Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-12-05

daily in some way or other, putting our
best legs foremost. Look at the whole
of the advertising, putting, quacking,
world-the flattering, the soothing,
the complimenting. Virtues or vices
driving us more or less out of the
straight line; and, blindfolded by hab-
it, we know not that we are walking
circuitously. And they are not the
worst omong us, perhaps, who walk
SO deviatingly--seeing, knowing
those that stamner out nightly ere they
rest, in confession, their fears that they
have been acting, if not speaking the
untrue thing, and praying for strength
in their infrmity, and more simplicity
of heart: and would ii. their penitence
shun the concourse that besets them,
and hide their heads in some retired
quiet spot of peace, out of reach of this
assault of temptation. And this, Eu-
sebius, is the best prelude can devise
to the story | have to tell you. is of
a poor old woman; shall I magnify
her offence' 1t was magni6ed indeed
in her eyes. Smaller, therefore, shall
it be--because of its very largeness to
her. But it will not do to soften often
ces, Eusebius. l see already you are
determined to do so. / will call it her
crime. Yes, she lived life of daily
untruth. She wrote it, she put her
name to it-'litera scripta manet.' We
must not mince the matter; she spoke
it, she acted it hourly, she took pay
ment for tit was her food, her raj
ment. Oh all you that love to stamp
the foot at poor human nature, here is
an object for your contempt, your sar-
casm, your abuse, your punishment -
drag her away by the hair of her head.
But stay, take care you do not strain
at gnat and swallow camel exam
inc yourselves little first. She has
confessed, perhaps you have not. Re-
member, no one knew it; no one CUES
sed it. 1t is she herself has lifted up
the lantern into the dark recesses of
her own heart, or rather, it is true re-
ligion in her hath done it; and dark
though it was there, you ought to see
clearly enough that her heart is not
now the den wherein falsehood and
hypocrisy Turk; search well-you see
none. She has made clean breast
of it, and you had better do the same,
and drop the stone you were about to
fling so mercilessly at her dying head.
Are you out ofpatience, Eusebius? and
cry-Out with it, what did she dor
You shall hear: tits but simple anec-
dote after all. / have learned it from
parish priest. He was sent for to at
tend the deathbed of an old village
dame, or schoolmistress. She had a
sin to confess; she could not die in
peace till she had confessed it. With
broken speech, she sobbed, and hesita-
ted, and sobbed again.
sI-I-I,' she stammered out, and
hid her face again. sThere, | must,
/ must tell it; and may l be forgiven'
You know, sir, | have kept school for
ty years-yes, forty years-a poor sin
full creature--I-I' -
'My good woman said the parish
priest, take comfort; it will be par
doned ifyou are thus penitent. l hope
it is not very great SIN
ooh yesn said she, sand pray call
me no good woman. l am-not-
good;' sobbiLg, 'alas, alas there,
will out with it, put down that
| taught grammar-and (sobbing) |,
l. did not know 1t maysey'
Eusebius, Eusebius, had you been
there, you would have embraced the
old dame. The father of lies was not
near her pillow. This little sin, she had
put it foremost, and, like the little f.
CURE before many nothings, she had
made million of it; and one word,
nay one thought, before confession was
uttered, had breathed upon, and obit-
Grated the whole amount. Where will
you find so great truth? And this, YOU
will agree with me, was case of Ten
der Cons caence.