God is
dealing very gently with me, beloved mother. Let the thought console
you that you have a son in heaven. But my father, my dear, unhappy
father, may God comfort him! It grows very dark; I cannot see your
sweet face, mother, but all around is joy and peace."
'A shade passed over the noble young face, a tremor shook the slight
frame of the dying boy, and the enfranchized spirit, throwing off the
last coil of clay, followed the unseen messenger to the land of the
hereafter.
'A shriek, a loud, piercing shriek, rang through the silent house. Dr.
Leatrim started from his knees and rushed up-stairs. The next moment he
was standing beside the bed of his son, upon which his wife was sitting
with the head of the dead boy in her lap.
'The Doctor staggered like a drunken man, and held to the bed-post for
support. He comprehended the awful truth at a glance, but the
conviction was too terrible to receive at once. It was an illusion of
the senses, a ghastly vision; it was too dreadful to be a hard,
everyday fact. He had poured out his soul to God; had deplored to the
great Judge that his sentence had been too severe, that kindness would
have done more to soften the proud heart of the boy than the violent
course he had adopted. He had just made up his mind to go to George,
and once more address him with love and confidence, when that horrid
cry, wrung from a mother's breaking heart, closed the doors of mercy
for ever, and left him desolate and childless.
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