Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-08-12

me the lines and I'll drive on. and you
can go ana give them couple of .pailfuls
and overtake us before we get to work y
And If Tommy Dobson does not take
care of his parents in their old age he
will be considered very undutiful son.
And let me ask every parent who ex-
poets such service from their children
one question: Do you deserve its OF
course every child owes duty to its
parents, but do not the parents also owe a
duty to the child? Have you any right to
recruit your own strength and take your
own ease by imposing an extra burden
upon your child? Did you ever con-
slider that the halfgrown limbs were not
made of castiron, but could grow weary
as well as your own? | have seen men,
and women too that seemed to consider
that the sole object of their childrens ex-
istence was to serve them, and If the
qualities of love and tenderness and
sympathy and consideration are not among
the principles which govern the conduct
of the parent in the helpless years of the
child's dependence, how can he expect all
these qualities to spring spontaneously
from the heart of his offspring as soon as
he has outgrown his childish dependence
and his fathers authority, and be freely
lavished upon the parent who has never
bestowed them! Who can expect to
reap what he has not sown? Recollec-
tons of injustice and thoughtless cruelty
will not fade from the memory al will, but
continue to haunt the mind that fain would
Danish them through all the long years
that intervene between the cradle and the
grave. Every parent should be entitled to
the respect of his children, but if he sees
fit TO wrap himself in mantle of selfish
ness and exercise his authority, not for the
good of the child, bat for the purpose OF
securing his own ease and comfort, and
through an abuse of his almost unlimited
power tramples upon rights just as sacred
as his own, how can he expect the strong
man to turn back from his own pursuits
and inclinations and lift him in his arms
and carry him over the rugged spots in his
second childhood with a tenderness which
never was bestowed upon the son in his
boyhoodg Right here in this very neigh
borhood are two living examples of the
principles to which this article has refer
ence. At Hickory Grove resides an old
gentleman who is fast approaching his
ninetieth year. His mind is yet strong,
and his conversation is full of wisdom
His kindly, genial nature wins the good
will of all with whom he comes in con.
tact, and the name of Grandpa Whiting is
reverently mentioned by old and young.
Two of the most valuable and beautiful
farms lie side by side, sheltered by the
grove on one side and washed by the
Iowa River on the other, and living upon
these are his two sons. The younger longs
to join a party equipped for the Black
Hills, and with all that eager desire for adj
venture and exploration among the excit
ing scenes of the far West, with no other
tie to bind him, he remains willingly with
his parents; kindly and lovingly helping
his brother to remove every shadow OF care
and perplexityt from the remainder of their
earthly pilgrimage. Although wealth
might secure him from mere physical
want, could it buy the still greater blessing
of filial affection? And is it not evident
that they are only reaping as they have
sown? The other is feeble old man who
wandered aimlessly up and down the road
leading from Amsterdam to Belmont, stop
ping wherever he could obtain shelter,
anywhere rather than with his son, a
strong and healthy man, abundantly able,
as fer as physical strength was concerned,
to provide for his aged parent, but for
some reason failing to do so, until the
community wearied of his frequent visits
provided him a shelter or home at theiI
own expense; and during his visits at oui
own house learned enough of his past
life to believe that, pitiable as was his con-
dition, he also was reaping as he had sown
Ohio R113ner