New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-29

nausinp before the church at LenOx, where haW-
thorne frequently stood, gazing at the mountain
prospect. thought Of Longfellows poem on Ior
0uemada, and wondered if such satanic ep'soue Va
suspicion and superstition could ever nave oeen
related even of the lurid theology OF our WITCH
burning times father, in Longfeilow piece Su'-
poets his own daughters of heresy; accuses them 10
Toroucmada. begs permission 10 light their pile at
tho oUtode-6 and having burned them to death Is
given over himself to tOrturng flames of horror ana
despair Then, 10y sympathy and association arose
upon my mind this companion picture.
A father in a New England town had son:
little largeheaded boy of nervous intensity win
eyes of startling wonder and long curling eyeiaShrS
which started like his fawn-like eyes with quick
apprehension and timdity; boy who played WIN
all intensity, kept doing something all gay I""s
without the power to rest walked OH aloho' anu
even when alone spoke with himself, chased the
geese with little legs as lean and swirl anu a, '"'
table eating his meals could not sit very still nor
bear TO sit all the morning in church nearing 'ne
sermon because hls heart too rapid IN MS
narrow little chest where every rib could he
counted against his tender flesh and skin. In the
, morning lie was awake at earliest light; at evening
his tired nature yielded to the deep sleep OF eNans
ton. His mother feared she could never raise nm
TO be a man. His father thought he was TOO i"ilE
becoming man in gravity, sobnety ana loIlla'
obedience.
"What ails nv son r. the father stcrnly asked
aI1o 10 rattIoh headed and without stability. fear
for him Do Won chastisc him cnoughf Spare not
| the rod lest he grow beyond you and your RUE
"Alasw exclaimed the mother. he has ms niue
world We cannot see, perhaps He is growing an"
sensitive. The doctor says we must not push MN
AT his studies, but let him play all ne cam Ill HIS
frame is equal to his brain
eIo his All
hoy and feared he was going to give them all
tronble growing up so seldom moulded ana re-
strained.
All dav the little boy was doing something car
ryng the cat 10y the tail, carrying the dog under MS
arm, making pictures on paper OF engines ana
steamboats, and Indians, and bellows
"Ue will be an artist said his mother hopefully.
"IIc will spoil the library exclaimed the iathor
suspciously.
Antagonism grow mp between the father ana tue
how. born. on the boys part. of fear; on Inc
fathers of criticism and severity The boy ran J."
his mother and asked her protection from Ms
fathers suspccing eye The father feared his we
was spoillpr the son with mistaken generosity an"
allowance At times the fathers hahiual suspicion
broke away like the clouds above hard NUM-"
Britain. and he laid his rigorous books OF theology
down TO take his boy walking and they Iir"
little nearer Then again the father observed Soh'
,olrntuors tendency in the son which started ms
fears anew some taste for worldly, passing modes
and joys.
aWifc," said he, ado you ever give our boy
money!
"A little" she said few pennies, 10 huy draw
ing materials aud colors; he Will be an ARTIST l
think"
4Moncy" exclaimed the sire, is the root OF every
evil. You had better give him fire or poison lie
will become a wild, ruined spcndtllrIit'
The idea that his wife gave the child money
oncroted in the fathers head like jealousy or re-
vcnge; it tinted everything about his sons con
duct and he believed his wife had deliberately 'et
20 work TO indulge her child at the expense OF hs
soul.
One morning. thinking Of such things. the father
Law awake in bed and gentle noise disturbed hin'
The sun was nearly up. though II vas scarcely
o'clock. and the light and air striking through the
chamber curtains. showed little boy IN ms night
gown stealing along the floor toward the i"ot oi
his fathers bed. Lying perfectly still with eyes
! almost closed. the father that small. large
| headed child unable perhaps 10 sleep yet careful
not to awake his parents turn an eye Of timd COW
etousness upon his fathers trow-crs and vest hang
| ING upon a nail. He glanced sharply toward ms
| father to see if he was quite asleep, and then
swiftly. like little bird, hoped upon chair and
ran his lean white fingers into his father vest
| pocket.
"Ha." thought the father. My son in my
pockets by stealth before | ain awake. and imltat
ing the bad example Of my wife. who often per
haps searches unauthorilcdly there"
| AS he said this dreadful idea crossed his mind
That son, spoiled by the mothers Indulgence al
ready corrupted by spending money. was a THEA
| thief while yet child! lie rose III Dcu anu SPOKE
in voice Of thunder:
| - Robert, YOU arc stealing my money"
Horror froze the boy BE- dropped from the chair
like cat. and was into his own bed in tho next
room and covered his face with the sheets. An
onsb and stern resolve possessed at once the fathers
stricken heart He had delayed too long to chastsc
his wavward SON now gliding into ruin. 1t must
| be done. hard though the thought should be- lie
awoke his WIFE and. supprcssng hcI replies with an
| iron will related the story OF her dcpraycd child
" IIcnccforth,o he said. must be the magistrate
and mother instead Of you! Robert, come, dress
yOurselfw
He thrust the frightened mother back. The boy
| fell on his knees but could not speak one word, 80
large the knot that gathered IN hls little throat, so
rcsolntc the startled. fawn-hkc eyes. as If agony
| and perversity worked together To make him obdu-
rate. Down the stairs and into the orchard. away
| from sight the father bore his child and making
| him kncel upon the grass, struck hard and slow
with a switch cf the apple tree, telling his boy To
confess; yet dumb Isaac upon the altar beneath
his fathers knife the shrinking childhood OF the
bow received his hard chastiscmcnt. Carried back
all trembling az with chill of death. 10 the house
of mourning, the little boy was laid IN his bed stu
frozen tight of speech and only the ointment OF a
mothers tears fell on his tortured back ana famine
| narrowed shoulders but ms large eyes turned to a
little box that he kept his treasures in, and they
| placed it in his bed where lac lay all day signing
| from his inarticulate soul.
| The fathers heart was wrcnched to think Of such
a fran dear son peIsistng in his wlckcdncss. and