Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-01-25

After the little party was settled, still
ness crept over the house you might have
heard pin Drop or the rustic Of silk dress,
to the extremity of that large room. All at
once there arose noise at the door oppo-
site the pulpit it was but foot-step ring
ing on the Threshold stone, and yet the
people turned their heads and looked start.
led, as if something uncommon were about
to happen. 1t was only handsome, bold
looking young man, who walked up the aisle
with naughty step, and entered pew on
the opposite side from that occupied by the
mother and daughter, and somewhat near
er the pulpit. 4 battery of glances was
levelled on him from the galleries, but he
looked carelessIy up, and even smiled when
a young girl by whom he seated himself,
drew back with look of Indignation to
the farthest corner of the pew. The old
deacon looked up as those bold footsteps
broke the Stiffness his thin cheek and lips
became deathly white, he grasped the rail
ing conyulsvely, half rose, and then fell
forward with his face on his hands, and re-
manned motionless as before. Well might
the wronged old gentleman yield for mo-
ment, to the inirmities of human nature
even in the house of God That bold man
who thus audaciously intruded in his pres
ence, had crept like serpent to his hearth
stone-had made his innocent name bye
word, and his daughter the child of his old
age, creature for men to handy jests about.
But for him, that girl, now shrinking from
the gaze of her old friends, would have re-
NAMED the pride of his home, an eve lamb
in the church of God. Through his wiIes
she had fallen from the high place OF her
religious trust, and now, in the fulness of
her penitence, she had come forward to
confesslher fault, and receive forgiveness of
the church it had disgraced.'
The old Deacon had lost his children one
by one, till this gentle girl alone was left to
him; he had folded love for her, his latest
born in his innermost heart, till all uncon-
sciousIy, she had become to it an idol. The
old man thought it was to punish him that
God had permitted her to fall into tempta,
ton; he said so, beseechingly to the elders
of the church, when, at her request he call
ed them together and made known her dis
grace. He tried to take some fthe blame
upon himself; said that he had, perhaps,
been less indulgent than he should have
been, and so her affections had been
more easily won from her home and duty
that he feared he had been proud NAH
spiritually proud. but now he was more
humble, and that his heavenly Father had
allowed this thing in order to chasten him,
the end had been obtained he was sick,
ened old man, but could say, "The will Of
God be done" Therefore he besought his
brethren not to cast her forth to her dis.
grace, but to accept her confession of or.
ror and repentance; to be merclful, and
receive her back to the Church. He went
on to say how humbly she had crept to his
feet, and prayed him to forgive her; how
his wife had spent night after night in pray
er for her fallen child, and so he left hel
in their hands. only entreating that the,
would deal merclfully with her, and HI
would bless them for it.
Willingly would the synpathizing elder
have received the stray lamb again, withou
further humiliation to the broken-hearted ole
man; but it could not be. The ungodl,
were willing to visit the sins of individual
on whole community. The purity o
their Church must be preserved-the pen
ance must be exacted.
From the time of the church meeting
the poor man bent himself earnestly t.
strengthen his child's good purposes. II
made no complaint, and stroye to appear
nay to be-resigned and cheerful he still
conlrAued to perform the office of deacon
though the erect gait and somewhat digni
fed consciousness of worth that had fol
lnerly distinguished him, utterly disappear
ed. On each succeeding Sabbath, his brett
rem observed some new prostration c
strength. Day by day his cheek grew din
his voice hollow, and his step more an
more feeble. 1t was piteous sight-a ma
who had been remarkable for bearing hi
years so bravely, moving through the aisle
of that old meeting house with downcas
eyes, and shoulders STOPPING as beneath
burthen, AT last the mildew of grief be
gan to wither up the memory of that goo
man. When the first indications of thi
appeared, the hearts of his brethren year,
ed towards the poor deacon with a unite
feeling Of deep commiseration. The da
of Julia's humiliation had been appointed
and the Sabbath which preceded it was
sacramental one. The old deacon was ge
ting very decrept, and his friends would bav
persuaded him from performing the dutie
ofthe day. lie shook his head remarked tn;
they were very kind, but he was not i'll, S
they let him bear the silver cup around fill
ed with consecrated wine, as he had don
for twenty years before, though many eye
filled with tears as it marked the trenholm
of that hand, which more than once cause
the cup TO shake, and the wine to run dow
its sides to the floor. There was an abseI
smile upon his face when he came to hi
daughters seat. On finding it empty, h
stood bewildered and looked helpessly roun
upon the congregation, as if he would HAY
inquired why she was not there Sudden
, he seemed to recollect; a mortal palenel
} overspread his face. The wine cup dro
, ped from his hand, and he was led ava
| crying like child
Many of his brethren visited the Athlete
: man during the next week. They alwa
found him i'll his orchard, wandering abo
= under the happy boughs and picking up Il
wthered green apples which the worms h,
= eaten away from their unripe stems. The
t he diligently boarded away near larl
, sweet briar bush which grew in corner
Y the rail fence On the next Sabbath
e appeared in the Westinghouse, accompani'
r by the minister as we have described, to
: outraged i'll the house Of God by the pre-
= ence the man who had desolated his hon
5 1t is little wonder that even there, his ju
e wrath was for a moment kindled The sc
4 vice began, and that erring girl listened
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