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45
mjjrirr-. AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 'SL,'JS?
"Vol. "VIII. n IVew Bloomfteld, I?n,., Tuesday, -A-iig-ust 2f, 1874. IVo. 34.
gloomfiflir inus.
IB P0BLI8UKD KVKKT TUESDAY MORNING, BT
FRANE MORTIMER & CO.,
At New Bloomfleld, Terry Co., Ta.
Being provided with Steam Tower, nnrt Inrge
Cylinder and Job-Prcsses, we ate prepared
to do all kinds of Jnu-Vrlntlng In
good style and at Low trices.
ADVEKTISIXG 11ATK8 1
Trantient 8 Cents perllno for one insertion
13 " " twolnsertlons
.15 " " "three insertion
Business Notices In Local Column 10 Cents
f er line.
MFor longeryearly adv'ts terms will be given
upon application.
THE EEER-A FABLE.
BT B. B. LATTA.
A deer was standing by a brook,
When be beheld bis image fair j
As nicely as in pictured book
It showed beneath the waters there ;
And as beside the stream he stayed,
His regal form therein to see,
Such grace and beauty were displayed
That be began quite vain to be.
With arching neck and placid eye,
With neat and gently swaying bead,
Adorned with antlers, grand and blgh,
'Twos thus the stately creature said :
" Beyond a doubt, it seems to me,
Reflected thus in Nature's glass,
That I, in grace and majesty,
All other animals surpass
My horns, bow lordly do they rise I
My form is every way complete."
But suddenly, with shamed surprise,
Exclaimed, "How ngly are my feet !"
Just then a lion he espied,
" And " ugly feet," so much despised,
Bore blm away, with rapid stride,
But soon, the " horns,'.' so highly prized.
In overhanging thicket caught
And held the frightened beast at bay
And by the hungry lion sought,
He thus became an easy prey.
Now boys and girls, by this you see
That whatsoever Is our own,
Not by its looks should valued be, '
But by its real worth alone. -.
Mr. Somer's Lesson.
TAlDyoubearme, sir?"
jj I am notdeaf," muttered the boy
in an undertone, not meant lor the ear of
his father, but it reached it, nevertheless.
Red anger burned instantly on the face
of Mr. Homers ; bis eyes flashed with a
cruel purpose ; bis arm moved with an im
pulse to strike.
"Take care, sir I" Mr. Some rs advanced
toward the lad in a threatening; way, but
restrained the hand half raised for a blow.
"Off with you, this instant !" he said, in
a passionate way, " and don't let the grass
grow under your feet. If you're not back
in thirty minutes by the watch, I'll flog
you within an inoh of your life."
And Mr. Somers drew out bis watch to
note the time ; then turned from the boy,
actually trembling with excitement.
Richard that was the lad's name man
ifested neither fear nor alacrity ; but,
instead, a kind of dogged impassiveness.
Be made no response whatever. The
stormy utterance of bis father did not
seem to affect him any more than if it had
been the murmur of wind in the trees over
head. Rising from the ground where he
had been sitting, with a piece of wood in
his band, which be was modeling into the
form of a boat, be moved away with a
loitering step. Not a sign beyond this was
there that be heard, understood, or intend
ed to obey bis father.
"Thirty minutes !" muttered Richard,
as be walked along as leisurely as if he bad
the day before him " He knows I can't go
in thirty minutes, without running every
step of the way there and back ; and I'm
not going to do it for him or anybody else,
and he may flog me if be will. I won't
stand it long."
0,ulck footsteps would have taken Rich
ard to the end of bis journey to a neigh
bor's house and back, in less than twanty.
, five minutes ; - but anger awakened his
anger, and harshly applied force, a feeling
of resistance.
