West Virginia Argus

An Unnatural Son.

A case was tried a few days ago in Hamilton, Canada, which, for the credit of human nature, has comparatively few parallels in our criminal records. It was King Lear on a humble scale. A wretched son, claiming to be one of the yeomanry of Canada, was prosecuted for aliment by his aged and unhappy father, whom, with his equally infirm but not quite so aged mother, this unnatural lad was accused of feeding literally on bread and water, with but a scant allowance even of these prime necessities. The old couple had surrendered their all to this son, no doubt with the idea that he would be happy to minister to their necessities during the short time they could survive, and that under his care they would want for nothing which his means could supply. They made a grievous mistake. The poor old man of four-score found in his lowliness what Lear found in his grandeur—that it is a foolish thing for any one to put off his shoes before he is ready to go to bed, and that the father who hands over all his property to his son in unreasoning confidence that all will be right, often finds ample time to discover his mistake and to rue his folly.