10 play the good
Samaritan, go and see them, and cheer
them up bit. Mrs. Vincent hasn't for
got your kindness to her, can assure
you. And | think her husband would
like % thank yon too; and it would
rouse him up bit, perhaps" And then
Mr.. Broadman told me, shortly, some
thing of what these two poor things had
gone through-she. loving and trnsting
him 80; and be, half mad that he had
brought her to this pass, and could do
nothing for her.
Mr.. Broadman wrote that very day to
the baronef, proud, hard man, I'm
told. But the letter he wrote back was
poft enough, and melting 20 read; il was
so full of human nature, yon see-the
fathers heart swelling up at the thought
Of getting back his s0n; and bursting
through che thick crust of pride which
had prevented him from making the
first advance. And the parson says to
me: "Well, Mr.. Davia." he said, "there
are many people kept asunder only for
want of somebody to go between them,
you zee, and make peace"
And / said, partly to myself: why
shouldn't Christianity itself be such a
generous peacemakeer as that"
"Ay," replied Mr.. Boardman, "if peo-
pie only believed in 10 properly"
That very day we got the baronet's
letter was on my way in the afternoon
to Cambridge terrace to pay my respects
to Mrs. Vincent-and bad sent in a
few bottles of good old port wine from
my own wine merchant, at least a. good
as could be got for money or love. Well,
when got near the door saw an old
gentleman walking mp and down. little
disturbed, apparently, in his mind, at
finding himself in such a queer locality
and as if looking for something or some
body. A short, rosy faced fellow he was
clean shaved as pin, and very neat and
old fashioned in his dress; with that sort
of air about him which marks an En-
glish country gentleman wherever he
may he. Well, we soon got into a talk.
for I'd spotted the old baronet in a mo-
ment, and he was anxious to find out
something about his son, as soon as he
heard knew a. little of the young cou-
pie.
"And you do not think. sir, that my
that Mr.. Vincent ia dangerously ill?"
said the old baronet; and there was
sob in his voice as he spoke, and his
hand trembled as he laid it upon mine.
''Here is the house." said, and you
will be able to Judge for yourself"
We went in. At least the baronet
went into the room. trembling in every
limb with the excitement of seeing his
aon. But when he set his eyes on him
the poor old man was so startled that he
could scarcely speak. His son saw him
and tried TO rise, but fell back feeble in
his chair. "Dear father" he murmureds
stretching out thin, trembling hand,
''forgive-"
But the father was on his knees by the
chair in a moment, claspinR his sons
head in his arms, and fondling him as
he had done when the man was a baby.
"What have I 10 forgive? You must
forgive me for being so hard, my dear
boy, and get better soon. Wilfred, my
son, my sonl"
I had come into the room; could not
help it, was SO interested and excited.
Bnt saw that in the young mans face
which made my heart sink in my bosom
like lead.
The young wife saw it too, and gave
one, two, three sharp screams, as if a
knife had been thrust into her side.
Mr.. Broadman saw it; and quietly
kneeling down, commended to God-as
well as he could, for sobbing-the soul
of his servant departing this life.
And well, why should ! be asham-
ed to confess I'LL knelt down, too, and
cried like child; for the young man
had died in his fathers arms at the mo-
ment of reconciliation.-A. u.