"I'm cot a dog to be kicked I" so he
talked with himself, "or a mule to be
driven. That's not the way to treat boy,
flog me within an inoh of my life I I wish
be would kill me one of these days. Then
he'd be"
Richard oould not utter the words that
commenced forming in his tongue, l good
impulse restrained him. He felt a little
shocked at the wickedness or his tnougut,
After this he walked on more briskly, as
if to atone by obedience, for the evil de
sire cherished for a moment in bis heart.
But his foet soon lingered again. There
was no feeling mind in the boy. Propul
sion, not attraction, moved him onward,
and his was a nature to resist. On his way
many things presented themselves, and he
stopped bore and there sometimes in for
gotfulness of bis errand, and sometimes in
willful disregard of his father's command,
wasting the time and rendering punish
ment the next thing certain.
Fully thirty minutes had expired when
the boy bad reached his destination.
" Won't you step down to the postofflce
and mail this letter? that's a good boy !"
said the gentleman, to whom be had been
sent with a message. The request was
made in such a kind voice, and with such a
pleasant Bmilo that Richard felt that be
could go through Are and water, as the
saying is, to oblige him.
" Cortainly, sir," he replied in the most
complacent manner, reaching out his hand
for the letter. "I'll do it with the greot-
est pleasure.
" As well to be killed for a sheep as a
lamb," said the boy, as he took his way to
the postofflce. "The half hour's up, and
the flogging earned. lie can only take the
other inch of his life at the worst, and then
there'll be an end of it."
And he tried to whistle up a state of in
difference, but the notes he sent ont on the
listening air were not light and thought
free, as the robin's warble, not sweet and
tender as the little yellow birds sing. The
boy's mind was not at ease.
After depositing the letter, Richard
sauntered away in a listless manner. Go
ing home was not iu his mind. There was
an angry father there ; and punishment
awaited bis return, lie did not feel in the
least inclined to meet the flogging within
an inch of bis life at an earlier moment
than was absolutely necessary. A sight of
the river which ran a short distance from
the town, gave direction to his wavering
thought ; and off he started for the stream,
on whose bosom he loved to glide, bending
to the light springing oar.
"You don't expect to see him in half an
hour, of course," said the gentleman, who
bod been a witness to the contest between
the boy and bis father, and who had not
failed to notice the excited and baffled
state of Mr. Somer's mind.
Age, character, and relation gave him
warrant for this free speech. It was not
received as an intrusion, but in some def
erence of manner.
"He knows the penalty." Mr. Somers
knit bis brows severely. Cruel purposes
drew his lips firmly together.
" Which you mean to inflict?"
" As surely as there is strength in this
right arm I" . And be stretched out the
vigorous member.
" Even to within an inch of the boys
life!"
A pair of calm eyes looked into the face of
the angry father ; a ' mild, rebuking voice
was in his ear.
"I will bend or break him, sir. That is
my duty. What hope is there for a willful
and disobedient child."
"Small hope, I fear," said the other.
" Then, is not my duty plain ?"
' " There is no question as to your duty in
the abstract, being plain the duty of se
curing submission fiom your child but it
is barely possible that you are not using the
right means .Mrs.llowitthas expressed beau
tifully, in a single line, a truth that may
help you to see some better way to reach
the case. Do you remember it ?"
Mr. Somers shook bis bead.
' For love bath readier will than fear.'
" Love !" There was spirit of rejec
tion in the voice of Mr. Somers.
" We need not be unkind, austere,
For love hath readier will than fear."
The neighbor repeated the couplet in a
low emphatio voioe, his tones lingering on
the words that needed expression, so as to
bring out the full meauing they had power
to convey. The eyes of Mr. Somers fell
away from his face. Ills stern counte
nance relaxed something of its sternness.
. "A homelier, but more strongly express
ed form of the same sentiment is given in
the old proverb, made when language went
to its meaning by the shortest way : ' Hoo
ey catches more flies than vinegar." Now,
friend Somers, having tried the vinegar for
a good while, and with most discouraging
results, let roe suggest you resort to boney.
