Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-07-13

2 Lt.f
ton OF the power of kindness to subdue the hard
ened heart. Barbarity and brutality are not the
thing 10 overcome their like with. Kindness
alone, with trust Ia God. will do it, s7as gal
THE SILVER TANIkARD..,.s
The following interesting story.illustrat-
ing the potency Of kindness in subduing
the most obdurate, we find in the last num-
Der Of The Monthly Miscellany Of Religion
and Letters. published by William Crosby
&sCo. Boston
ona slope Of land opening itself 10. the
South, in now thickly settled town in the
State Of Maine, some hundred and more
years ago, stood a farmhouse 10 which cpl
'het comfortable might be applied. The
old forest came down to the back Of IT.; in
front were cultivated fields; beyond which
was ground partially cleared, full of pine
stumps, and here and there, standing erect,
the giant trunks Of trees which the FIRE had
sccrched & blackened, though il had failed
,ooyerthrow them. The house stood al the
very verge Of the settlement, SO that from
il no other cottage could be seen; the near.
est neighbor was distant about six miles.
Daniel Gordon, the owner and occupant OF
the premises we have described, had chosen
this valley in the wilderness, wide, rich
tract Of land, not only as his own home, but
respectively as the home Of his children,
and his children's children, He was will
ling 10 be far. from men,. that bis children
might have room TO settle around him. He
was looked upon as the rich man Of that
district, well known over all that part Of the
country. His house was completely En-
ished, and was large for the times, having
two stories in front and one behind, with a
long slipping roof ID seemed as If il leaned
to,the south, to offer iisEback to the cold
winds from the northern. mountains. II was
full OF the comforts OF life,-the furniture
even litiles snowy = for Puritan: and
when the table was SET, there was, to use
Yankee phrase, considerable silver plate,
among which a large iankard Stood pre-
eminent Fhis silverhad been the property
Of bis father, and was brought over from
the mother country. 81 sf fgsst
Now we will 60 back to this pleasant
valley as IL was on a bright and beautiful
morning in the month Of June. 1t was
p Sunday and thcugh early, the two sons Of
Daniel Gordon and the hired man had gone
to meeting, on foot. down 10 the t" Landing"
a little village on the banks Of the river, len
miles distant. Daniel himself was stand
ing al the door, with his horse and chaise,
ready and waiting for his good wife who
had been somewhat detained. He was stand
ing atthe doorstep, enjoying the freshness
Of the morning, witha lilile pride in his
heart perhaps, as he cast his eye over the
ex.ento Of his possessions spread before him.
AT that instant a neighbor, Of six miles
distance. rode up on horseback and beckoned
10 him from the gate Of the enclosure around
the house.
AaGood morning, neighbor Gordon" said
he SD have come out Of my way in going
10 meeting, to tell you that Tom Smith
that daring thief - with two others, have
been seen prowling about in these parts
aud that you'd better look oui, lest you have
visit. have got nothing in my house e
bring them there, but they may be after ths
silver tankard, neighbor, and the silve'
spoons. Ihave often told you that these
things were not fit FOR these new parts
Tom is bold fellow, but suppose ths
fewer he meets when. he goes to steal tht
better. / don't think il safe for you all q
be of 10 meeting to-day: but | am in a hur
RI, neighbor, so goodbye" z f.sss as
This communication placed our frient
Daniel ID an unpleasant dilemma Il had
been settled that no one was 10 be left a
home but his daughter Mehi,able, beauti
uIliule girl, about nine yearsiold. Shall
stay or 90 was the question. Daniel wai
aPuritan; he had sirictlnot;ons ofthe dutl
Of worshippibg God 10 This temple, and b
had faith that God would bless him only a
be did his ddw; but then he'was father
and liule EIil,y was the light and the jOy1o
his eyes. y t'.'ssls z ~ -sA -
But these sPuritans were stern and un
Hincbiue. He soon selded the point. :.
won't even take Kitty with me; for Anvil
make her cowardly. The thieves may NO
come--neighbor Perkins may be mistaken
and if they do come 10 my house, they wa
not hurt that child. AT any rate she is !
Gods hands and we win go TO wOrshl
n. =.
Him, who never fofsakes hose who p
their trnst in Him > AS he settled this, %
little girl and her mother stepped g y y