The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-29
HE KICKED.
Al .short Homiiy on q Very Repro,
hensihlo Habit

Who lsiclced2
My young friend And do You ask
what he lxicised9
lie kicked at his trouble. His trouble
WAS the loss Of his beautiful young
wife. Nothing in the shape Of trouble
could have been more heartbrcaldnR,
All admit She was lovely girl
was at their wedding, Just 1--WE short
yeaEs. 70 u day, before her death.
have often been guest nc the house,
and she was charming hostess, true
vito, d loving mother, and, all In all, a
most gracious lady. Her sudden death
WINS indeed terrible.
Well, after ii was all over my young
friend, the wretchcd husband, began TO
kick That he wept, was pale faced
and greatly sorrowing, all this did not
surprise mo. These arc natures voices
Of grief. But that he should begin to
kick did surprise me.
What do / mean2 All. reader. You
are not ignorant. You have perhaps
been in his place, or seen others there.
But II you do not know, I'll describe
it. My friend grew hard, instead Of
soft, under hts 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 businessi DO not Mt
tempt TO comfort mei. or he would
remain sullen listener, as they con-
doled with him, as II he were grating
his teeth behind closed lips. Or he
would snap out all his bittcrest
thoughts at you. as il he half hated
yon because your wife was not also
dead like his. He would look ut your
wife, as II she had no right TO be 50
beautiful in life at your side, holding
her children by tho hand, and kindly
patting his 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. lie fell 10 growing over his hard
lot in your ears, and seemed 80 difficult
to please. He would pommel you with
all his unhappy thoughts, and spit out
on you the spleen Of many solitary
hours. 1t seemed TO me, nfter had
sat with him, or been out TO drive with
him. or accompanied him to some place
of diversion, II seemed 10 me always
that had been kicked. He was SO
wrapped up in his selfish grief that he
was bfind 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. 10 have offered my ear unto his
mourning would DC but d brotherly scrv-
! ;nn Tlttt l,tt x.yac f,trlty tall
Why should he have been singled out
and struck such a blow2 he would reit-
crate Did God Almighty suppose he
could be drawn to love Him by such
treatment? II God meant TO soften hun,
ii 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? 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 a great favor
tothe Almighty that you join church?''
asked.
'.confound it, he responded. what
do you mean2s
~ mean that you talk as If you sup
posed yourself great prize for God to
win that You would do Him 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
il / had been--if had--why, If had
been treated properly. you know. II ]
had been won by kindness and happi-
ness, such as other men have received \
stop! You blasphemc. Who gives
you all the mercies that yon do enjoyf
Why, man, you are getting insancl''
mo, am not. am only ugly
And that was about it He kicked at
his food. Why should he eatq 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; il he was shattered in
valid. He had better not kick too
hard. If he was not interested in his
own health he would find that nobody
was. said:
..Sir, you have children. Live and
care for them II you throw ycur life
away, then the beggary "a your chill
dren be on you, for III not take care Of
them
! did not really mean this, fsuppose-
Doubtless / should have done my part
tor the children left fathcrlcss. but it
made me indignant u see the father
kicking his health to skaters because
lie was sad-hcarted, and All the while
his children depended ON him.
lie kicked at his business What did
no care for money! Well. suggested