In other words, change your whole mode
of discipline. Speak kindly, and in a low,
Arm voice to Richard, instead of the bluff,
imperative, querulous, angry manner in
which you almost always address him.
Let bim feel that you really love him ;
that there is a soft, warm, attachable sido
to your character ; my word for it he will
move to your bidding with winged feet. I
have studied the boy, and see iu bim good
and noble qualities. But he lias inherited
from his father a certain impatience of con
trol, and will ever be on the alert to resist
unduly applied force. You may lead him,
by love, anywhere ; but under the rule of
fear, you.will drive him cortainly beyond
your influence. Forgive my plain speech.
I have wished to say this, before, but, un
til now, saw no good opportunity."
The whole aspect of Mr. Somers under
went a change. Conviction struck to his
heart. He saw that he bad been unjust to
the boy, unloving, and unkind. Back to
bis own early days bis thoughts went with
a bound, and there came vivid remem
brances of states into which he had been
thrown by harsh treatment, states from
which no punishment, however severe,
could move him. Kindness had always
been to his heart like melting sunshine ;
sternness like an icy wind. And Richard
was like him. How strange that he had
never thought of that before.
A long sigh quivered up from the op
pressed heart of Somers.
" If I could only think so," he said.
" But the obstinate self-will of the boy.is
so firmly inrooted."
" Then you can never tear it up by
force," spoke out bis friend. "The only
way is to weaken its vital currents, to cut
off the flow of life, and let it wither for
lack of sustenance, and die."
" Perhaps you are right," said Mr. Som
en, in a troubled, uneasy way. "But
what am I to do now ? I give him half an
hour in which to do an errand, laid my
commands on him, and enforced them by
threats of punishment. Is my word to go
for nought? Shall a boy defy me ?
A flash of anger gleaned over the father's
face.
: "Gently, patiently, forgivingly deal with
the offender," replied the neighbor, as he
laid his band on the arm of Mr. Somen,
" Let love rule, not anger. Is he all to
blame? No.. Does not the origin of the
wrong lie most with yourself? Has not it
grown out of your unwise discipline ? - Be.
gin correction at the source. , First get in a
right attitude yourself, and then bring him
right. As you provoked disobedience in
the present case, restrain the punishing
arm."
" But I shall forfeit my word."
" You will do that, even if you punish
him."
"How so."
" You will hardly go to within an inch of
the boy's life. You were angry, and went
beyond yourself. Take counsel of reason,
now. Passion and pride are blind impul
ses, and are sure to lead us from the right
path. Think away from your present nn
happy relations to your unhappy boy, and
let love for bim prompt you to seek only
bis good. He is afar off from you now ;
draw him near, even within the circle of a
tenderly embracing arm. That is your du
ty, my friend. Enter into, it, and all will
be well."
The neighbor after saying this retired,
leaving Mr. Somers to the companionship
of bis thoughts.' There was a weight of
concern on the father's heart Anger had
given place to a troubled feeling. He drew
out bis watch as the half hour period ad.
vanoed to a close, looked at the time, and
then from the window anxiously. If Rich
ard had appeared In the distance, what a
sense of relief it would have produced. But
there was no sign of the returning boy.
"Willfully disobedient 1 Defiant!"
The indignant man said this as hot blood
began to burn his face. " Perverse, unhap
py, wrongly governed boy I This was the
father saying in reply,- and struggling to
hold anger In check.
The half hour expired. Richard was
still away. Another half hour elapsed
and yet be was absent.
" He shall be punished for this," said
Mr. Somen as indignation gained the
mastery.. Then a remembrance of the
words spoken by his neighbor, pressed back
the tide of indignation, and be let pity
move over the troubled surface of bis feel
ings and calm them like oil.
A whole hour beyond the limit of time
bad passed. ' Mr. Somen was growing un
easy. It flashed aoross bis mind that Rich
ard, In a fit of anger, rebellion and discour
agement, might have been tempted to run
off. He remembered very distinctly bow
once in bis boyish troubles at home, be bad
meditated the same thing, and actually
commenced preparations to abandon father
and mother, and try his fortuues in the
world.
