The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-08-19
HE KICKED.
A Short Homily on a Worry Repre-
hensible Habit.

Who kicked?
My young friend. And do you ask
what he kicked?
He kicked at his trouble. His trouble
was the loss of his beautiful young
wife. Nothing in the shape of trouble
could have been more heartbrealxins,
all admit She was lovely girl
was at their wedding, just five short
years. to a day, before her death /
have often been a guest at the house,
and she was charming hostess, true
wife. loving mother, and, all in all, a
most gracious lady Her sudden death
was indeed terrible.
Well, after it was all over my Young
friend, the wretched husband, began to
kick. That he wept, was pale faced
and greatly sorrowing, all this did not
surprise me. These are natures voices
OF grief. But that he should begin to
kick did surprise me.
What do | mean? All, reader, YOU
are not ignorant. You have perhaps
been IN his place, or seen others there
But If you do not know, Ill describe
it My friend grew hard, instead of
soft, under his bereavement. He
kicked first at his best friends, as they
sought to comfort him; gave them
sharp replies, which seemed to say:
''Mind your own business! Do not at
tempt to comfort mew Or he would
remain n sullen listener, as they con-
doled with him, as If he were grating
his teeth behind closed lips. Or he
would snap out all his bitterest
thoughts at you, as If he half hated
You because your wife was not also
dead like his. He would look at your
wife. rs if she had no right to be so
beautiful in life ut your side, holding
her children by the hand, and kindly
patting his motherless babes / call
that kicking
Then, too, il you left him alone he
complained of your neglect. But if you
gently obtruded yourself into his com
pany, he fell to growing over his hard
lot in your ears, and seemed so difficult
TO please. He would pommel you with
all his unhappy thoughts, and spit out
on You the spleen of many solitary
hours II seemed to me, after | had
sat with him, or been out to drive with
him. or accompanied him to some place
of diversion, it seemed to me always
TINT had been kicked. He was so
wrapped up in his selfish grief that he
was blind to all my desire to be kind,
and apparently only wanted me about
to listen to his gloomy talk.
And yet it was not simply gloomy
talk To have offered my car unto his
mourning would be but brotherly serv-
ice- But his was ugly talk.
Why should he have been singled out
and struck such blow? he would reit-
crate. Did God Almighty suppose he
could be drawn to love Him by such
treatment? If God meant to soften him,
IL would be found that he did not soften
under blows. Gods treatment of him
had been such as benefited u wicked
man Now, how was he wicked? lie
had at one time thought of joining a
church; but, curse it, he could never
think of such thing now
DO you then think it great favor
totae Almighty that you join church,"
asked
'Cnfound it," he responded, what
do you mean?"
II mean that you talk as If you sup
posed yourself n great prize for God to
win-that you would do Him great
konor To believe in His goodness, and to
iove Him; SO great that You propose to
Sressge yourself on God by getting
sugvy and refusing to serve Him, now
that you are afflicted"
Well, I might have believed in God
il hsd been-if had-why, if | had
been treated properly, you know. III
haa bNn won by Kindness and happi-
nc~s, such as other mca have received"
'sssp. You blaspheme. Who gives
yaa all thc mercics that YOU do enjoy?
WY. wan, you are getting insancw
Nc. am not. / am only ugly"
Arca that was about it. lie llic,:cd at
hrs food Why shorld ne eat? Kicked
a. his sheep, health and strength. One
day asked him if he thought his sor-
roTv would toe any lighter if his health
fSris0e down; if he was shattered in
valid Hc had better not kick too
hard II he was not interested in his
owu health he would fad that nobody
VIZ I said:
N'Sir, you have children. Live ard
c2s~ for them If You throw your life
awxE. ihcu the bcggary of your chill
Ousa be on you, for I'll not take care of
thew"
sShS not really mean tins, suppose.
DaTSIb=Ss should have done my part
fox 0sc children left fatherless, but it
EEtzEe Ne indignant to see the father
l1es1uSg his health to skaters because
lac was s'sd-hearted, and all the while
A'S eilGnren depended on him.
He la-f7cd at his business. What did
he Sere for money? Wen, l suggested