The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-24


eyes, nor force that tinge of shame from her
pure cheek, but moved humbly forward, weigh
ed to the dust with sense Of humiliation and
suffering. A slight, fair creature walked by hei
side, partly shrinking behind her all the way,
pale and dropping like crushed lily. 1t was
the deacon's daughter, and the babe was hers;
but she was unmarried. A black dress azd plain
white vandylte suPplanted the muslin that, IN
the days Of her innocence, mad hsrmonized so
sweetly with her pure complexion. The close
straw bonnet was the same but its trimming OF |
pale blue was displaced by white satin ribbon, |
while tn rich and abundant brown curls that /
had formerly dropped over her neck were ga |
thered up, and parted plainly over her forehead. |
One look she cast upon the congregatl n, thfn |
her eyes iell, the long lashes drooPed to her
burning cheek, and with downcast brow she
followed her mother TO seat, but not that oc'
eupIed by the old deacon. There was slight
hustle when she entered, and many eyes were
bent upon her, few from curiosity, more from
an impulse Of commsseration She sat notion
less in the corner Of the pew, her head dropping
forward, and her eyes fixed ON the sma II HANDS
that lay clasped in her lap. After the little
party was settled, stiffness crcpt over the
house you might have heard pin drop, or the
rustic Of silk dress, TO the extremity OF that
large room. All at once there arose Boise at
the door opposite the pulpit; it was but foot
step ringing on the threshold stone, and yet the
people turned their heads and looked startled, as
II something uncommon were about to happen.
It was only handsome, bold looking young
man, who walked up the aisle with naughty
step, and entered pew on the opposite side from
that occupied by the mother and daughter, and,
somewhat nearer the pulpit. A battery Of glances
was Ieveiled on him from the galleries, hut ne
looked carelessly up, and even smiled when a
Young girl by whom he seated himself, drew
back with a lock of indignation to the i4rthest
corner of the pew. The old deacon looked up as
those bold footsteps broke the stiffness; his thin
checks and lips became deathly white, he grasp
cd the railing convulsively, half rose, and then
fell forward with his face on his hands, and re-
manned motonless as before. Well might the
wronged old man yield, for moment, to the IN
firmities OF human nature, even in the house of
God.
That bold nan who thus audaciously intruded
into his presence, had crept like serpent to the
hearthstone-had made his honest name by
word and his daughter, the child OF his old age,
a creature for men to handy lests about. But
! for him. that girl, now shrinking from the gaze
of her own friends, would have remained the
pride of his home. an eve lamb in the church of
| God. Through his wiles she had fallen from
the high place of her religious trust, and now In
the fitness of her penitence, she had come tor-
ward to csnfess her fault, and receive forgive
ness of the church it had disgraced.
The old deacon had lost his children one by
one, It'll this gentle girl alone was left to him;he
had folded love for her, his latest born, IN his
innermost heart, till all unconsciously she mad
! become TO it am idol The old man thought 1t
was to punish him that God had permitted her
to sink INTO temptation; he said so, beseechng-
ly, to the elders Of the church, when, at her re-
| quest he called them together, and made known
her disgrace He tried to take some of the
| blame upon himself; said that he had, perhaps
been less indulgent than he should have oees-
and so her affections had been more easily wor
from her home and duty-that he had been
proud spiritually proud, but Row he wa
more humble and if his Heavenly Father haC
allowed these things in order to chasten him, tAt
! end had been obtained; he was stricken old
man, but could say, ''The will Of God be done"
| Therefore he besought his brethren not to cast
her forth to her disgrace, but to accept her con-
| fession Of error and repentance; to be merclfulI
and receive her back to the church He went on
to saw how humbly she had crcpt to his feet, and
praved him to to forgive her; how his wife had
spent night after night in prayer for hel fallen
child, and SO he left her in thsir hands, only en-
treating that they would deal mercifully by her:
and he would bless them Tor it.
Willingly would the sympathising elders have
received the stray lamb again, with farther hui
initiation to the broken hearted old man; but il
could not be- The ungodly were willing to Wis
it the individuals on a whole community. The
purity of their church must be preserved-th'
penance eXacted.
From the time of that church meeting, th'
moor father bent himself earnestly to tht
strengthening of his child s good purposed
He made no complaint, and strove toappea
nav. 10 be resigned and cheerful; he SUI
continued 10 perform the ethces oil deacon
though the erect gait and somewhat dIgnlne
conseionsness of worth that formerly distin
eru;sbed him, had utterly disappeared On eaci
sscceedinr Sabbath, his brethren observes
sornn new prostration ofstrenglh. Day by da,
III. ,hoAL, grew thin--his voice hollow, and III
- - ,,,ore and more feeble. 1t was pteou
s;obt.a man who had been remarkable TO
bsss,;ng his wears so bravely, moving through
the aSeIes of that old Westinghouse with down
cast ewes and STOPPING as beneath burthen
4 A. Iast the nildew of girls f began to wither VI
The memory of that good man. When the mrs
;nd,catinns of this appeared, the hearts OF hI
brethren vearned toward the poor deacon witt
aunited feeling of deep commiseraton- sid
Tho dav of Julia's humiliation had been ap
.o;a4ad md the Sabbath which proceeded II
4 20 sscr5 mental one. The old feacon wa
It,,tt;ng rpfv decrepit, and his friends woul
3avs nersuaded him from performing the duile
Of the day. He shook his head, remarked Una
they we're very kind, but he was not ill, s
they let him bear The silver cup filled wit
consecrated wine, as he had done for invent
years before, though many an eye illled WI
Tears as it marked the continued trembling
that hand, whichmore than once caused the Gu
!. 70 shake. and the wine TO run down its SIDES |
4 the floor. There was an absent smile upon n
face when he came to his daughters seat. "
4 finding it empty he stood bewildcred, and look
ed heplessly round upon the congregation,
il he wouid have inquired why she was no
there. Suddenly he seemed TO recoheeI I, .
r morta, ,,aleness overspread his face. Tn
,r;ne.cur dropped from MS hand and he wa
ieG M fm Of his brethren visited the Athlete
man n,a d,5ip ~ the next week. they alway
man dt h;, liz orchard, wandering abopt u
der the heavy boughs and picking up The wit wit
cred green apples which the worms hsi llsH Us fd Az