Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-12-08
SeItttsS Calf.
THE CROCK OF GOLD.
BY
MARTIN FARoUHAR TUPPER,
AUTHOR OF
''PR0vERBIAL PHILOSOPHY
CHAPTER XI.

sleep.
GRACE, in her humble truckle-bed,
lay prying for her father; not about
his trouble, though that was much, but
for the spots of sin she could discern
upon his soul.
Alas, an altered man was Roger Ac-
ton; almost since morning light. the
leprosy had changed his very nature.
The simple-minded,, Christian, toll
ing in contentment for his daily bread,
cheerful for the passing day, and trust
full for the coming morrow, this fair
state was wcllnigh faded away whilst
a bitterness of feeling against [ in one
word) GOD,-against unequal parti-
alities in providence, against things as
they exist, and this worlds inexpli-
cable government,-was gnawing at
his very heart-strings, and cankering
their unbelief. II is speedy process;
throw away faith with its trust for the
past, love for the present, hope for the
future,-and you throw away all that
makes sorrow bearable, or Joy lovely !;
the best of us, if God withheld his
help, would apostatize like Peter, ere
the cock crew thrice and, at times,
that help has wisely been withheld, to
check presumptuous thoughts, and
teach how true it is that the creature
depends on the Creator. Just SO we
suffer a wilful little child, who is tot
tering about in leading-strings, to go
alone for a minute and have gentle
fall. And just so Roger here, desert
ed for time of those angelic minis
trations whose efficiency is proved by
godliness aud meekness, by patience
and content, is harrassed in his spirit
as by harpies, by selfshness and pride,
and fretful doubtings; bya grudging
hate of labor, and fiery lust of gold.
Temptation comes to teach weak man
that he was fitted for his station, and
his station made for him that fulfil
ment Of his ignorant desires will make
his case the worse and that
Providence alike Is wise
In what He gives, and what denies.
Meanwhile, gentle Grace, on her
humble truckle-bed, is full of prayers
and tears, uneasily listening to the in
distinct and noisy talk, and hearing,
now and then, some louder oath Of
Ben's, that made her shudder. Yes,
she heard, too, the smashing sound
when the poacher flung the money
down, and she feared il was a mug or
u plate-no slight domestic loss (; and
she heard her fathers strange cry,
when he gave that wondering shout of
Joyous avarice, and she did not know
what to fear. Was he i'll? or crazed :?
or worse,-iallen into bad exceses?-
How she prayed for himl
Poor Ben, honest-hearted Ben, she
thought Of him in charity, and pleaded
for his good before the Throne of Mer-
cy. Who knows but Heaven heard
that sanity virgin prayer? There is
love in Heaven yet for poor Ben
Burke.
And If she prayed for Ben, with
what an agony Of deep felt. inter-
cession did she plead for Thomas Ac-
ton, that own only brother of hers, just
a year the younger TO endear him all
the more, her playmate, care and
charge, her friend and boisterous pro-
tector. The many sorrowing hours
she had spent for his sake, and the
thousand generous actions he had done
for hers. Could she forget how the
stripping fought for her that day,
when rude Joseph Green would help
her over the stile I? Could she but re-
member how silly he had put aside,
for more than half year, a little heap
of copper earnings'-weeding g-money
and errand-moRey, and haryest-money
and then bounteously spent il all al
once in giving her Bible on her birth
day? And when, coming across the
fields with him after leasing, years ago
now. that fierce black bull of Squire
Ryle's was rushing down upon us both
how bravely did the noble boy attack
him with a stake, as he came up bel
lowing, and make the dreadful mon
ster turn away! Ahl | looked death
in the face then, but for thee, my
brotherl Remember him, my God,
for goodl
Poor father poor father well, I'm
Il
resolved upon enc thing: I'll go, with