Eastern times., 1856-04-17


And cursed is he who, in such general sus-
fering, withholdeth the corn-the people shall
curse him. saith the Almighty But blessed
is he who selleth it, Sir, you may keep your
countenance! You may harden your heart
like adamant! 1t is you 1 mean! 1t is for
you, if possible to save your soul, that preach
to-day! Before you, in the name of God,
place blessing and cursing. Choose you this
day which you will have! Choose to be
cursed by the people, or be blessed by your
God =
These words rung like steel beating upon
an anvil but the anvil was not harder than
the rich mans heart. He rose and left the
church, locked the pew, put the key into his
pocket, and strobe forth, followed by the
curses of the people, as the Lord had said.
That very night barque, laden with wheat
and hay, driven in by distress from her course,
made an anchorage in the harbor four miles
from the village church: The minister went
on board OF her and secured the whole cargo
for his people; and for twenty -four hours, day
and night, hundreds of the country folks were
were focking to the shore and filling their
sacks, and returning joyfully to their homes.
The price paid by them was so much more
than the captain could have got at St. Johns,
where the vessel was bound, that he regretted
not the providential market the winds that
had carried away his masts had drifted him TO-
Yet the price paid was sixty per cent. less than
the Squire had asked, (even if he would have
sold)
When the rich man heard of this relief, he
at first regretted that he had not sold but he
comforted himself by saying
This will not last longer than snow
There will be no more shipwrecks. They will
want corn as much four weeks hence, as last
week. When this wind-fall is gone they will
cry for more, and then 1 will begin TO sell, and
at my own prices l will double my fortune
by this famine, preach parson and curse peo-
pie never SO much! That corn sermon has
cost the reverend medder in my affairs half
his salary for paid full half Of it: and one
of his first families. l never enter that church
again while he is the incumbent
AT length the corn which God had sent the
people was consumed; and the winter set in,
and people began to turn their eyes towards
the twenty thousand bushels which the Squire
had in store.
He will now sell. they said one TO an
other, 'as he is our sole dependence, and can
get his price but we will have TO pay six
prices since our good parsons sermon. But
the minister was right, though the Squire will
never forgive him.
At length the Squire made it known that on
the first day of December he would sell corn
and wheat and hay to all comers.
This news was joyfully received. By eight
O'clock in the morning not less than three hun
dred people, with horses and teams, were as
sembled near the great barns. They were ca
ger to learn the price that the Squire would
ask them. AT length his steward came out,
and made known that for hay they must pay
twelve dollars bale, for corn four dollars
bushe, or FIVE ground, and for wheat five dol
lars bushel, or six ground into -four!
Necessity knows no law. The people muir
INJURED, but life is more than money; and glad
10 relieve their wants at any cost, they drew
near as The steward opened the doors. But
there came forth such an effluvium Of putrid
air, that he started back several feet. The rot
ten smell spread on the atmosphere, and reached
the people.
The corn has the rot in il -
Ii is>alI decayed and spoiled y said dozen
voices.
The rich man, who was approaching with
smiles, and Furnishing his gold-hesded cane,
said eagerly 10 the steward =
What is thati What is it you say
The man, who had just opened one sack, an
swered =
Il believe, sir, the whole Of the corn is rot
ten
Impossible = cried the rich man, rushing
into the storehouse, pale and trembling. But
the effluva drove him back.
A dozen sacks were now opened by the peo-
pie, and The corn was rotien and worthless J
In nther parts Of the great building the same
rottenness was discoyered-and the deeper they
went the worse ii was, SO that no man could
remain in the building. The rich man ran
frautically TO The other barn, the new and lar
ger one, and ordered it to be opened. Here, if
possible, matters were worse The whole
mass was hot and smoking with spontaneous
combustion, and as the air entered, it burst in
10 flames.
The rich man stood gazing upon this vista
tion of God, as all felt it 10 be, with eyes rigid
Iy set with despair. The whole vast structure
was soon enveloped in fierce confagration.-
The sparks ignited the roof Of the other barn,
which also took fire, and at once The hopes of
the rich man were consuming TO ashes. The
people, unable TO aid, stood by with awe, and
seemed 10 see the finger of God manifested in
retrlbulion that day. But divine vengeance
was not YET satisfied The wind bore fakes Of
fire towards the great house, which ALSO ig-
nited and in two hours the full barns, and the
lordly mansion Of the withholder Of corn, were
! IL l.