---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 18:44:11 EDT Subject: Who'll Take The Son? Who'll Take the Son?> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> A wealthy man and his son> >>> > > >> loved to collect rare works> >>> > > >> of art. They had> >>> > > >> everything in their> >>> > > >> collection, from Picasso to> >>> > > >> Raphael. They would> >>> > > >> often sit together and admire> >>> > > >> the great works of art.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> When the Viet Nam conflict> >>> > > >> broke out, the son went to> >>> > > >> war. He was very> >>> > > >> courageous and died in battle> >>> > > >> while rescuing another soldier.> >>> > > >> The father was notified and> >>> > > >> grieved deeply for his> >>> > > >> only son.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> About a month later, just> >>> > > >> before Christmas, there was> >>> > > >> a knock at the door.> >>> > > >> A young man stood at the> >>> > > >> door with a large package> >>> > > >> in his hands.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> He said,"Sir, you don't know> >>> > > >> me, but I am the soldier> >>> > > >> for whom your son> >>> > > >> gave his life. He saved many> >>> > > >> lives that day, and he> >>> > > >> was carrying me to> >>> > > >> safety when a bullet struck> >>> > > >> him in the heart and he> >>> > > >> died instantly.> >>> > > >> He often talked about you,> >>> > > >> and your love for art.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The young man held out his> >>> > > >> package. "I know this isn't> >>> > > >> much. I'm not really a great> >>> > > >> artist, but I think your son> >>> > > >> would have wanted you to> >>> > > >> have this."> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The father opened the package.> >>> > > >> It was a portrait of his son, painted> >>> > > >> by the young man. He stared in> >>> > > >> awe at the way the soldier> >>> > > >> had captured the> >>> > > >> personality of his son in the> >>> > > >> painting. The father was so> >>> > > >> drawn to the> >>> > > >> eyes that his own eyes welled> >>> > > >> up with tears. He thanked> >>> > > >> the young man> >>> > > >> and offered to pay him for the> >>> > > >> picture.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> "Oh, no sir, I could never> >>> > > >> repay what your son did> >>> > > >> for me. It's a gift."> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The father hung the portrait> >>> > > >> over his mantle. Every time> >>> > > >> visitors came> >>> > > >> to his home he took them to> >>> > > >> see the portrait of his son> >>> > > >> before he showed> >>> > > >> them any of the other great> >>> > > >> works he had collected.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The man died a few months> >>> > > >> later. There was to be a> >>> > > >> great auction of his> >>> > > >> paintings. Many influential> >>> > > >> people gathered, excited> >>> > > >> over seeing the> >>> > > >> great paintings and having an> >>> > > >> opportunity to purchase one> >>> > > >> for their collection. On the platform> >>> > > >> sat the painting of the son.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The auctioneer> >>> > > >> pounded his gavel.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> "We will start the bidding> >>> > > >> with this picture of the> >>> > > >> son.> >>> > > >> Who will bid for this> >>> > > >> picture?" There was silence.> >>> > > >> Then a voice in the> >>> > > >> back of the room shouted. "We> >>> > > >> want to see the famous> >>> > > >> paintings. Skip> >>> > > >> this one." But the auctioneer> >>> > > >> persisted. "Will someone> >>> > > >> bid for this> >>> > > >> painting? Who will start the> >>> > > >> bidding? $100, $200?"> >>> > > >> Another voice shouted> >>> > > >> angrily. "We didn't come to> >>> > > >> see this painting.. We came> >>> > > >> to see the Van Goghs, the> >>> > > >> Rembrandts. Get on with the real> >>> > > >> bids!" But still the> >>> > > >> auctioneer continued. "The son!> >>> > > >> The son! Who'll> >>> > > >> take the son?" Finally, a> >>> > > >> voice came from the very> >>> > > >> back of the room.> >>> > > >> It was the longtime gardener of> >>> > > >> the man and his son.> >>> > > >> "I'll give $10 for the> >>> > > >> painting."> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> Being a poor man, it was all> >>> > > >> he could afford. "We have> >>> > > >> $10, who will bid> >>> > > >> $20?" "Give it to him for $10.> >>> > > >> Let's see the masters."> >>> > > >> "$10 is the bid,> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> won't someone bid $20?" The> >>> > > >> crowd was becoming angry.> >>> > > >> They didn't want> >>> > > >> the picture of the son. They> >>> > > >> wanted the more worthy> >>> > > >> investments for> >>> > > >> their collections. The> >>> > > >> auctioneer pounded the gavel.> >>> > > >> "Going once,> >>> > > >> twice,> >>> > > >> SOLD for $10!" A man sitting> >>> > > >> on the second row shouted.> >>> > > >> "Now let's get on with the> collection!"> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> The auctioneer laid down his> >>> > > >> gavel. "I'm sorry, the> >>> > > >> auction is over."> >>> > > >> "What about the paintings?" "I> >>> > > >> am sorry. When I was> >>> > > >> called to conduct> >>> > > >> this auction, I was told of a> >>> > > >> secret stipulation in the> >>> > > >> will. I was not> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> allowed to reveal that> >>> > > >> stipulation until this time.> >>> > > >> Only the painting of> >>> > > >> the son would be auctioned.> >>> > > >> Whoever bought that painting> >>> > > >> would inherit> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> the entire estate, including> >>> > > >> the paintings. The man who> >>> > > >> took the son gets every thing!"> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> God gave his son 2,000 years> >>> > > >> ago to die on a cruel cross.> >>> > > >> Much like the> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> auctioneer, His message today> >>> > > >> is, "The son, the son,> >>> > > >> who'll take the son?"> >>> > > >> Because you see, whoever takes> >>> > > >> the Son gets everything.> >>> > > >> --author unknown> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> Please send this to ten people> >>> > > >> and back to the one> >>> > > >> who sent it to you.> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >> >>> >> >> >
