Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-08-01


mo other than my father, of whom had
been thinking-for my father had I called
him for twenty years-and for twenty
years my father bad he truly beens by
surprise at meeting him on such moor
on such day, was but momentary, for
knew that he was Shepherd who cared
not for the winters wrath As he stopped
10 take my hand kindly into bis, and to
give his blessing to bis Iong-expected
visitor, the wind fell caIm---the whole
face Of the sky was softened, and brightness
like smile, went over the blushiDg and
crimsoned snow. The very elements
seemed then to respect the hoary head of
fomr-score-anh after eng Gsss greeting
was over, when looked around 10 my at.
lection. / felt how beautiful was winter.
am going" said he, to visit man
at The point of DEATH man whom you
cannot have forgottenAwhose head will
be missed 10 the kirk next Sabbath by all
my congregations devoui man, who
feared God all his days, and whom, on this
awful trial, God will assuredIy remember.
was going, my son, to the Halle Glen
/ knew we'll ia childhood that lonely
farmhouse, SO far off among the beautiful
wild green hills-and it was not likely that
| had forgotten the name Of its possessor.
For six years Sabbstlls | had seen The
ELDER in bis accustomed place beneath
the pulpit; and, with sorl Of solemn fear,
lhad looked on his steadfast countenance
during sermon, psalm, and prayer. On
lretnrning TO the scenes of my infancy, |
nov met the Pastor going to pray by his
ldeath-bed-and with the privilege which
nature gives us to behold, even 10 their
last extremity, the loving and the beloved,
4 turned to accompany him to the house Of
sorrow, resignation, and death.
And now, for the first time, observed,
walking close TO the feet of his horse, a
iiittie boy OF about ten years OF age, who
kept frequently looking up in the Pastors
face, with his blue eyes batbed ia tears.
A changeful expression Of grief, hope, and
despair, made almost pale cheeks. that
otherwise were blooming in health and
beauty. and recognized, 10 the small
features and smooth forehead ofchiidbood,
resemblance to The aged man whom We
understood was nov lying Oh as Death
bed. They had to send his sransison
for me through the snow, mere child as be
IS said the Minister 10 me, looking ten
fusfEy on tue boy |" bGt love makes the
young heart bold---and there is one who
tempers the wind 10 the shorn lamb" I i
again looked on The fearless child with his |
rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and yellow hasr, |
so unlike grief or sorrow, yet nov sob |
bug aloud as if bis heart would break 81 |
do not fear but that my grandfather viii YET
recover, soon as the Minister has said one |
single prayer by bis bed side. I had no
hope, or little, as was running by my
self to the Manse over hill after hill, but |
| am full OF hopes now that We are toselh- |
err; and oh if God suffers my GRANDPA
Their to recover, will lie awake all the
long winter nights blessing him for his
mercy. will rise up 10 the middle OF the
darkness, and pray TO him in the cold Oh |
my naked knees % and here his voice was
choked. while he kept bis eyes fixed, as il |
for consolation and encouragement, on the |
solemn and plying countenance of the |
| NsHh A~oAect PfOus otd tunus
We soon left the main road, and struck |
off through scenery that, covered as il was
with the bewildering snow, sometimes
dimly aud sometimes wildly remembered;
our little guide keeping ever short dis
jtance before us, aud With sagacity like
4 that of instinct, shelving us our course, OF
which 40 trace vas visible, save occasion
ally his own little footprints as be had
been hurrying to the Manse.
/ After crossing. for several miles, morass,
and frozen rivulet, and drilled hollow,
with here and there the top of stone
wall peeping through the snow, or the
more visible circle of sheep bught, We
descended into the Hazel Cleo, aud saw
before us the solitary house Of the dying
Elder.
/ A CLEAN Of days gone by came sudden
" over my soul. The last time that | had
been 10 this Glen was on day of June,
fifteen years before, holiday, the birth
day Of the king. A troop Of laughing
shoolboys, headed by our benign Pastor,
we danced over the sunny braes, and
lstartled the linnets from their nests among
the yellow broom. Austere as seemed to
|us the Elders sabbash-face, when sitting
in the kirk. we schoolboys knew that il
had its week day smiles--and We flew on
the wings Of joy to our annual festival of
curds and cream in the farmhouse Of that
little sylvan world. We rejoiced 10 the
flowers and The leaves Of thai long, that
Iinterminsble summer day; its memory
was with our bOyish hearts from June toI
June aud the sound Of that sweet name,
6 Hazei-Glen," often came upon US at our
tasks, and brought too brightly into the