Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-10-02

liLeu SO sweetiy win her pure complexlon.-
The close straw bonnet was the same, but its
trimmings of pale blue was displaced by white
satin riband, while the rich and abundant brown
curls had formerly dropped over her neck were
gathered up, and parted plainly over her fore
head. One look she cast upon the congrega-
ton, then her eyes FELL, the long lashes droop-
ing to her burning cheek, and with downcast
brow she followed her mother to seat, but
not that occupied by the old deacon, There
was slight hustle when she entered, and ma
ny eyes were bent on her, a few from curiosity,
more from an impulse of commiseration. She
sat motionless in corner of the pew, her head
| dropping forward and her eyes fixed on the
small hands that lay clasped in her lap. After
the little party was settled, stiffness crept
over the house; you might have heard pin
drop, or the rustic of silk dress, TO the ex-
tremity of that large room. All at once there
arose noise at the door opposite the pulpit
1t was but footstep ringing on the threshold
stone, and yet the people turned their heads,
and looked startled, as if something uncommon
was about to happen. 1t was only hand
some, 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 aud daughter, and somewhat near
er the pulpit. A battery of glances was level
led on him from the galleries, but he looked
carelessly up, and even smiled when Young
girl by whom he seated himself, drew back
with look Of indignation, to the farthest cor
ner of the pew. The old deacon looked up as
those bold footsteps broke the silence his thin
cheek and lips became deathly white, he grasp
ed the railing convulsively, half rose, and then
fell forward with his face on his hands, and re-
manned motionless as before. Well might the
wronged old man yield, for moment, to the
infmities of human nature, even in the house
of God. The bold man who thus andaciously
intruded into his presence had crept like SER
| pent to his hearthstone-has made his honest
name bye-word, and his daughter, the child
of his old age, a creature for men to handy jesis
about. But for him, that girl, now shrinking
! from the gaze of her own friends, would have
remained the pride of his home an eve lamb
in the church of God Through his wiles she
| had fallen from the high place of her religious
trust, and now, in the fnlness of her penitence,
she had come forward to confess her fault
and receive forgiveness of the church she had
diSgraced.
The old deacon had lost his children one by
one, until this gentle girl alone was left to
him; he had folded love for her, his latest
born, in his innermost heart, until all nncon-
sciously she had become 10 it an idol. The
old man thought 1t was To punish him that God
had permitted her to sink into temptalation he
said So beseechingly to the elders of the church,
when, al her request, he called them togther,
and made known her disgrace. He tried to
take some of the 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 man
spiritually proud, but now he was more hum
BILE, and if his Heavenly Father had allowed
these things in order to chasien him, the end
had been obtained; he was stricken old man,
but could say, The will of God be done. -
Therefore he besought his brethren not to cast
her forth 10 her disgrace, but TO accept her
confession of error and repentance; to be mer-
ciful, and receive her back TO the church. He
went on 10 say how humbly she had crept to
bis feet, and prayed him to forgive her how
long his wife had spent night after night in
prayer for her fallen child, and so he left her in
their hands, only entreating that they would
deal mercifully with her, and he would bless
them for it.
Willingly would the sympathizing elders
have received the stray lamb again, without
farther humiliation to the broken-hearted old
man but it could not be. The ungodly
were willing 10 visit the sins of individuals
on whole community. The purity of their
church must be preserved-ihe penance ex-
acted.
From the time of that church-meeting, the
Poor ldtner Dent himself earnestly 10 tne
strenthening of his chid's good purposes. He
made no complaint, and strove TO appear-nay,
to be-resigned and cheerful; he still contin-
ued to perform the offices of deacon, although
the erect gait and somewhat dignifed con-
seriousness of worth that formerly distinguished
him, had utterly disappeared. On each sue
| cepdlnu Sabbath his hrethren ohServed sone
new prostraiion of strength. Day by day
his cheek grew thin-his voice hollow, and his
step more and more feeble 1t was pteous
sisht-a man who had been remarkable for
bearing his years so bravely, moving through
the aislss of that old meeting house with down.
cast eyes, and shoulders STOPPING as beneath a
burden At last the mildew of grief began to
wither up the memory of that good man.
When the first indications of this appeared, the
hearts of his brethren yearned toward the poor
deacon with united feeling of deep commiser-
alton. The day of Jnlia's humiliation had
been appointed, and the Sabbath which pre-
ceded 1t, was a sacramental one. The old
deacon was getting very decrepid, and his
friends would have persuaded him from per-
forming the duties, of the day. He shook his
head, remarked that they were very kind, but
he was not i'll, so they let him bear about the
silver cup filled with consecrated wine, as he
had done for twenty years before, though many
an eye filed with tears as it marked the con-