The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-08-25
HE KICKED.
A Short Homily on q Very Repro
hensible Habit

Who kicked?
Ny young friend And do you ash
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 heartbreaking,
all admit She was lovely girl.
was at their wedding, just FIVE short
years, to day, before her death. I
have often been guest at the house,
and she was a charming hostess, a true
wife. loving mother, and, all in all,
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 l 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. Ny 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 me!'' Or he would
remain 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, as If she had no right to be, so
beautiful in life at your side, holding
her children by the hand, and kindly
patting bis motherless babes call
that kicking.
Then, too. If you left him alone he
complained Of your neglect. But II 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 sptt.out
on you the spleen Of many solitary
hours It seemed to me, after / had
sat with him, or been out to drive with
him, or accompanied him to some place
Of diversion, 1t seemed to me always
that 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. 49, :,
And yet 1t was not simply gloomy
talk To have offered my ear unto his
mourning would be but a 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? II God meant to soften him,
It would be found that he did not soften
under blows. Gods treatment of him
had been such as benefited wicked
man Now, how was he wicked? He
had at one time thought Of joining
church; but, curse 1t, he could never
think Of such thing now.
''Do you then think 1t great favor
tothe Almighty that you Join achurch9'
I asked.
''confound iti'' he responded, what
do you mean'"
~ mean that You talk as II you sup
posed yourself q great prize for God to
win-that You would do Him q great
honor to believe in His goodness, and to
love Him; so great that you propose to
avenge yourself on God by getting
angry and refusing to serve Him. now
that you are afflicted"
"Well, might have believed in God
II had been--if had-why, il had
been treated properly, you know. If
had been won by kindness and happi-
ness, such as other men have received"
stop! You blaspheme. Who gives
you all the mercies that you do enjoy?
| Why, man, you are getting insane!"
''No, am not l am only ugly"
And that was about IT. He kicked at
his food. Why should ne eat? Kicked
at his sleep health and strength. One
day asked him II he thought his sor-
row would be any lighter II his health
broke down; II he was shattered in
valid He had better not kick too
hard II he was not interested In his
own health he would find that nobody
was. said:
"Sir, you have children. Live and
care tor them. II you throw your life
away, then the beggary of your chill
dren be on you, for I'll not take care Of
them"
I did not really mean this, / suppose.
Doubtless I should have done my part
bor the children left fatherless, but Il
made ma indignant 10 see the father
kicking his health TO skaters because
hs va sad-hearted, and ali the while
| hh children depended on him