Year: 1860

w,
and God knows I've tried to do my duty.
You have denied me every pleasure, and
| have always submitted, bul now shall
submit no more. IshaU 60


These last words were Missed through
his tightly closed teeth, and dis eyes seem
ed almost starting from their sockets.


You shall Well, I'll sec, sir and
SEEING cowhide, he caught the retreat
ing boy, and blow after blow fell from
the hand of the angry parent.


oh, Abel pleaded the mother, 'you
are too severe. too harsh with Edward


Woman, l knoS my own business :;
and now, young man! you go to bed =
aud administering kick with his heavy
co"hide boot, which sent the boy reeiing
to the other side of the room, the pas
sionate man strobe out at the door.


Did Abel Leach tsel that he had done
righ:, and did his heart and conscience
tell him it ~as for the good of his boy,
his first born, that this pleasure had been
denied, and the punishment administered
in its stead No, for n still small voice
WAS At that moment whispering Fathers
provoke not your children 20 anger, lest
they be discouraged There had been a
time wien the still small voice was heed
ed, time when Abel Leach had prayed,
but all how far had he wandered


Blu, the boy: Retiring to his room,
his heart filled with passion, lie cursed
the hour that gave him blrth, cursed the
cruelty Of the parent who had made him
,he wretched being ho WAS, AMI almost
cursed his Cod


lie shall never give me another whip
ping for This night will leave home
Time and again has lie 'eunieG me with
beng bur,hen to him. AM will be so
no more, and rage, anger and mortifica
! ton swept through the SOU Of the lad.


As he sat upon the little cot, his head
bowed upon his hands, and these
thoughts like Nesuvipus burning in hi.
! heart, an arm stole around him, and a
tear fell upon his face, ard be knew it
was lis mother come AS she had often
before done, to comfort HIM, and as lie
threw himself upon her loving bosom, he
thought for the first time, how his &c
parture would grieve her. Crushing the
passionate flood Of tenderness least his
mother should suspect his intention, he
Strove to appear calm.


'Gn down, son, and kiss your little sis.
ter good night and then would 20 TO
bed and Try 10 sleep would not go to
the exhibition now


/ Folding his dear little sis,er in his arms.
he kissed her again and again, aud little
Mary whispered in his ear, Never mind,
brother Eldie, YOU will lie big man
some day and Pa can't whip YOU any
more


Bidding his mother al atfrclionate
! good night he went TO his room, aud,
gathering hi, clothes together, tied them
IN small bundle, and taking his copy
| book, aud tearing some leaves therefrOm,
he wrote n long, atiectiouate letter to his
mother. This flushed, he blew out his
/ light, and sitting himself in the quiet
moonlight, he began TO review his past
/ life, and try TO think Of some definite
/ plan for the future. Hour after hour roll.
ed by, and everylme the clock struck,
/ his heart beat faster. AT last it rang out
ONE with sudden clang, and, with pal
/ piialing heart, he stole noiselessly down
out at the back door. One longin: look
at the little brown gab'e rooted house, the
only home he had ever Enown, and he
was gone


There vas weight on the mother
heart. She felt that her husband had
been unjust, and strange fore bodias OF
evil hIIlng her heart, she stole to Elward's
room to see il he WAS sleeping. The emp
/ ~ bed and the letter were the first things
she saw, and setting The candle upon the
table, she read lis contents with \ throb
b'rg heart. Long and sadly she unused
upon its contents, for what mother doe,
not mourn when her first born leaves the
paiernal roof 10 battle with life alone =
but murmuring 1t is WELL she knelt and
prayed God to guide and protect her
wanderer.


4


The chickens crowed drowsily in the
I barn yArl the ann WAS Tisinu ia =, h.,y