Father forgets. (W. Livingston larned): Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek & the blond curls stickily wet on ur damp 4head. I have stolen into ur room alone. Jst a few minutes ago, as i sat reading my paper in library, a sliftling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily i came 2 ur bedside. There r the things i was thinking, son: I had bin cross 2 u. I scolded u as u were dressin 4 sch bcause u gave ur face merely a dab with a towel. I took u to task 4 not cleanin ur shoes. I called out angrily when u threw same of ur things on the floor. At breakfst i found fault, too. U spilld things. U gulpd down ur food. U put ur elbows on the table. U spread butter too thick on ur bread. & as u startd off 2 play & i made 4 my train, u turned & wavd a hand & calld, "gudby, Daddy!" & i frownd, & said in reply," hold ur shoulders back!" Then it bgan all over again in the late afternoon. As i came up the road i spied u, down on ur knees, playin mables. There were hole in ur stockins. I humiliatd u b4 ur boyfriends by marchin u ahead of me 2 da house. Stockins were xpensive & if u had 2 buy em u would b more careful! Imagin dat, son 4rm a father! Do u rememba, later, wen i was readin in da library, hw u came in timidly, wit a sort of hurt luk in ur eyes? Wen i glancd up over my paper, impatient @ da interuption, u hesitatd @ da door." wat is it u want?" i snapd. U said nothin, bt ran acros in 1 tempestuous plung, & threw ur arms arund my neck & kissd me & ur small arms tightend wit affection dat GOD had set bloomin in ur heart & which evn neglect could nt wither. & den u were gone, patterin up da stairs. Wel, son, it was shortly afterwards dat my paper slipd 4rm my hands & a terible sickin fear came ova me. Wat has habit bin doing 2 me? Da habit of findin fault, of reprimandin dis was my reward 2 u 4 bin a boy. It was nt dat i did not luv u; it was dat i xpectd too much of youth. I was measurin u by da yardstick of my own years. 2 B CONTINUED.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 08:10:28 +0000
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