Year: 1865

Il would not condemn them so sweeping
ly, Robert, my boy"


Robert looked up III surprise, and the old
father gave a meaning glance at his old
wife, sitting opposite him, and chuckled au-
dibly


What do you mean to say, father, that
you are in favor Of runaway marriages ?"
asked Robert, brcathless from the shock he
| had received He had been declaimng
with that intense satisfaction one feels in
the consciousness Of being able to talk well,
and the certainty of carrying his audience
! The mild check Of his fathers words was
like peal Of thunder in his ears.


"Why, no, my son, the old gentleman
answered. "I object to sweeping asser-
tions of all kinds. AS rule, perhaps, the
fact Of clandestine arrangement of this
kind argues the existence Of something
wrong but there may exist circumstances
perfectly and fully justifying a runaway
marriage-eh, mother 2"


Robert looked from one to the other
On the wan, faded cheek of his mother a
faint flush was glowing, and a soft light
was in her dimmed eye. The big, portly
figure of his father was shaking with sup
pressed laughter, and his eyes twinkled
with mirth Robert had just graduated at
college, and was now about to enter
the Theological Seminary. He was a good
scholar, and an earnest, practical young
man. He had a exalted opinion of his vo-
cation and of himself He was accustom-
ed to being listened to with much defe-
renee, and he by no means relished being
laughed at. He got up and stalked out of
the room with a most impressive tread and
head considerably elevated. He was about
equally puzzled and angry. The joyous
ha ha of his dear old fathers voice fol-
lowed him as he strode away and made
him somehow angrier But angry at his
parents Surely that was wrong He must
go back he must humble himself to ask
their forgiveness he must not indulge in
such SINFUL feelings minute longer So,
without going into the garden, as he intend
ed. he turned about and entered the room
again.


His father and mother had never been
ashamed to seem to love each other in the
presence of their childred. And now he
found his mother, where he had often seen
her before, sitting by his fathers side, and
listening with well pleased smile to some
very lover-like talk. And she neither look
ed nor felt ashamed though she had been
! wife almost fifty years, and it was already
planned to celebrate the golden wedding
the following spring.


"Never mind, Bob, " the father said,
when his son, in few hesitating but manly
words had signifcd the penitence for the
anger he had displayed alt is not strange
| for Young people to believe their theories
better than old peoples experience. Your
mother and | can readily forgive you for
differing from us in opinion, especially as
ours has the most substantial foundation.
and has already withstood the tempests of
well-nigh fifty years. Look my boy Here
are we hale and happy old pair, and liv-
ing exemplifcation of my doctrine that peo-
pie who run away to get married are not
always either wicked or miserable. Z"
| Robert looked from the fathers smiling
| face to the serious and tender one of the
mother. Far down the valley of life they
had passed, serene and loving undismayed
by the storms of life, untouched by its
temptations, beloved, honored, respected.
Their life had been rich alike in household
Joys and in worldly honor. Squire Thorn
was the arbiter of all the country round,
and his opinion was respected almost more
than the law Mrs. Thorn was =" mother
in Israel :" a gentle minister i'll all things
! that concerned the material as well as the
| spiritual welfare Of her vast circle of ac-
quaintance. Wisdom and purity and kind
ness had been the law of those gentle beau
| tiful lives now drawing to close. 1t was