The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-01-25

Row "A Mother Taught He Devotion to
a ThOushtIess Boy-A Lesson thai
Should BIZ Learned.

StEDktS DC AScA
AS Ralph barrow rode slowly through
the main street of the little country town
of Greenfield one September day, feeling
very impatient that the stout oak stick he
carried could not urge old Dolly into a
pace faster than a jog-trot, he heard the
big clock on the Baptist church strike
twelve. With the sound of the first stroke
the blood sprang to his face like a flame;
but by the time the last had struck he was
as pale as it is possible for a sun-burnt
country lad to become. Twelve O'Clock
and 1t was only six when he left home af-
ter his early breakfast to 60 to Silas Ash
toms on an errand, and his mother had
urged him to make haste back, reminding
him that it was Monday, and water must
be brought from the well for washing.
Ralph was expected to be away a little
more than an hour, for it was only two
miles to the Ashton farm; but after attend
ing to the errand he had gone to look at
shooting at a target with a brand new
pistol, which proved such interesting sport
that the time slipped away without his
being really conscious of it. The recol-
lection of his mothers charge to return as
soon as possible did not occur to him until
he heard an impatient neigh from Dolly,
grown weary Of standing at the hitching
post. He left then without further delay,
but his consc fence troubled him very much
on the way home; and the discovery that
it was twelve o'clock filed him with dis
may. Not only did he feel sure Of a severe
whipping from his father, but he knew his
mother must nave suffered great anxiety
about him, probably imagining he had
met with some accident. He was not sur
prised as he drew near home to see her
standing at the gate, looking anxiously
down the road.
"Ralph. my dear boy" she said, as o
as he came within speaking distance. 81
have been SO worried about you. What
kept you SO long?'
II got to shooting at a target with Luke,
and forgot all about the time, mother, y
answered Ralph in a low voice, his face
expressing his shame and contrition.
Mrs. barrow was silent a moment, aud
then, as Ralph sprang from the saddle,
she laid her hand tenderly on his shoulder.
II am glad, very glad, for your sake, dear,
that your father happens to be away" she
said gently. .'He left home just after you
did. and will not be back until to NOR
row.
Ralph drew a long breath of relief.
'But-who drew the water. mother"
4 drew it, my son."
''0h, mother. and carried it all to the
house,"
eyes, my dear, there was no one else to
do it, you know. Your sisters are too
small to help me much"
Not a word, not even a look of reproachl
As Ralph led old Dolly to the barn and
threw down some hay from the loft for her
he almost wished his father had not gone
away, for, perhaps, if he had received a
thrashing he would not have felt so utter
ly wretched as he did now. A whipping
was no novelty to Ralph, for his father
was a stern, hard man, who believed in
the use of the rod as a means of discipline,
and never spared it. Ralph was an only
son, and a bright, talented boy, but he
could not recelleet ever having received a
word of love or praise from his father,
whom he feared aud avoided. But he
loved his gentle, brown-eyed mother. She
was always loving, tender and mercIful,
and shielded him from his fathers wrath
whenever it was possible for her to do SO,
sorrowing much that she could not con-
vince her husband that it was better to
govern through love thar fear.
As Ralph entered the kitchen after feeding
Dolly, and saw the weary, worn look on
his mothers face, be felt more conscience
stricken than ever, and could not eat the
dinner she set before him. ''But it isn't
as if I was running off and having fun, -
be said to himself, trying to find Excuses
for his conduct. II hardly ever get an
hour to myself. 1t is work, work from
morning to night, and an awful crime if
I'm idle ever ten minutes. And it isn't
fair. l don't believe any other fellow
would stand it a single day. And might
beg on my knees from dawn to dark, and
father wouldn't give me a pistol. | believe
he'd thrash ne if | only mentioned such a
thingl' And thinking thus, raking up
one by one all the injuries of which he had
been the victim, and comparing his life
with that of several OF his friends, Ralph
at length arrived at the conclusion that
after all he had not been guilty of any,
thing very wicked IN spending the morn
ing at Luke Ashton's, and that he had
been foolish to allow his conscience to
trouble him for even a moment.
And after that, whenever it pricked him
a little, he refused to listen to it, and felt
angry and impatient that be could not for
get the whole matter. And he offered no
apology to his mother. $50 much
wouldn't be expected Of me if were not
always so willing to work., he thought re-
sentfully. Gather ought to have a els
tern dug, and a pump in the kitchen, like
Mr.. Ashton's. Luke never has to bring