Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-01-20
HIS REWARD.

You are most unjust, Charles, and
/ know the Lord will one day sting
your conscience for your cruelty, and
your heartlessness toward that dear
child"
The speaker was a comely lady of
about fifty, tall, slim, and upright, and
neatly clad in widows weeds Charles
Pemberton. her eldest son, a handsome,
stalwart young man of :. eight-and-
twenty, whom she addressed, answered
impatiently: zs.-il
Confound the boy, I wish he was
dead"
He did not mean that; for he loved
his little brother, and delighted to make
him happy. But hiszmother had a fatal
facility OF tongue, and for the last three.
hours she had been attacking him on
the subject with aggressive meekness.
And now. out of bis grief and his impa-
thence. he flung forth those bitter W ords,
angry with himself as he did SO, and
rose to leave the room, lest his over
wrought temper should betray him
further. His mother flung parting
shaft after him.
You may have your wish sooner
than you expect, Charles, and more than
that. He will probably not trouble you
many years, for he is very delicate; and
l shall not outlive him very long.
Then l suppose you will be happy"
Charles Pemberton saw the Cambria
ing fed; whereupon Mrs. Pemberton
retired to her bedroom to pray that her
sons hard heart might be softened.
And then, from curtained recess at
one end of the room, there came little
boy of twelve, with blanched, serious
face, half-parted lips, and wide dark
eyes. Toward the close of Mrs. Penn
berton's lecture he had entered the room,
by an open window, unperceived, and,
finding that he was the subject OF the
discourse, he had concealed himself.
He had heard only the concluding
words, and they chilled his very life
blood. He stood now with one hand
clutching the curtain.
So Charles wishes was dead, does
he And mother thinks am going to
die to please him. But / won't, /
wonder what makes mother think am
going to die. PERI APPS she only said it
to aggrayate Charles. Why should he
wish | was dead ] thought he was
fond of mel" and here be was nearly
choked with a rising sob, which he
gulped down with difficulty. sI won
der why-I'l ask him."
The next morning, after breakfast.
his brother, who had forgotten the Incl
dent of the previous day, taking a ball.
called out: Get your bat, Teddy, and
let's have half an hours practice"
AS they were walking down to the
field Edward suddenly startled his
brother by asking:
Would it be any good to you if !
Good to me- Why, Teddy. what
are you thinking oil"
Well, yesterday you said you wished
was dead; and you wouldn't wish that
If it would be no good to you. would
you P"
Charles stopped abruptly, and said,
with sternness: WHO told you thatp"
Nobody. / just came into the room
as you said it, and YOU didn't see me me
And ever since have been wondering
WHY
Charles Pemberton flung away the bat
and ball he was carrying, and cIasped
the boy in his arms, kissing him, and
hugging him, like girl with new
doll.
"Oh. Teddy, Teddy, Teddy" )" be said:
II wish my tongue had been torn out
~. eako 4OOeS OciOIc 4aQ SAID SUCH
thing; but didn't mean it, Teddy. You
never thought meant it, did youP
Why, Teddy, / wouldn't lose you for all
the world, my little playfellow, A,v
brother. 1t isn't right for me to ON.
plain to you OF mother, and when have
just told you how it happened that /
said those cruel words-that I didn't
mean, didn't ever mean, you know for
moment, Teddy-tnen -ou must forget
all about it. / had Id mother that /
wanted to make man of you, and chat
it was time you went to school. and
learned to stick up for yourself; and
then she said was cruel to you. and
that / didn't care for you, and lectured
and scolded me all the afternoon, and
then forgot myself-which ought not
to have done, for know it is only her
love that makes be- over anxiOus-and
j said those hateful words, that | never,
never, never meant, Teddy-D
thought you never could mean IL.
Charles, y said the little fellow. He had
borne up with wonder full stoicism till
now. but the overwhelming sense Of re-
lief was too much for him, and he began
to weep and sob convulsively. Shortly,
he sprang up and alaspad his brother s
neck, sayings