Subject: Fw: This one is great '' > 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 father 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; > > > > 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. > > & shout; 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 everything; > > > > 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. An Angel is > > watching over you. > > > > > > _____ MSN

This doesn't seem like an appropriate posting for this list. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty Kington" <blkington@auxware.com> To: <ILHAMILT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2002 9:10 PM Subject: [ILHAMILT-L] This one is great '' > > Subject: Fw: This one is great '' > > > > 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 father 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; > > > > > > 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. > > > & shout; 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 everything; > > > > > > 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. An Angel is > > > watching over you. > > > > > > > > > > > > > _____ > > MSN > > > ==== ILHAMILT Mailing List ==== > Listowner, Michael L. Hebert mailto:mhebert.usgw@charter.net > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Visit Misty Flannigan's Hamilton County, Illinois Genealogy Resource Page at: > http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5807/ >