True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-15
SEBistellalltg,
TOWN TALK.
sOxErHrNa ABOUT FArHEA TAYLOR.


and father of his congregation, old hon.
sss Father Taylor, laying his reverend hand
upon the head of the bereaved widow, gave
expression to sympathy of his heart in such
words--"The Lord have mercy upon us,
for we are widoww All! well may that
Hock Ofpassage birds who make up the con-
gregation at the Seaman's Bethel be proud
ofthat old grey head in their pulpit though
he does rush the birthstone and bluefre
rather too steep for comfort! There is not
one am ongst them upon whose head, first or
last, his reverend hand has not lain in bless
ings; there is not heart upon which, in
times of deep affection, his holy words have
not fallen like dew from heaven; there is
not husband and wife in his congregation
whose hands he has not united till death
shall them part; there is not a child amongst
thep, whose birth has not been sanctitied
by his imploring words, there is not
mound in the graveyard over whose dust
be has not wept and prayed, as he would
weep and pray should some gem from his
own freside go out from his gaze, to sleep
with the GUNNER blossoms above them
such tears and prayers asyou who worship
10 gilded palaces, whose needless adornment
would have fed hundred starving sinners,
could never dream of-such tears and pray.
srs as lay hold upon the promises Of God,
and will not be denied! Oh, live, if you
will, slave to that religion which circles
all around the heart but never touches
ground! worship, where selfshness passes
forreligion, and hypocrisy for truth--where,
to pass current, you must advocate chris
tianity to live by, and not to die by; but
give me the old honest teaching of q less
comfortable creed, so it comes to me in
that sincerity ofsoul which blazes out from
the rugged, manly heart Of old Father Tay-
lor!
"7hs Lord haze mercy upon, us for ace
are pidop! Nor is it the widow alone
whose tears cease to flow in view of such
consolation. A bright young heart has
ceased its beating, and bereaved mother
sorrows over the fragile little bud, laying
80 still and white before her. Baby is dead!
There are crowds to wonder at the mothers
passionate grief, to talk to her of the sin
fulness of her sorrow, and tell her how
much better off it is among the angels
Useless useless all! The old minister
knows, mayhap, from bitter experience,
that it is useless! BE knows how that
tiny bud had twined and braided itself with
her Misunderstanding! He knows how
love and hope had blossomed to her mind
in its onward pathway and he tells her to
weep her fill, for there is no sin in the
tears shed for the early dead; so he tells her
to weep for the dear, fond face she will miss,
yearn for, but never see again!-tO weep
for the soft dimpled arms whose close clas-
ping she yill remember, mourn for, but
never feel again!--to weep for the little
golden had nestlingand childish confidence
to her tbsom, which she will pine for, dream
of buI wake to loneliness and desolation!
He tells her to weep for the child-angel,
called home before the faint of earth was
on its wing; but while she weeps, to remem-
Der that there is Father above us, who
will have mercy upon her because her heart
Is widowed of its infant love!
THE Lord haze mercy upon us for pe
are wiaor!" There is treachery where
there should have been love, and the dear
est friend ever knew comes to me with
those words upon her lips! With pure,
high heart, passionate and devoted in its
bearings, fate threw in her path one
every way qualified to win the enthusias-
tic devotion Of spirit formed to love but
once, and that once forever! I need not
tell you how she loved. 1 should fail in
language to convey sense of the utter ex-
clusiveness, the almost morbid devotion she
lavished upon him. His word, his look,
his smile--there was nothing else for her
In the wide earth but them! But the world
saw her in her earnestness, lavishing the
wealth Of her soul upon his shrine, and
grew envious Of the happiness which radia-
ted her life. The scandal, with its poison
ed sting, wreathed itself around her, tur.
ming "triAeS light as air" into seeming in
Oonstancy, with which his ear was feasted!
And he believed it-believed that she who
had given him her life, had made an unholy
use of his affection! Prayers, tears, en-
treaties, all were in vain; he left her with
acOld glance, and bitter words. which ne
yer could be unspoken. And then her
heart brokel Oh, that the Almighty would
infict upon the Slanderer one half of the
suffering she endures. That the dreary
days which seem never to have an end
the drearier nights which are dedicated tc
Anane nv1 ,,,o,,o.s g..