The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-05-16
BEYOND CONTROL.

There was difference between John
Chapman and his wife, and the first one
TO notice it was their only child, Char
ley The knowledge of it crept on hin
by degrees, almost unconseiousIy and
his mother wept her heart sore when be
was fifteen. and one Sunday the bells
were ringing for holy mass and he said
very defiantly and positively
Father viii not 90 to mass and neith-
er will IT,
Mrs. Chapman was not able to speak
when the boy made this announcement,
and when her tongue did release itself
from its excitement, all she could say
was
!" Well, Charley, you are big boy now,
almost beyond my control; but beg you
as a mother who loves you and wishes
you the blessing of God, to come to mass
this morning and never mind what your
father does"
ptt tttt bof "ds cthbhotA anu tsSh
angry. He let his mothers words pass
by as if they were an idle, useless breath,
and kept on fixing trap to catch rah-
bits, which he was determined to use on
that very Sunday, and while mass was
going on.
The boys father had gone of to a
friends house where he usually spent the
Lords Day in playing cards and in other
harmless amusements as he called
them.
In every other respect than that Of at
tending TO his religions duties, John
Chapman was a model man, He had a
comfortable home, made 30 by his own
industry, and in all his relations with
his neighbors or men of business be was
strictly honest and upright
" 1t makes the women and the chill
dren good to go to church, . he would an
swer when any one spoke to him of reli-
gion. But if a man does no harm, what
is the use of his bothering with the
priests?-
He had nevera moments sickness in his
life, nor had he met any serious troubles,
which might have made him think and
act differently and i. never occurred to
him that there was possibility Of such
happening to him, as long as health and
prosperity favored him with their pres
ence.
He leffthe management of the boy to
his wife, and only concerned himself
with the young fellows chances in the
world He trained him up TO his own
business, and in doing 50 he never once
thought that he kept the boy more in his
own company than in the mothers, and
that there was great chance of his iIni-
tating him in his ways rather than the
mother
1t so happened that Charley watched
his father so closely that he not only be-
came known for his handiwork at his
trade, but also, as can be perceived, for
his negligence of christian duty
Mrs. Chapman went to church that
morning alone, and her heart was the
heaviest that entered the sacred portals.
How could she kneel down in the pres
ence of her God, telling that she desery-
ed his grace and blessings? Or, how
could she look up TO the sweet face of
Mary, the truest of mothers, and ask for
her heavenly intercession and favor
She bad always given a good example to
her husband and child, 5utcould she not
have done more?
There was diSa mist hanging between
her and the altar, and her eyes could only
pierce it indistinctiy. The priest was
saying the mass. his hands outstretched.
and the lights were cleaning down on
the shining vestments. But il appeared
to her as if the altar and priest were
away off on 4 distant white cloud and
the murmuring voice of the priest were
an angels song that was full Of hope and
consolation. But when the priest spoke
and the tender words were borne to her
ears, her heart grew light again. No
matter what your aifiiction be-" he said,
. pray 10 God. Ask ard you shall re-
ceiye knock and it shall be opened unto
you-the great heart of the Lord Jesus
Christ
The congregation had all departed, the
lights on the altar had been extinguish-
ed, and solitary and alone the sanctuary
lamp swung before the Tabernacle of
Love- A faint smell of incense fingered
around the altar, and the virgins form
was fading away among the shadows
when Mrs Chapman left the holy place,
her heart vowed to God TO pray without
ceasing for her husbands and child's con-
version. And some spirit told her. whis-
pered il in her ear as she passed down
the aisle, that her prayer would be an
swered.
II Nde u IOuE1AOtGt IDltt lItuf Tue
church to her home, and the heavy frost
had covered the deep snow Of the roads
with surface slippery and unsafe A
walk across the fields would be as easy
as over the untrodden roads, and saw
ing Of considerable time to Mrs. Chap
man, who had already delayed too long
in the church. Like the country people
around, she had come provided with
pair of rough stockings to draw over her
shoes and keep her from falling, and
these she put on and then took to the
snow-clad fields. The sharp, raw blast
Of midwinter blew in her face, and at
times almost threw her of her feet but
as they hurried past her, almost deafen-
ing her ears with their shrieks, she
thought they bore with them cry of
human agony The nearer she drew to
hoo r.<zr..a thu v,<xru r,fafulv did tho err