-- 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 gravel. >>> >>> > > >> > > > > >> >>> >>> > > >> > > > > >> "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. >>> >>> > > >> > > > > >> >>> >>> > > >> > > > > > >>> >>> > > >> > > > > > >>> >>> > > >> > > > > >>> >>> > > >> > > > > >>> >>> > > >> > > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > 'cause YOU MATTER, 'cause I CARE! >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > _______________________________________________________ >>> >>> > > >> > > Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite >>> >>> > > >> > > Visit http://freelane.excite.com/freeisp >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > > >>> >>> > > >> > >>> >>> > > >> >>> >>> > > >> >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> > > >>> >>> > > >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> >>> >> >>> >> >>> > >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >>---------- >> >> >
