The Iron Rule

ght way. His children were forced into the straight jacket of external consistency from their earliest infanc

he early days of innocence, it was in a home where the ringing laugh, the merry shout, and the wild exuberance of feeling ever bursting from the heart of childhood were rarely checked; or, if repressed, with a hand that wounded not in its firm contraction. She had grown up to womanhood amid all that was gentle, kind and loving. Transplanted, then, like a tender flower from a sunny border, to the cold and formal home of her hu

ce. Toward wrong-doing and wrong-doers, he had no forbearance whatever; and to him that strayed from the right path, whether child or man, he meted out, if in his power, the full measure of consequences. Unfortunately for those who came within the circle of his authority, his ideas of right and wrong w

his bosom-a bosom too cold to warm into vigorous life new shoots of affection. And yet he loved his wife; loved her wisely, as he thought, not wea

ibilities were ever in his thoughts. Pleasure was but another name

brief outline. As our story advances, it will appear in minuter shades, and more varie

rplexed voice, while he walked the floor of the room with a quickness of tread u

s. Howland ventured to remark, "as

ward wrong, Esther. You have forborne

answered, as the mother's

hat Andrew was frequently in company with the child of this neighbor, and felt impelled to lay a prohibition on their intercourse. But Andrew, a light-hearted, high-spirited boy, who inherited from his father a strong will, was by no means inclined to yield a ready obedience in this particular. He loved his little companion, and never was happier than when in her society. Naturally, therefore, he sought it o

we will admit, did Mr. Howland utter the word that was to separate the little friends, and the word was half-repented of as soon as spoken. But once uttered, it was a law to which he required the most implicit obedience. He thought not of the wrong the separation might do his child; he thought only of enforcing obedience-of breaking a stubborn will. Obedience in children was, in his eyes, everything-and he visited, with the s

sregarded. Stealthily, to avoid punishment, he went to her but watchful eyes were upon him, and he was soon brought back.

om his store, and not seeing the bright little fellow in the room with

as here just now,"

said the nurse, who had come recently into the family, and was not aware

angrily. Then he added in an excited vo

ed with the child. In his face was a lo

en, sir?" sternly

d made n

hear m

en in the little fellow as the angry voice of his father

!" exclaimed Mr. Howland, now cat

s tender and appealing. The tone reached the boy's heart, and he lifted his large

you been?" repe

ily," retu

orbidden you

yes sunk agai

I forbidden yo

e was no

ou he

your father?" came in distressed and t

harply his wife for this interference, w

s,

ave you dis

ell again, and h

spoke, he almost lifted the child from the floor with his strong arm as he led him f

n children he recognized in all its length and breadth. He saw no hope for them in the future unless obedience were constrained at every cost. Happy both for them and himself would it have been if he had been wiser in his modes of securing obe

y the severer remedy. Andrew had expected nothing farther than to be shut up, alone, in the room, and to go, perhaps, supperless to bed, and he was nerv

voice of fear, while his upturned

owland, coldly and sternly, "and I must whip you

om the lips of the terrified child. But even while

nd, pausing with the rod uplifted, "

came a blow upon his tender

ou go in the

troke was given. The father was resolved to conquer, and he did conquer. A

as he released the writhing sufferer from his firm grasp. "If you

amber leaving the wronged

room where his wife was sitting. "I never saw so perverse and self-willed a child in my l

ry great one," Mrs. How

tle fault?" asked Mr. Howland,

owland. "I meant his going in to see Emily Win

him not to go in

es

If he goes, he disobeys me; and if

, An

. Entirely useless. In your weakness you would ind

he chamber from which had come down to her the screams of her boy, as he shrunk under the cruel strokes inflicted by the hand of his father. Entering, she saw Andrew sitting on the floor, with his arms resting on a low chair, and his face buried in the

so soon as her child had grown calm, bending close to his ch

er. She is better than I am," quickly returned the child, raising

forbidden you to go t

ly come to see me

ts you to play wi

Emily is a good girl, and I like her so muc

perplexed mother. "I know tha

me play with her?" was An

and you must be an obedient, good little

ew in a tone and with an emph

much. Isn't he your father?" repli

so hard if he had loved me! I

ild at the remembrance of his father's s

n a chiding voice. "Andrew was disobedient; that was the re

. "I'm sure it ain't bad to play with E

er forbids your doing s

said the little fellow, speaking half to

to give. The more she talked with him, the more plainly did she see that rebellion was in his young heart, and that he would act it out in the face of all consequences. Deeply

d girl, and her influence over him was for good. But the stern prejudice of Mr. Howland had come in to break up the friendship fo

hey became active, seeking to implant in his mind a willingness to deny himself, in order to obey his father. But the fathe

h and command, my child,

eeply interested. At length, Mrs. Howland turned to leave the room. Andrew follo

ve you,

mother stooped to kiss him. A lit

oon after, "that we have done wrong in prohibiting all

asked, and in no very

very much attach

is no

nything bad about Emily. But there is

re of that," s

ything out of t

ef objection. I want no intercourse between the families, and do not mean to ha

e a great deal of troub

will has to be broken, and the present occasion is as good as any other for effecting so all-important an object. The

o any reasons she might bring, nor to any position she might assume. So, with a pressure on her h

" asked the mother, as the

firmly; "I wish him to unde

en punished sufficiently?"

ession," coldly returned her husband. "He's a stubborn, self

d persuasion

ther, that I will not consent to an interference on your part with what I believe to be my duty. Thousands of

band to the tea-room. But she ate nothing. Dreamily rested her eyes on vacancy, as she sat at the table. Her mind took no note of images pictured on the retina, for her t

pper?" she asked, as she aro

d and water," was cold

hed, bearing in her hands a small tray, on which was a cup of milk and water, some toast, and a piece of cake. The twilight had alrea

alled, in a low

re was

dre

l remain

sitting upon the floor, with his head reclining upon a low ottoman. He was asleep. Placing the tray she had b

oh, don't st

gushed over her cheeks, and her bosom heaved with

d she felt that consciousness would restore. Undressing him, at length, she laid him in his bed, and bending over his precious form in the deeper darkness that had now fallen, lifted her heart, and prayed that God would keep him