At the end of the second hour, Mr. Som
en was in a very anxious state ; and he was
about making preparations to go in search
of Richard, when, on glancing from the
window, he saw him pass in a hurried,
stealthy way. He stood listening to bear
him enter. The door opened silently.
Tip-toe steps sounded faintly along the
passage. Somers followed them with his
ears, but lost them on the stairs.
"What shall I do?" That was the dif
ficult question for Mr. Somers. He
stood for several minutes, trying to get
his thoughts clear and his feelings calm.
Thus far harsh methods bad proved wholly
fruitless. Threats and punishment wrought
no salutary reform ; the boy grew worse in
stead of better. Why this was so, clearor
perception now told him.
Poor boy I" be said, with a sigh ; and
this very utterance of a sentiment of pity
helped him to a more pitying state of mind.
An image of fear and suffering, instead of
hard defiance and reckless disobebience,
took distinct form in bis thoughts.
" Now is the time to reach him with gen
tleness and love." As Mr. Somers thus
spoke with himself, ho opened the door and
went out Into the passage.
Did you see Richard I" he asked, speak
ing to a domestic who happened to be there
at that moment.
" No, sir ;" she replied.
" I thought he came in just now."
" I did not notice him, sir." '
Mr. Somen went to the foot of the stair-
way and called : " Richard !" Not harsh
ly, but kindly.
Noauswer came.
" Richard 1". His voice went up louder
through the stairways and passages. But
no sound, save echo, was returned.
I am sura he came in." ' "
It might have been some one else,"
suggested the domestic ' " I haven't seen
anything of him for two or three hours."
Mr. Somen went up stairs to the lad's
room. The door was shut, lie opened it
and went in. Richard was 'lying on the
bed. He did not stir, but lay crouching
and motionless, like one exhausted by pain.
His face was of ashen hue. Mr. Somen no
ticed an expresBiod of fear to sweep over it
as the boy's large strangely bright eyes
turned upon him. As he advanced across
the room, the fear and shrinking changed
to something like the anguish of terror.
" O father I" he said imploringly, " don't
don't do it now !" and he lifted one arm
as if to protect himself.
Mr. Somers understood bim, The ap
peal and movement touched his feelings
deeply.
" What ails you my son ?" The father's
voice was low, pitying and full of tender
cess.
Instantly the lines of fear died out of the
boy's face. His lips quivered tears came
brimming to bis eye.
" My arm's broke I" he sobbed, and then
the tears came raining over his cheeks.
" Oh Richard " ejaculated Mr. Somen,
as he placed his hand softly on the boy's
forehead. " How did this happen ?"
"I couldn't get back in half an hour,
father, without running all the way ; and I
felt ugly here" laying bis band on bis
breast "and didn't try to go quickly.
went over the river because I was afraid to
come home ; and fell from a pile of boards."
"Have you seen a doctor?" Mr. Somen
inquired anxiously.
" Yes, sir. They took me to the doctor's
and he set my arm."
Mr. Somen bent over his child, with his
hand tenderly on bis forehead for some mo
ments in silence : then as his full heart
overran in a current of emotion, he stooped
and kissed bim, murmuring, " My poor
boy."
Richard did not understand all bis fath
er meant by the exclamation, but he felt
that pity, forgiveness, and love were in his
heart ; and these were more to bim than
bis sufferings, for in their warmth and con
solation he forgot his pain.
"O father I" he said, light falling on
his pale countenance " love me and I will
be good.
Oh, the power of love ! Anger, rebuke,
remonstrance, punishment these' are but
elements of weakness in comparison. How
like a sharp thrust from sword of convic
tion was this cry of love sent np to Mr.
Somers from the heart of his wayward, self-
willed, stubborn, resistant and defiant son !
"Riohard t It was a month from the day
on which the arm had been broken. "Rioh
ard, I want you you to go down to Mr,
Baird's for me right quickly."
