The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-10-01


the necossarles OF life She reading the sub
lime book Of Job, and when she came 10 the
words, "Hast thou entered into the snow? Hast
thou seen the treasures of the hail ?? she repeated
them aloud, struck with the force mid the wintrv
scene around her. AT this moment her father enter
ed 1t was an unusually early hour for his return.
as no walked forward she noticed with ioy that his
step was less fuctuating than usual lie bent
shIvering over the fire which Kate immediately
kindled alresh, and bright blaze soon diGused
warmth and cheerfulness through the apartment.
81 heard your voice as I entered ,Kale ?"said he:
"where is your companion ?"
"There," answered she, lifting Inc Bible from
her knees-"here is the compnnon of my solitude,
and very pleasing 1 find it,"
Mr.. Franklin fixed his eyes steadily on Kate for
few moments, throwing himself bs elk ia his chair.
gazed upon the ceiling, and spoke rs in soIilo.
guy
81 remember, when was ltle boy, reading
that book at my mothers knee and when she was
! dying she told me never to lay my head upon the
pillow without reading chapter and praying to
the great God for pardon aud protection. But that
was long time ago | would not open it now for
the universe"
"Oh father exclaimed Kate, ''do not say SO
Young as ann, have lived too long il the promis
es written here be not true. They alone have saw
| ed me from despair
"Dospair - repeated he lin a hollow tona--"yes
that is the fitting wod, but it belongs to m alone
You are innocent and vrtuors, end why should
you talk of despair You have no brand on your
brow, no tnunderscar craven by the Almighty S
hand, from which men turn away, and women
shrink from with horror. | an object of loa,h
ing and scorn 10 all. Even you, my own daugh
ter, who once lived in my bosom, if L should open
my aims to entuld you, as was won't TO do would
shrink from nc, as from the eper's touch"
| ooh no, no., cried Kate, sprnging from her
seat, and throwing her arms inpuIsively around
! his mock, while her tears literally ranod on his
sh louder.
| IL had been long months since she had heard
such a gnsh of tenderness from his lips-sncc she
had dared profler the of affection. She
| thought all natu al feeling was dried up in his
hear,-~ilheIed, scorched by the fiery breath of in
temperance. She had locked her grief and humil ia
ton in her own breast. She believed every appea,
TO his reason Il sens, billy would be unavaling
as il made TO the granite of her native hills She
now reproached herself FOR her GOODNESS and re
serve. She accused herself OF neglect and irevcr.
! enee.
ION my father. she exclaimed, "if You still
love me, will not despair. There is hope, there
will be joy. You have but to make great eff
font, and you will be free once more. Chains,
strong as adaman;, cannot bind the soul to sin, ur-
less it is willing captive. You wreiched nowi
we are all wretched No smiles gladden. our house
hold. My mother lies on bed Of Iangushment,
where broken heart has laid her My lit.
tie sister pines like flower, which sun-beams new
,;.;,o II, c,,bo
tell the woe, the anguish, The agony which have
pent up in my bosom, till it threatened TO destroy
me. would not reproach you'll would not add
! one drop to your cup Of bitterness--but l must
speak now, or die -
Excited beyond the power of self control, Kate
slid from her fathers relaxing arms and taking the
Bible, which lay upon tho chair, in both hands,
prost ated herself at his feet.
'!By this blessed book continued she, in
allied voico--'this book which has poured oil and
balsa,p in my bleeding heart-this book rich in
promises, so fearful in threunngs-by the God who
created you glorify HIM, the Savior who died to
redeem you by your immortal and endangered
SOUL pray thee renounce the fatal hab bit, (which
has transformed our biissiul home into pris
on house of shame. sorrow. and despair"
She paused brealhIess from intense emotion bot
her upIfted hands still ciaspod the sacred volume;
her cheek, gstening with tears, was mantled with
crimson, and her eyes. turned up to her father,
beamed with the Inspiration of the Christians
hope.
Mr. Franklin looked down upon his daughter as
she thus knelt before him, and it seemed rs if tt
ray from the Divine intelligence darIed like gIo-
ry FROM her eyes into the depths of his soul Lost,
ruined he was there still hope of his redemP
tlon He might be saved. She, like II guiding
cherub, might still take him by the hand, and lead
him back to the green paths and pelIuo'd streams
where he had once walked viii: undonbting foot
steps AS these thoughts rolled through his mind,
he bent forward lower and lower, till his knees
touched the floor. Ii e wrapped his arms around
X ate, and, leaning his head on her shou Ider, sob
bed aloud The prayer of the publican Hemn'ed
on his hps--"Oh my God have mercy upon me-
a miserable sinner! Oh Thou, who was once
! tempted, yet never Snned, save me from tempta-
ton =!
1t was long before other sounds interrupted the