Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-11-04
SAY YOUR PRAYERS IN FAIR
WEATHER.

Returning by the peIIaSt hlghI Wal
to my distant parish IN the north, from
the Dublin Clerical Meetings in The
year 1899, | found myself placed oPPo.
posite to a gentleman whose appearance
engrossed rather than attracted, ms pro.
found attention.
His age, as he afterwards told me,
was sixty; and perhaps | should have
conjeclured as much, though exposure
10 weather, cares, anxielies and dang
ers, with a certain air OF seriousness
which seemed as il were 10 preside over
them all, spoke more than the effects Of
time, the progress of my fellow travel
ler's earthly pilgrimage.
In truth his counlenance was such a
one as no observant physiognomist
would contemplate without interest, or
mark lis amiable and diversified expires.
sion without respect and love. The
coach in which we sat had scarcely
cleared the pavement, and was rolling
along the comparatively silent highway
when my companion addressed me with
great ease and pollleness. A few min
utes suficed 10 show that the predomi
mating sentiment OF his heart was reli.
gion. His conversation was almost ex
Cluslvely Of that character, and as he
poured out the rich stores oil gospel truth
and experience, from the exhaastIess
treasury oil a converted soul, the night
had insensrbIy wore away and the sun
was long risen, as we changed horses al
the Iast Stage.
Little more than an hour remained
and | must probably part forever from
q man by whose conversation | had been
inexpressibIy captivaled. felt, as may
be easily conceived, a strong desire ia
learn his history, and thus to fix more
permanently on my mind The impression
he had made. Accordingly | asked him
whether the turning Of his heart TO bis
God had been caused by any sudden dan
ger, or merely connected with his sea
iaring lie, (he had already told me that
he commanded q vessel trading between
Liverpool and America) or was Of grad
ual growth. My question seemed lc
please him, al least he replied to it with
great courtesy; saying that in the Iasr
wear but one OF the late war, be was
waiting in port with a fleet Of merchant
men, tlI convoy should arrive, it being
deemed unsafe to sail without such pro-
lection, His habits he observed, haC
always been exceedingly irregular, t,
give them no stronger Term, and he pas
sed The period OF detention in the prac-
tees he could not look back on without
sorrow.
At length the signal TO weigh anchor
was made, his ship, as were also many
Others, was so short Of hands, that be
was glad to accept any person who OIL
fered himself. however inexperienced
he might be in navigation. At the vo
.ry instant Of departure, a boat came u,
long aide, out OF which a tall robust maj
climbed actively upon The deck q gave
himself in as a seaman wiling TO engogc
lot TUG WV uEOH I NO UOul "iiII UlNuRt
him had returned 10 the shore, and the
wind was blowing nearly a gale, bul IN
der every circumstance my friend san
he was glad to get even the addition Of
one euulvocaI hand TO his scanly crew.
His pleasure however was Of short dur
ito for The new, conner was found lC
be a bIasphemer, and wheh opportunity
offered a drunkard. Besides ali these
disouaIifcalions, he was wholly ignor-
ant Of naulical affairs, or counterIeiteC
ignorance 10 escape duly. In short he
was the bane and plague Of the vessel
and refused obslinateIy to give any al
count of himself, or his family, or his
past lie,
AtIcugth a violent storm arose, al
hands were piped upon deck, aud all a
the Captain thought were too few Il
save the ship When the men were
mustered 10 their quarters, the sturdy
plasphemer was missing, and my frienr
went below to seek for him: great wa
his astomshmenl at finding him on hi
knees repeating the Lords prayer witt
wonderful rapidly, over and over agair
as il he had bound himself to counties
reiteralions. Vexed at what he deem
cd hypocrisy or 3owardlce, he SHOOK
him roughly by the collar, eXc'almlng
"Sdy your prayers in far weather." The
man rosr up, observing 10 a low voice
"God grant | may ever see fair wealth
or 10 say them"
In a few minutes the storm happily
abaOed, a week moro brought them Il
harbor, and an incident so trivial passed
qu,ckIy away from the memory Of The
Captain, the more easily as tho msI
was paid III the day after landing aot
appeared not again.
-Four more years had elapsed, during