The Lake County star., 1877-05-10


Tell Of st6s night that comsth nigh.
The brief days close.
e. % sns .
RUINED AT HOME.
1t is at home that the ruin of soul
begins. >, wv -; :,
in tones Of pained surprise or indig-
nant denial from many voices. 1T is
hard saying-and cruel!" n
1t may hurt like q blow many sad
hearts but IL It be true-what then?
at Is not true! can point you to
dozen cases within my own range Of
observation to disprove the assertion
to young men who have gone astray In
spite of the careful training and goO,l
example of religious hOmes-in spite of
all the best Of mothers and wisest Of
fathers could do"
Yes; we hear such thing said every
day but feel certain there is an error
somewhere--a defect In your observa-
tion. Were you In the homes Of these
young men from the beginning?
Were you familiar with their early
training? Did you observe the person
al bearing of their parents toward
them-knOw their walk and conversa-
ton? III nay, then you are not COM
petent, with your instances, todisprOve
our assertion.
A small error at the beginning of q
series Of calculations in applied me-
chanics, may lead to q great disaster;
the slightest variation from q right
line at the beginning will throw pro-
iectile hundreds Of yards away from
its object. It Is In the little things at
home; the most unnoted departures
from order and good government; the
neglects arising from parental self-in-
diligence; the weakness, Of love that
fails to nip q fault in the bud; and
many other things that might be iu-
stanced, which turn the young feet
into ways of life that, as the years 60
by, lead farther and farther from safe
ty and happiness.
The Bible, experience and reason, all
declare that the future of child de-
pends upon his early training. II
this is bad, the chances are nearly all
against him. Il4
But" we hear it said, "children
raised under the worst OF Influences
often made good and useful men,"
The cases are exceptional, and stand
out in strong contrast with the rule.
And SO we 90 back to what was declar-
ed I'm the beginning, that the ruin of
soul begins at home. How many In
stances crowd upon the memory! Let
US take few at this time for their les
son and their warning.
Not long ago, in one Of our principal
cities, an Almost broken hearted moth
ef parted from her son In the court
house, and was taken fainting to her
home, while he was thrust into . van
and conveyed tn prison. HIS crime
was stealing. Society held up its
hands In pity and amaxement, for the
young mans father and mother were
highly respectable people. and COED
church members, as the, saving Is. The
fathers business reputation stood
high People said OF him: His
word IL as good as his bond" And
yet his son was q condemned thief.
He had stolen from his employer.
Did the ruin in this cAse begin at
home? Yes. 1t was at home that the
sun learned to be dishonest; and he
learned It from his mother! Let us
rehearse few of the lessons, In pre-.
cept and example, that were given to
the boy. We begin when he was Just
near his mother one day-we will call
her Mrs. Omdorff, and the boy Karl
when he heard her say to his aunt, In
a tone: of satisfaction Barker has
cheated himself. Here are four yards
of ribbon instead of three. asked for
three yards, and paid for only three
but this measures full four yards."
The boy listened, and waited for
what was to come next. He loved his
mother, and trusted In her.
"What are you going to do about
lt?" inquired the aunt.
Keep 1t. Of course" answered Mrs. |
Omdorff. BARKER will never be the |
wiser. He makes enough out of us,
dear knowspp And she rolled the
ribbon about her fingers.
Karl was little surprised. It did
not seem like his mother; nor in agree
ment with what she had often said to
him about truth and honesty. But he
had faith I'm her, and was sure that she
could do nothing wrong. His Aunt
Ruth, Of whom he was very fond, and
who had great influence over him,
was weak woman in some respects,
and much more inclined to take the
current of others opinions, than to
give herself the trouble Of opposition.
Her innate sense Of honor was little
disturbed her sisters view Of the
case; but :h failed to say right words
that were in her thoughts, and which,
n spoken, might have helped the boy
to see what was Just and right.
A day or two afterward, Karl heard
his mother say: II saved car ticket
this morning."
"HowW inquired her sister.
1.-THE conductor forgot to ask for It,"
"Why didn't you give IL TO him,
mamma?" asked Karl.
'It was his business to look after his
passengers." replied Mrs. OmdOrf,
who felt rather uncomfortable at this
question from her little boy. 1T will
teach him q lesson" l7f $50.
Karl thought moment, and then
saidi "But be won't know anything
about it.n
"Oh, you're too sharp!" exclaimed
his mother, with q laugh. Il wasn't
talking to you, anyhow"
Little pitchers have big can" said
Aunt Ruth, echoing her sister's laugh.
And 80 the matter was pushed aside,
neither mother nor aunt imagining
thst the bright and beautiful boy they
both loved 90 tenderly had received D |
lesson In dishonesty not soon to be
II do believe, ~ said Mr.. Omdorff, |
not long Afterward, ~ she sat counting
over some money, that Poole has
given me the wrong change"
Karl was In the room, and heard
her remark. .r
Z. "Let me see, y she added, going over
tho money again. 1.-TWO and shalt, |
three, four and a-half, four and three
quarters. It's fact, gave him q ten
dollar bill, and here are four and three
auarfora chan0ev
what did the goods amount to 2"
asked her sister.