Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-07-25

beacon' lie is no son Of mine,
and my house is no longer his home.
Ho, sir! DO you hear 2"
You need not tell me twice.
returned the boy. "Good-bv,
mother; Pm going; :" and before
they realized it the eldest son passed
out OF home life forever.
After that life went on about as
usual at the Chandler farm. The
Deacon still offered his accustomed
prayer, only there was no Tom TO
make fun Of him, for since that
night Tom Chandler had not been
seen. Deacon Chandler was still
waiting for his opportunity, and
Stlll wondering, too, why chance
so earnestly desired was so long
withheld. Others all about him
were doing great things toward
building up the kingdom, yet, search
ana wait as he would, nothing ever
came in his way.
So the time went on for eight or
ten years, until one day Deacon
Chandler suddenly awoke to the fact
that his wife was slowly dying. His
love for his wife was one of the
things which no one doubted, and
when he noticed how pale and thin
she had become, he spoke to her at
once in an unusually anxious way.
lis tnere anything l can do for
you, wife ?" he asked.
"No--l don't know that there is"
T." Is there anything you want?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Shall tell you ?" she whispered
"Yes-do."
Sadly and firmly, she told him
then the whole pitiful story. "I
want my boy. 1 want Tom to come
back to me. He was my first horn,
and cannot forget how | loved him
when he was a baby in my arms.
Yes, and when he grew to be a boy
loved him still, and my love could
have saved him. But you-you
were so hard and cold with him.
Conscious of your own virtue, you
could not pity his infirmity and bear
with him as | would have done. No,
hear me out" as he would have spo-
ken. "Iou have always prayed
prayed TO the Lord for some oppor-
tunity to do some great good, and
when 1t was here, in your own son,
you neglected it. You might have
been more gentle; you might have
led him out Of his evil ways; but
you would not, and all of these years
my heart has been aching for the
sight of my sonny eldest born"
The words came sharp and fast
now, and ended i'm smOthered sob.
The Deacon was surprised. Never
before had his wife questioned his
wisdom, or censured him for what
he did. But the mother love so
strong in her had welled up and filled
her heart to overlooking, and she
must be heard. Her words had their
effect, too, for Deacon Chandler saw,
as he had never seen before this, his
mistake, and the hypocrisy of the
fervent prayer he had so often
breathed out to his Heavenly Father,
when he was an unmerciful, nay,
even cruel parent. How he had
prayed for an opportunity of doing
good, and when it came, let it pass,
nay, threw it away wilfully. He
was man of few words, and those
he spoke now carried healing balm
to the heart Of the woman who had
so loved her wayward boy.
81 have been wrong, wife; can
you forgive me?"
"Oh! freely, freely" she an
swered him.
He read in her wistful eyes the
unspoken wish, and answered it.
81 will find our boy and bring him
home," b. said.
"And no matter how sinful he is
or how he has fallen, you will bring
him home to his mother?"
81 will )" and she was satisfied.
To those who wish to learn, all
things are plain, and Deacon Chan
dler traced his son, by constant effort
to a small Western city. OF the
fact that he was there he became
convinced, but could learn nothing
more. A week found him standing
in railway station of the city of G,
inquiring of the bystanders If they
knew Thomas Chandler.
"KnOw Thomas Chandler? Wall
| reckon / do" drawled one loafer,
who was warming himself in the
sun.
"Can you tell me where can find
him ?" asked the Deacon.
WALTZ kinder reckon about
this time er day he's ter be found
over to the Senter House."
Having learned where the Senter
House was, Deacon Chandler walked
slowly up the main street of the
well-kept Western city. How
should he find Tom? He inferred,
from the manner Of the man with
whom he had just talked, that his
son was still the wild young man he
had turned from his home so many
weary years ago. But it did not
matter. He had promised the
mother-and then was not here his
opportunity? He would see that he
grasped it now, and would save his
son at any cost.
His meditations were cut short by
the gilded sign directly in front OF
his eyes, and he saw in large letters,
"Senter House." He entered, and
made his way up to the clerk. He
was almost ashamed to ask this gen.
tlemanly fellow about his erring son
But he did.
81 am stranger here, SIR" he
began; can you tell me where
can find Thomas Chandler 2"
"Yes, sir, answered the brisk
clerk.
Then he turned to boy who stood
near, and said, "GO and find Mr.
Chandler"
The boy sped away on his errand
and Deacon Chandler waited. Their