The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-02-24
THE BLIND PREACHER.

cultivation of memory, is that Of the In!
! clergyman. so pleasantly described in the ~
lowing passage, which is copied from li,.,
English writer:
"In nv rambcs last summer. on the lo-
dcrS of Wales, found myself one morninr
alone on the banks Of the beautiful rir, :
Wvc, without 4 scrvan: or guide. had to
ford the river at place where, according e.
! the Instructions CivcE me at the ncarcS, haic
let, if divcrgcd ever so little from the m,rk
which the ripping current made as il pass
over the ledge of rocks, should sink tw-
the depth of myself and horse. Willie |
stood hc>:ta:ins on the margin, viewing att, =
lively the course Of the ford, a person pass !:
me on the car:cr. and the next instant >..
him plunge into :hc river: prcsuminc on h.
acquaintance with the passage. imn,,l,atc;,
ans! closely followed his steps AS soon a v.
had gained the opposite bank, I accos,r,l ,.i-
with many thanks for thc benefit of his O..
dance: hut w!ia: was my a>tonishment wiie-
lu:stinr into 4 hearty laugh. he observe
'ha: my confidence would have been less ia /;
known tha; | had been following a biin
@nid.. The manner of the man, &, veil = :,
the fact. attracted my attention. To nv g.
prc<sions o! surprise at his vcntnrin- 20 Gre :
the river alone. he answered that he and Il,
horse hc rode hal done the same :linc ore.
Sunday morning for the last five wears. H.
that, in reality. this was not the most pcri:ol
part of his weekly rercgrination, as shori
be convinced, if my way led over the mor,-
tain before US. My Journey had no OH :
but pleasure therefore resolved TO attach
myself to my extraordinary corlranion, a,.
soon learned, in our chat, as we wound ~.
steep mountains side. that he was a cicr, =
man and of that class which is the ,li<rra
of our ecclesiastical cstablishment-l H.
TIE country curates, who exist upon t.s
era! stipend of thirty. twenty, and Scmc.in.
fifteen pounds year. This gentleman, ac !:
sixty, had about thirty years before, been e.
gagged in the curacv to which he was no.
travelling, and though it was at the dis.snrc
Of ci.h; Ion. Welsh miles from the place cc
his residence, such was the respect Of his il, :
toward him. that. at the commencement Of i.
calamity, rather than part with him. ,igv
sent regularly, every SUNDAY morning. a
1,.putati on TO guide their old pastor on L.
way. The road. beside crossing tho river :.
had .ln<t passed. led over crassy mountain
on whose top innuHcrab!c and uncertain lc.,,
were constantly forming. but which. never
,i."lcSS, 10y the instinct of his Welsh yon
this blind ran has actually crossed alone r,r
the las: five years, having so long dismis:. i
the assistance of tic guides.
! While our talk bcgui!ed the way. we l.
sen>iby arrived within sight of his little vi
lagc church. which was seated in deep al
narrow vale. .A> looked down upon it. tl:c
bright vcrlurc of the meadows, wi.:rh wc.c
here and there checkered with patches o.
yellow corn the moving herd Of cattle: The
rich foliage Of the groves Of oak, hanging ir-
regularly over its sides; the white houses C
its inhabitants. which sprinkle every corner
of this peaceful retreat; and. above all, tie
inhabitants themselves, assembled in their
best attire, round their place Of worship, al
this gay scene, rushing at once on the vie.,
struck my senses and Imagination more Coz
cibly than can express.
rs VIC entered the church-yarl. the re-
>pcctiui How do YOU do 2 of the yonng, ia,
hearty shakes Of the cid, and the fami'iar
Sambo!s OF the children, showed how thci
old pastor rci.ncl in the hearts of all Aft,
some rr.rc>hmcnt at the nearest ho.lsc. y
went TO the church, where nv veteran rct,
the PRAYERS. psalms, and chapters OF the d.
and then preached a sermon, in mann,r
that could have made no one advert to his To-
of sight. At dinner. which it seems that fonr
of the most substantial farmers of the vale
provided in turn, he related the progress c.
his increased powers of memory. For the
first year, he attempted only the prayers aai
sermons, t!.c bcs. reader Of the parish making
it pride to otliciate fer him in the psalm,
and charlctS: he next undertook the l,'p.
of learning these 10y heart, and at present, ty
continued repetition, there is not psalm or
II. & tl,p 1,pp
pointed for the Sunday service, that he is
not perfect in. lie told me. also. that, hay
mo ~ his little school two sons Of his OWN,
intended for t'.c university, he has, ly hear
u. them continually. committed the greatest
var; Of Homer and Virgil to mcmorv."
BI SnoEr-Why not: What is the r>c
ii dA, ling. Ii given 10 long -win,cIacSs.
tu!y the dictionary. 50 AS It find the precise
so:'l to express .o,:r meaning. Tbs seems
queer rule. but il has cogrnt reasons Tor II,
sc. The reason why some em;,lpv lalf u
ozcn aiirci,c> when one well chosen would
nswcr better. is. .lIa: they cannot recall The
xac: wo:gl,hcy need They fish for another.
aNtlho>c >tylc comes, OF attempt
!. bv Grand wo..l>. si.nii,in. soun4 and
ctErn- else. TO give ia" impression OF kilowl-
Ice. No language .> like Fl; language. iich
j,s not tc.t,c the IDEA, which tue idea ia
expressed does not belit:ie.-.s;>.s.
SH.,Er. - Sonc Ingenious Ya'kcc ',lown
>t" has invented a kind OF Love Letter
H." which is an eiicc,ual SAFEGUARD asains'
tons for breach of promise, as it fades en-
ely from the paper in two months. Ano.i
Yankee purchase a hundred boxes OF T.