Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-11-05
A KINGS SON AND SHAME.
The international Sunday. Schoo! Les.
son for November is, David
Grieves for AbsaIom,' II Samue! 16.
BY William T. Ellis.

The sin Of the young makes the sor-
row Of the old. There Is no land or
time wherein the cry of King David
over his renegade son is not echolns
from some parent heart: 20 my son
Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!
Would I had died for thee, o Absalom,
I my son, my son!" Great poems have
been written upon this tragic incident,
of the king at the gate, waiting for
tidings from the battle upon which the
tate of his kingdom hinged, yet more
concerned for his erring boy than Tor
his throne.
Human ties are strongest All the
millions and power that men possess
cannot atone for the heartbreak OF
having sons who are fools and was
trels. One of the greatest merchants
| Of the new world recently died from a
! broken heart, because his son died as
the fool dieth. There is no interest in
Ill the world so important as the well
,are Of the boys That is why the ma
lion is giving redoubled attention to
whatever ministers to the country's
I sons.
! RaIIyne to the Trouble Flag.
B This perfumed prince and royal rake
Of an ancient day had stolen the hearts
of the men of Israel. and had set up
I he standard of revolt at Hebron From
j thence he had marched upon Jerusalem,
I taking his blindly devoted father by
ssurprise, and compelling him to flee
( Tor his life, through a Garden of Geth-
| sen1ane. Utterly crushed, the king
! would have despaired at this perf1dy OF
! his own beloved son. There was no
further heart in him to stand or to
Tight.
There are some kinds of men whose
Triends prove themselves in time of
Adversely. David was one such. The
frabble went with Absalom, but to
SDavid there remained many loyal
khearts. upon whom the princes good
Blocks and polite practices had created
Sno impression but that of indignation
#and contempt Some of these had been
Sswth David In the hold: little these
through men of the wilderness cared for
H9Absaloms deliberately dressed hair.
EThey were the old guard who knew
chow to fight for their leader. and to
4iie for him, but who did not know how
s 70 be disloyal.
Il When a man flies the trouble flag, he
i Nsl'ns something about himself, as
l.sie as about his friends For If he
II - been living d big, brave, strong,
N%selfish life. adversely will only prove
genuineness and steadfastness Of
friends. David had a host of SUCH
70 were willing to fight with him to
~ last ditch.
sycophants and Friends.
Snly of sycophants who were willing
make merry with him so long as
paid the piper. They followed Alb
EloIll, not for Absalonl's good, but for
seir own profit. They were fair
hather friends. such as the most con-
y Snptible weakling can get in any
Enab sr by a days lavish spending on
Roadway. Thousands OF present day
kAbSsalons think that these are real
FRIENDS. never having learned that
Friendship feeds on other food than
faVors Is needs strength of character,
an{d the ability to get out of ones self,
AMID to live in tho lives of others in
ordler to make friends. Selfish men
ard friendless men.
When Battle is Joined,
"A mans past determines his flu
tufe; as certain eminent politicians
hafe found whose prospects have late
ly been blasted by revelations of their
TRUE past. When this battle between