Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-07-18
JESSIE MLEAN,
Or. the Elders Daughter.

OF, the ELDERS DauBh'SI'
u stood ola The west side q che green
and behind it, and around % lay cine sleep
ing villagcr. They slept well. Ih"r
lives were not % tcnpcstuous as ours lu
the world uoycthclcs. when their work
was ended they folded there arms more "l-
iagIy chan We do. and went TO tho'r rcs..--
/ uscd e. sic ON the .cucc when ] VAS boy
and look over the many mounds and wish
that the covering might be removed aud
every face restored 70 the appearance ], bore
when the owes were closed. and the sleep
came down on them What smiling coun-
tcnauccs ga calm aud hopeful slumhcr were
they al No passionate expressions, nor
agony marked features, nor murdered men
nor murdcrcrs nor scll-dc,troycrs, nor any
tina. passed away by reason Of man hatred
60 man But each 90 hls time bad fallen
on sleep Maiden mud matrou. man and
boy one by one lcit the field aud the cot.
tagc and the rose. covered porch and the
embraces Of the loving, and were carried TO
ihc family tryst m the ohurchya j
And how could the church bc other than
sacred place when the bowed one, las thus
an around il. Close 10y the side OF the
path up to the door rested the Old older,
who died when | was still a boy. aud his
long grave reminded us Of his giant form.
as we walked slowly and rcvcreuty to the
church Of a Sunday morning. There has
been n grave made by the side OF his since
then. aud there is one sleeping there who
was the light Of the village VIII you listen
while tell YOU the story
Elder VI Lean was n stern man. Tall,
COUNT and stout hmbcd aud with har'h
cauutculucc that frightened the children
into submission. You have seen such men.
Their religion is not exactly bgotry but IL
is harsh aud unpleasant They would dive
men into heaven by the tcrrors OF the law,
rather than win them By the beauties Of our
holy creed ! here are not many such left.
They passed away and am glad to say,
with generation now almost gone, and yet
they were good men in their way, honest
upright manly and 6rm.
Johu NJ Lean had family OF four sons
and one daughter, who bad grownup around
his hearth and who were well worthy of the
admiration they received Three OF the
sons were brawnv- listed mon. The fourth
Allan was slightly formed boy, with a
sccn quick black csc and n thoughtful
,a.c. The Youngest child. jessie was lik,
.u. and she was mai3cuy and very bcou-
rul sec Il en- now rs tuoy used to walk
down the road under thc Elm row every
Sunday side by side Tho others Of th,
family were married and bad Icft home be-
lorc Jessie was sixteen, aud she was hcr
mothers pct and only companion. Then
her mother died and was carried 10 IN,
church. ward and Jessie wcrt bitter tears
alter that John NJ Lean was not MAJ
To win love from his children They feared
but had none Of that affection for him which
makes home happy They trcmblcd whcl
bo came in nj evening for his word, wen
seldom Of pleasant things, but he usual
found fault with Jessie and sco.dcd Allan
and sat rloomily down before the fire al
tho evening. At nine clock he called "a
tho household Ia for prayers. aud then sa'
every light In the house put out before D
retired
Ono nisht when the bell WIS rwg 70
rr,ycr all wore prcscut but Allan aud %
was nowhere 90 be found Jessie rrafcs so
ignorance or bis whereabouts. and none
tbc servant, bad seen him since dark
Crown gathered ou the Elders face MS
commenced and his voice vas uncommon
h,rsh. Whilc be was yet reading AHA
entered and took Do, sea, iu silence. Ii
father paused and looked at hm
Where have you been, sir as la'o
tui,T
4 have boon at Nh White s,sir, spen,