The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-01

OUCH poiu hSufes, OF sonelnihg else Causeo iim W
sing out,
"WeIII'II do IN do IT," mpffl
"Youare getting on very well" said Mr. Stub
bleworth, :. / think / can make decent man Of
you yet, and perhaps christian"
Ned groaned
" The second thing require of you is, to 60 to
Pumpkin creek Westinghouse and hear me preach
tomorrow"
Ned attempted to stammer some excuse, when
the divine resumed his devotional hymn, and kept
time with the music, striking him over the face
with the Heshy part of his hand.
" NY soul mounted higher in a chariot of fire,
Nor did envy Elijah his seat"
Ned's promise Of ofpunctusIity caused the parsons
exercise to cease, and the words, redolent of gor
geus imagery, died away in echoes from the adja-
cent crags.
Now, the 'bird and last demand is perenptory.
You are to promise that you seek religion, day and
night, and never rest until you obtain it at the
hands of mercful Redecmer.
The fallen man looked at the declining sun and
then at the parson, and knew not what TO say, aud
the preacher raised his voice IN song once more,
and Ned knew what would come next.
"I'll do my best" said he in humble voice.
" Well that's man, said SubbIeworth; I" now
get up and go down to the spring and wash your
face. and tear up Tom Paine's testament, and turn
your thoughts on high "
Ned rose with feelings he never experienced be-
fore and went to obey the Iavatpry injunctions Of
the preacher, when the latter parson noun ted his
horse took Ned by the hand and said 100
' Now keep your promise. and III keep your
counsel. Good evening, Mr.. Forgeron-I'll look
for you to to-morrow.'
And of he rode with the same imperturbabls
countenance, singing so loud TO scare the eagles
from their eyrie in the overhanging rocks. ..
"Well," thought Ned &" this is nice business.
geron was whipped before his own door in the
gap, and that too by a Methodist preacher"
But his musings were more in sorrow than an
ger His ds6gured countenance was, of course,
the subject ofnnmerous questions that night among
his friends; to which he replied with stern look
they well understood. and the vague remark that
he had met with an accident OF course, they me-
dreamed of the cause. Ned looked in the
glass and compared bis black eye from the recent
scnfile, to the rainbow ship wreck scene" blend
ing every color into one.'' Or perhaps he never
read the story. and muttered to himself, " Edward
Forgeron whipped by Methodist preacherg"
His dreams that night were Of a confused and
disagreeable Dature; and waking in the morning he
had an indstlnct memory of ethng unpleasant
having occurred At first he could not recollect
the of his feelings but the bruises on his face
and body soon calling them to his mind, as well as
his promise, he mounted his horse, and went to
redeem it. ea E'e
From that time his whole conduct manifesteda a
chsnge IF feeling. The gossips Of the neighbor-
hood observed it, and whispered that Ned was ST.
lent and had gohe to meeting every Sunday since
the accident. They wondered greatly at his burn
ing the books he used to read so much Strange
stories were circulated as to the metamorphoss of
this jovial, daredevil blacksmith into gloomy and
tacturn man; some supposed, very sagely: that
esprit" had enhced him into the mountains, and
after giving him glipse into the future, had mis-
led him to crag where he had fallen and bruised
his face Others gave the Prince of darkness the
credit Of the change but none suspected the Meth
odst preacher; and as the latter had no vanity to
crafty, the secret remained with Ned. This
gloomy state Of mind Continued until Forgeron
visited a camp meeting. Rev. Mr.. Shuttleworth
preached sermon that seemed to enter his soul
and relieve it of burden; and the song of
" How happy are they, who their saviour obey"
was only half through when he felt like new
man, Forgeron was from that time ''shouting
Methodist" At a love feast, a short time subse-
'quent he gave in his experience, and revealed the
mystery of his conviction and conversion to the
astonished neighbors,
The Rev. Mr.. Stubbeworth, who had faithful
ly kept secret until that time, could not contain
himself any longer, but gave vent to his feelings in
convulsIve peals of laughter as the burning tears
of joy coursed their way down his cheeks.
.'Yes my brethern," said he, "it is fact I did
mall the grace into his unbeeving soul there is
no doubt"
The blacksmith Of the mountain pass, himself
became soon after, Methodist preacher.
IMARK ONLY THE HOURS THAT SHINE.-The
above if we rightly remember, is the Inscription
upon sun dial in Italy II inculcates beautiful
lesson which too many are prone to disregard. II
would teach us TO remember the bright days life.
and not to forget the blessings God is giving us.
Life, it is true is not all bright and beautiful But
still it has its lights well as its shades and it is
neither wise nor grateful to dwell too much upon
the darker portions of the picture. He who looks
upon the bright side of life, and makes the best
of every thing, will, we think, other things being
equal, be better and happier man, than those
who as Franklin says care always looking at the