"
"And so you will give an erring brother no chance for his life?"
"O yes. Every chance. But it would not be kindness to wink at his
errors and leave him free to continue in the practice of them, to
his own and others' injury. Having forfeited his right to the
confidence of this community by trespassing upon it, let him pay the
penalty of that trespass. It will be to him, doubtless, a salutary
lesson. A few years of confinement in a prison will give him time
for reflection and repentance; whereas, impunity in an evil course
could only have strengthened his evil purposes. When he has paid the
just penalty of his crime, let him go into another part of the
country, and among strangers live a virtuous life, the sure reward
of which is peace."
Mr. May shook his head negatively, at these remarks.
"No one errs on the side of kindness," he said, "while too many, by
an opposite course, drive to ruin those whom leniency might have
saved."
A short time after the occurrence of this little interview, Mr. May,
on returning home one evening, found his wife in much apparent
trouble.
"Has anything gone wrong, Ella?" he asked.
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