A Thrilling and Affecting Scene.
By J. F. Byington
A FEW weeks since, while returning to my home, I witnessed one of the most affecting scenes of my life. As I was riding along, a lady, seemingly in deep anguish, hailed me, and requested me to come in, saying that her little boy had been shot by the accidental discharge of a gun. I immediately hitched my horse, and seeing a lad about fourteen years of age, whose clothing was much besmeared with blood, I supposed him to be the unfortunate boy, but soon learned my mistake. It was a younger brother, a little fellow nine years of age. He had been immediately killed by a charge of shot passing into the brain just above the ear. Although the accident had but that moment occurred, life was extinct, and there the little fellow lay, a corpse. This sad accident happened in this way: The boys were going to the field to labor, and took with them a gun loaded with shot, for the purpose of killing whatever game they might chance to see. The boy in whose hands the gun was when it was discharged, was the one before mentioned, about fourteen years of age. He says he thinks in loading the gun he must have forgotten to put the hammer of the lock down, which caused the gun to discharge. They were about thirty rods from the house, and he brought back the body of his little brother, whose life had been so suddenly taken away. It was indeed sad to see the anguish of this mother and her children. They were there alone, no neighbor as yet having been notified so as to come to their assistance. Again and again this mother repeated the name of her “dear little Willie.” And then she would beg of me not to leave them in their distress. I assured her I would not till others came, and tried to speak to her such words of comfort as I could. The lad in whose hands the gun was when it was discharged with so terrible a result, would again and again put his lips to the ear of his lifeless brother, and call, “Willie! Willie!” almost frantic, seemingly hoping that it might be a dream, and that his brother would hear him. There was a little sister some six or seven years of age, whose heart, it seemed, would break. She sat close beside her little brother as he lay there lifeless on the porch floor, with all the clothing on that he had as he left them ten minutes before, to go to the field to work. Such bursts of grief as came from this young and tender child, I have seldom ever seen in my life. The father was away to town, some three or four miles distant, and as soon as others came, and it was proper for me to leave, I informed the neighbors for a mile or two each way, and got a neighbor to go for the father, and then returned to the scene of affliction and sadness. A dozen or more neighbors had by this time gathered, and the family seemed more composed. After waiting a few moments, and seeing that there was no lack of assistance, I got into my carriage and left this scene of sorrow. I had left two little fellows at home, who were fond of recreation and sport, and I thought that nothing should be left undone by me to lead their young minds into the paths of virtue and truth, that they might receive the watchcare of our Heavenly Father and his holy angels. I thought of the thousands of children who are exposed to accidents and evil influences, many of them orphans who have not a parent's care, and no one to care for them, or administer to their wants, or even teach them what is right or wrong. I thought, too, that here is a field of usefulness where great good may be done by those who enjoy greater privileges and blessings. Dear youth, let the great aim of your lives be to do good. Life is not what it appears to be; for the brightest hopes fail, and the liveliest anticipations often are not realized. But no one can possess a kind and cheerful disposition, with a constant effort to make others happy and good, both by example and precept, without being like a beacon light in the world, and leading at least some from a place of danger and sorrow, to one of safety and happiness.