The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-12-18
MY DIS0BEDIENCE.
The Terrible Price of an After
moons Pleasure.

The Terrible Price of an After
moons Pleasure.
was always afraid Of father, bat
with poor little mother it was another
thing Father was hard and stern
with Us children. and when lac told me
to do anything jusl stepped; but she
was too gentle and loving To say
harsh word. aud ] often took advar-
tage of that fact IN fathers absence.
Toward him ! felt little emotion eN-
cept that of fear while loved mother
with all the strength OF my passionate
nature; yet her l often disobeyed; him.
never.
How well ] remember my last and
greatest disobediencc and the bitter
lesson that / received Ia c5a-cquence.
was about fourteen n the time, and
we were living on farm some dis
tancc ont of the village wherc my
father was an ovcrsecr in the mill
Bad luck Lad followed him for some
time and he was quite heavily in debt
Nv three older sisters had one by one
died Of lingering consumption, thr
house had taken fire and burned TO tae
ground when uninsured, and in the et-
Tort to save some of the furniture
father was badly injured and had 10
stop work Tor some time 20 NNtit-h inc
new house was built and furnished he
had TO run behind a good deal. and we
had 10 practice the stTictest economy
an consequence.
Father had gone back into the mill
again. and nay long summer vacation
lad begun. when yet another mis-
fortune came TO n. though ] was too
,ouug and thouChrlcss To realize much
about ii. Mother began to show signs
# the same fatal disease that had
claimed my three sisters. and her
strength failed quite rapidly
However. she would not allow father
10 hire girl a. long as we were in
iebt and she could kctp about. and
athcr ~ last consented 10 get along
for the time being without one If the
washing could lee put out and won d
say At home and help. That IS how
my Hfc-s sorrow. found me
Although, rs have said. loved my
mother paeslonaroly, was not always
aS good to her as / should have been l
was full Of life and spirits and did not
realize her condition. and the coBdne-
ucnt at home WIS often very irlls0m2
. me. so I began To slip away with
the boys and leave her alone for hours
It a time knowing my father woult
not bc home from the mill tiil night
and that she loved me too well 10 tel
aim OF my reflect and 50 bring down
upon mr ve!l-Incritcd punishment.
Mother still kept about the house
and looked after her work. and never
realized until aftcrward how hard Il
was for her. She grew palcr and thin
ner day by dav. and the brilliant rcd
that glowed htfullv in her checks and
made her look so lovely would have
told q more experienced eye than mine
that the gentle. loving woman was
fast going where sickness and sorroe.
are unknown. A. for me / remained
blind to it all. and often grumbied -
the little things that occasionally
asked me TO do.
Naturally enough, l grew more Wild
and rcbcllious with every indulrr-e1.
and my neglect daily became more ap-
parent But the end was near.
The Champions, a boys baseball :lub
of which ! was the catcher, had ar
ranged To play a match game with the
Victors. a team from ncighboring and
rival village, one "Wednesday afternoon.
OF course it was all we boys could tall,
about for a week before the event took
place. bot at last the day actually ar
rived. The game was 10 begin At half
past one, and ] would have TO start as
soon as possible after dinner in order
TO get there in season.
] did not dare mention the match -
father, for knew be would surely for
bad my attending it. My rival, Billy
Atwood, would bc only too glad 10
catch, and If he did / might lose nv
position in the nine and that coul4
not bear to think of. No; l must be
there and catch, he the consequences
what they would.
Father came home to his dinner, and
it was nearly one o'clock that day be-
fore he started back TO his work.
Mother had been feebler than ever all
the morning, but l never noticed any
thing about that. The coming ball
| game filled my head so full that there
was room for nothing else.
As soon as father was out of sight J
started to slip out the back door, but
quiet as I was about it my mother
noticed me.
Wont you get me some fresh wa
ter, Henry?" she said, in a low, gentle
voice. THAT in the bucket is stale.
and it is So warm this afternoon. am
very thirsty
With frown on my face ! caught
the pail angrlly up and went hast y
out INTO lht Ndru- II was Only Il Hllh'
ute's work TO fill the bucket a. tho
pump and / was soon back again.
''Why didn't You get me some nice
cool spring water, dear?" said my
mother. as ] came in with my pail
1.-The well water is so hard 7 canno.
drink it. Please get some; it won
take you very long"
Now the spring where we got mos
] of dfin -afH
quarter of mile across the fields an
it-was already quarter past one. j
my minds eye J saw the game alread
begun, myself absent. and Billy benin
the bat. Such thoughts were unendur
able.
''Oh, that water is good enough an
I'm in hurry. Don't be so fussy,"
saucily answered.
But Henry 7 don't like the we