The fathor spoke kindly, yet in a firm
voioe. Richard, who was reading, shut
bis book Instantly, and coming to his fath
er's side, with a cheerful "Yes, sir !"
stood looking at bim awaiting his mes
sage.
"Take this noto to Mr. Baird, and bring
me an answor.'
" Yes sir." And Richard took the note,
and, turning from his father, left his office
with light and willing footwteps.
" Love hath readier will than fear."
" Ah, good morning," said Mr. Somers
turning at the sound of a woll-known voice
and smiling a pleasant welcome.
"I see you have found the hotter way,"
remarked the neighbor.
"Yes, thanks, to your timely uttered
admonition," was replied. "The better
and the easier way. A harsh word seems
to make leaden that boys's feet, while a
kind word gives them the wind's light
ness. " If parents would only take this to
heart, said his neighbor, "what a change
would pass over thousands and thousands
of troubled homes in our land t How easy
would the government of children become.
Lovo moves by a sweet transfusion of itself
electrically ; but anger, sternness, and ap
peal to fear, rule only by the law governing
where force is opposed to force. The
stronger subdues the weaker, and then fol
low perpetual reactions, rebellions, and
discord."
An Infidel's Testimony.
Lord Harrington once asked Collins, the
infidel writer, how it was that, though he
seemed to have very little religion himself,
he took so much care that his servants
should attend regularly at church ? He re
plied ; " To prevent their robbing or mur
dering me." To such a character, how
applicable are there words, " Out of thine
own mouth will I judge thee."
Volney, a noted infidel, was once over
taken by a violent storm at sea, when he
began to be in the greatest distress, and
ran about crying, O my God ! O my God !
What shall I do?" After the storm aba
ted, and the infidel who had before been
ridiculing and scoffing at Christianity, was
so humbled and ashamed, that he dust not
show himself for days. -
Tom Paine, in his low and ribald lan
guage, once said, " I have gone up and
down through the Christian garden of
Eden, and with my simple axe I have cut
down one after another of its trees, till I
have scarce left a single sapling standing."
Yet the prond boaster exolained in the
most genuine remorse and terror before be
died, " I would give worlds, if I had them,
that the Age' of Reason had never been,
published."
" Seem to Like It."
In some places where local option pre
vails, they sell ii under the name of laud
anum. From one of those places the fol
lowing story comes :
"A sort of simple fellow from Woodford
was sitting in the drug store the other day,
when a man came in and said he did not
feel well, and would like some prepared
laudanum. The apothecary went into the
back room and prepared a good sised glass,
and the man drank it. Woodford remark
ed that the fellow wouldn't live long after
taking so much laudanum. Presently
another man came in and got a drink of
laudannm. The Woodford chap followed
him to the door and watched him for av
long time as he went down the street, and)
remarked as he came in and sat dowss
"That fellow stands it well ; he must be
used to taking it." By and by ft third,
man came in and took a large dose of '
laudanum and went ont. This rubbed up
the dull intellect of the Woodford man,
and, stepping up to tbo counter, be said :.
" Bee here, boss, I'll take a' dose of that
laudanum ; it don't seem to kill anybody,,,
and folks seem to like it."
tW The Orkney Herald gives an amus
ing account of an inoldont which occurred
in the parish church of Btrsay some years
ago. During the singing of the first
psalm a goose entered the church and qui
etly waddled up the passage toward the
pulpit just as the precentor bad got out of
the tune and almost come to a standstill
not very unusual occurrence at that time.
The minister, observing the goose, leaned
over the side of the pulpit, and addressing
the church officer, said, " R t put out
the goose." The funotlomwy not observ
ing the presence of the foathered parishion
er, and supposing that the minister's direc
tion had reference to the preoentor, march
ed up to that individual, and to the no
small amusement of the meagre congrega
tion, collated him, saying at the same time,
Come out o' that, follow !"