The Washington herald., 1909-04-18
Ralph! My son, my boy, Ralph"

Judge him by the beautiful thoughts he
had. the kind deeds he did. the struggles
he made the fights he won7 No; not
you, You judge him BY his failures He
had temptations within himself OF which
YOU never dreamed. and yet YOU think
you are better man. because you es-
capped all temptations, than Ralph was
because he couldn't overcome every one
OF his"
Asa Cutler folded his arms upon his
breast and turned his back. bur her words
burned into his brain. Having broken
through hts armor Of lifelong seIf-satis-
faction. Il was no difficult matter 10 touch
The quick beneath II. and he was listen
ing TO words which revealed himself in
a new light Defenseless as he was. this
woman was shattering the foundations OF
his self-esteem; he began 10 see himself
as she saw him. stripped of the regard
OF his neighbors. without his cloak Of
Righteousness, bare Of souI-and ashamed
Deprived OF the strength Of his pharisa-
cal pride. he was becoming within the
few minutes an old man. heavy burdened
with sin. The vision she had summoned
remained with him; he saw the man Asa
Cutler stripped OF material things. wait
ing to be Judged for himself alone-to
answer for his son He bowed his head
and she. understanding in part what was
passing through his mind. spoke again.
Yes. you judge him now. but you con-
demned him first What 60 YOU know Of
him. OF this man whom YOU viii not own >
You turned your back upon him in his
need, and you condemn him because he
failed, I have gone out into the streets
10 hunt for him. and when I've found
him 7 have brought him home, helpless:
don't condemn him, because I know
what his remorse was. I know how hard
he tried. You stay al a distance. say he
is dead. and do not know how tired OF
sin he was. how he lOnged and prayed
20 be better. I know because I was with
him. and saw the fight he made. You
don't know what IT is TO be shaken in the
grip of that longing for drink that used
TO torment Ralph. and YOU think your
self the better man because you never
felt H. I know what II was; I have seen
him battle with H. and-and I have seen
him lose But don't remember il
against him that he lost; remember the
good fight he made. You think he was
bad-oh. 1 know how good he was know
how good he wasi
Her voice rose piercingly IN the last
words and she threw herself across the
couch, her head upon the dead mans
feet sobbing. Asa Cutler stood quiet and
tense for a few minutes. her weeping
sounding in his ears as rebukingly as her
words; then he walked the length OF the
room and back. and stood by the head
OF the couch. looking down upon the
quiet life-scarred features
He was my son, -, he said slowly. as n
the fact were being borne in upon him
The weeping woman raised her head
and looked at the old man IN questioning
amazement Then she arose and left the
room. presently returning with a child in
her arms.
She held him shoulder-high. and it was
evident that she had awakened him from
his nap. His blue eyes were still heavy
with sleep ard his head fell sideways
against his mothers. his shining, rumpled
cufls tumbllng about his face. mingling
with her dark hair. a sturdy hare leg
and foot showed beneath his nightdress.
and one strong little fst was fighting the
sleep from his eyes.
Asa Cutler did not move when he beheld
his grandson. and the woman came half
way toward him. The child wss blinking
al the candles
Look" she cried turning her face up
toward the beautiful baby on her shout
der. then toward the old man. Look
Asa Cutler made an inarticulate excla-
nation, and started as II he would come
toward them. The baby was st once
more attracted by the stranger than BY
the candles, which he had seen before.