The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-12-25

please viii never come. Weara an y
us controlled by, subjected to. eir y, =
stances, public opinion, bodily insir1a;
ties, law, human and Divine. Artbr~
And the sooner we recognizes the facfl
and make up our minds not to rebeI
against it, the better. !"
"Oh, father, said Arthur. greatly,
disappointed, then there is no sueId
thing as freedom, glorious freedom, inj
the worldn
Eyes, there is replied his father
smiling, "but not in the sense Won SIM.
pose. It is wide subject which ma
been often discussed. I am afraid Chad
you are too young to understand thah
to be free is not tC do as one pleases al
together
Il don't understand that at all, !" said
Arthur; ''but I know one thing, I'll
should like to be allowed to do Just ~
] please for few months, to 90 out
when and where | please, go to schoos
or not as l please, study when please.
associate with whom please, Just Is
see how it feels and what would come
of it. You know, father he added
archly, you always said the best way
to learn was by experience
"Some things, said Mr.. Lee, care
best learned by the experience of others.
We viii try that way tomorrow. %
to your studies now, and tomorrow
you shall attend court with me-
MIR. Lee was Judge and next dav
he was accompanied to the eourt-roofr
by his son; Awretched-looking man.
clad in dirty, ragged garments, was led
in between two policemen and ar
raigned for trial. His face was liyid
and swollen from drink; he was sober
but his gait was unsteady and his hands
trembled. He was accused Of picking
mans pocket;
This is a severe charge, John Mel
low said Judge Lee to the prisoners
Il knew your father. He was an up-
right man. | am sorry to see his son III
criminal court of justice. What
brought you to thisph
81 see your son near you, answered
the culprit Il will answer your guess
ton. Perhaps it win serve as a warm
ing to him.
.'As you know, was the son Of an
honorable gentleman, and Of good
mother, who had but one fault: she
was over-indulgent. Igrew up here in
this large city, surrounded on all sides
by vice and temptation, but / was a.
good lad until was fourteen years old.
Then fell into bad company. had
kind parents and was allowed plenty of
rational amusement. But these bows
told me was kept too strictly under
restraint, and ! grew dissatisfied
My father went away on business,
and then / persuaded my indulgene
mother to promise me that for one
month / should have liberty to do ais
pleased. That month, Judge, brought
me here.
Il began by staying ont nights. Then
/ learned to smoke. That stopped my
growth and ruined my health. Then /
commenced to drink, and have never
been able to control the taste for liquor
/ contracted then. / gave up my
studies and ran away from school. In
short, grew wholly unmanageable, and
when the month was up, left home se~
cretly. But was brought back and
put in a reformatory, after every other
means of redeeming me had been found
unavailing 1t was all of no use
| have never been what was before that
fatal month of doing as | pleased, was
allowed me.
| II pity YOU, said the Judge, and /
viii make your sentence as light As pos
sible. / heard your story before from
your mother, who died blaming her
self entirely, and, think, justly, for
your ruin.
j Judge Lee spoke other plying and
earnest words to the miserable mans
words full of hope, of warning, Of aQ-
monition. Then he pronounced sen.
tence, and the man, not unmoVed, was
led away to prison.
II think / understand now, said Ar
thur, after long silence, as he walked
home with his father. II think mn
derstand now that it is best not to have
ones own way, until one has learned TO
see what consequences may follow his
actions"
"A wise conclusion" said Mr.. Lee,
'.and until that time comes be content
to be guided by those older than your
self, to whom, in some measure, that
power of foreseeing has come, and
whom Providence has wisely placed II
authority over you. Afargaget x. So
ter, Gie School and Home.