The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-04-25
SELECTIONS.
The dying man and the -penitent thief

! The dying man and the .penitent thief
A queer old humorist lived in queer oil
cottage on the outskirts of our village. H,
had travelled mnch in the east, and had made
: money as merchant at Smyrna. Being . ma
tive OF our parish, and bachelor, he came te
i close his mortal chapter where il begun,
need scarcely say that, like 50 many Of his
class, he was fdgety, and troublesome, but j
lover Of fair play withaI, warm-hearted and
benevolent. Atbottom, too, he was thorough
ly religious man. He and were getting on
uncommonly well together, when greatly to
my sorrow, he took i'll and died, only few
months after we had become acquainted. An
odd incident befel him on his death-bed, and
must relate it as illustrative Of his character.
! thief made his way into his cottage one
midnight and entered his dying chamber to
steal-for he was counted rich as nabob.-
There was light burning in the room.
"What do you want, frend?" was the testy
demand of our disturbed old gentleman.
"Your money or your jewels!" said the
thief. a
20! you are there, are you? Very WE'LL
Just look at those poor old legs of mine,
(thrusting out his emacated members from
beneath the bed clothes) Nay, lay hold of
them-feel then-so you must be perfectly
convinced in your own mind, now, that can
not 60 into the next apartment, where my mo-
ney is. Come, then take me on your back and
carry me where it is.
Saying this, the old chap, dying though he
was, actually rose and got out Of bed The
thief drew back with look Of CHASTITY sur
prise.
clark ye! son of woman born" continued
the old gentleman, emphatically, as he sat
down on the front of the bed and raised his
fore-tinger with warning solemnity: 81 am far
on my way to eternity. and you are coming on
behind me. You are here to steal certain trash
Of mine.s. Come, now, you must do better
than that; draw near. Here is this bad old
heart of mine. Stand forward. Reach me
now your thievish hand into this inyeterate boz
som OF mine. O! do but steaI--rob--plunder|
from its covetousness, lust, anger and every
other lingering bad passion, and send me lighter
on my way. o! do this, and you shall have
all my gold. You shake your head. Youcan-
riote Here, then, hiend--I am anything. but /
heavy yon must take me on .yonr back.n
The thief could not stand this. He fell onl
his knees, and begged the old mans forgive
ness.
"Are you really in want?" asked the eccen-
.ric invalid.
81 am" was the reply, "but deserve to be
30, for have been dissipated and idle; but,
sod help me! think am changed man.
"Take this key, them" said our dying friend,
'open my desk in the next room there--(point-
ng to the door)--you will find purse of gold
n it--bring it to me-"
The thief did SO.
"Iake that" said the worthy humorist, and
e served out his gold literally into the thief's
rembling hand. #a...
WIN tears In his eyes the poor peniieat a.
ain fell on his knees, and craved a blessing
the dying man. He was about to retire. :
may, fiiend, you must help me into bed
rst," said the old gentleman; cit is anything :
ut reasonable that be raised up at midnig ht
! this sort of manner. You will be nothing
le worse for having felt the ight and worth
an armtul OF poor sinful, dying clay. 1t
MI help you to keep in mind your good reso- s
ltons. Christ be with you! In his own gra- \
lous words: $50 and sin no .'n-IHe \
'ld Bachelor in The Old Scottish IiHage. y