Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-25

such uurume0 nope, 0AS tu0 mlnAss0 sSpsSA
abashed and rebuked Here was the perfect
faith be had vainly tried to instal into
greater minds; the sum Of al his teaching.
The soul he had tried to enlighten was On
hiRher ground than he II knew no doubt
he repeated over and over the boys words
'sThey couldn't die" - he walked away,
seeing clearer than ever what is meant BY
the scriptural assertion that outof the mouths
Of babes cometh wisdom.
Yes. the Carson children"-es the neigh
bogs called them, though they were all grown
up-had done well with themselves since their
parents died. The four who constituted the
working force developed . genius for the
science IF getting along" They were a.
ambitious, practical and worldly as their
father had been dreamy and unworldly.
They reached out after the successes of life
with hungry hands The prizes he had passed
by with indifference they strove for and
gained
They held together, and in year or two
bought back the old home and brought it out
of dilapidation into smiling companionship
with its modern neighbors They liked to
advance themselves in that never to-be de-
fined circle which calls itself society.
George decided that money was the best
thing alta Unable, and set about getting rich.
Catherine managed the housekeeping; Julia
made music her profession, and Annette, the
youngest and loveliest of the sisters, married
and went away.
For awhile Davy was not neglected His
brothers and sisters, remembering their
mothers tireless tenderness and their fathers
unvarying patience towards his helplessness,
did their best to make him happy. He was
their one great charge, a holy one had they
only known it. His weakness and trustful-
ness were continual monitors to their hearts
But the days went on and their cares in
creased and their interests widened. Each
had aspirations outside the circle of home.
Contact with the world, successful contact,
began to do its work. 1t was teaching them
to value the tinsel gliding of life higher than
the pure gold 1t was teaching them false
standard of worth. 1t was inoculating them
with the insidious sin of selfishness, and at
last it taught them to be ashamed of Davy.
Being ashamed of him they tried to keep
him hidden, and assumed to have forgotten
his existence. They were never unkind to
him; but by and by there seemed to be no
place for him.
He didn't notice the change In his simple
soul there was neither suspicion nor discon-
tent. He rocked his dolls, talked to the birds
and dogs, still watched at the gate at times
for his mother and father, and still loved all
the world.
They could never afterward tell who sug-
gested it. Perhaps it was Catherine, who
had grown less kind of late, or perhaps it
was George whose pursuit of money grew
more engrossing every day; or it might have
been julia who was continually sought after
by what they were pleased to call society,""
They had all thought of it, but just who
had dared to first utter it they could never
afterward quite determine. After it had
been spoken, however, it was easy enough to
give it shape and development. 1t is the
first expression of evil that is difficult. After
that the way is smooth. At last it was talked
of quite plainly. Davy was in the way He
was a discredit to them and an obstacle to
their advancement They were ashamed of
him.
Something ought to be done with him."
That was the verdict They talked it over
until they really felt like martyrs, and actu-
ally persuaded themselves, as people often
will VIII, n they are about to do something
very mean, that they are doing it for the
victims good
Catherine urg ID that Davy wandered away
so much that he wa, always uneasy about
him, and >ht va, 100 bu,y to be continually
hun,lng him up. Besi les she thought he
was growing more recuia; and ought not to
lave SO mu:h tte dom. Sne Oh dn't answer
for what he NTH. CO.
Ge o: &c " a. a.. o"led III t t. @1'n"t business
ol getting ich AID &: 10 Julia.
too, eilod 10 NV, - Al
tie shalt % o.. .
the others that he sought to be put some
where"
At last it was decided to send him to the
poorhouse.
1t was not that they grudged him the little
it cost to supply his necessities; they wanted
him out of the way. Neither did they want
to send him to the almshouse as pauper,
but as person of infirm mind-not de-
mented enough to be lodged in a hospital for
the Insane, but too uncertain to have his
liberty.
The way was perfectly easy. The law was
on their side. though humanity was not
They even plumed themselves upon having
done more than their duty by him. They
were to pay his board and buy his clothes
The idea was that they wanted him Cooked
after" This was the language in which
they clothed the very meanest act of their
lives. They measured out justice at valua-
count If most ,,racio,,s +hi,os Thar ,voro
about 70 h,,rt the ho11,ass forrott;ng r. -
ur;tto,, +hat +ha ,+ra,n Sho1i sha,e th.;.
s+roroth ,r;th tho 81,
Tho everir,,, befora no,- s 70 ,o.
ominons SILENCE fa,1 ~, tha ho,,s,ho,d a.
burned in tha ,rrata % tto ,,,oa,,t I;+.1a ~
t;no room Tho le,n,, ioht 1ros In;ohto. than
ever hut tho GOOD choar tha+ Owes trnn,
well 'do;nc ,,-os a.. co,o.I,;,, ;,s,,;n;Ila
-. -, ~ i'oio