Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-25
THE DREAM OF CALEB EDNONDS.


such hypocrisy"
There was a dark frown upon the brow of the
man OF business as he spoke these words and an
irritability in his manner of turning over the
leaves before him, which spoke Of some bad debt
troubling his mind, and robbing him of his good
temper.
What is the matter2" asked a cheerful lit
tie woman by the fire, at whose side a basket ot
stockings told of large family, and a conse-
quent demand for stitchery.
Natter. echoed the husband do you not
and sixpence?"
Well, he will pay, suppose"
"Nothe. The goods were purchased more than
year ago, and have not had a penny YETI
-" Whatdoes he say when you see him2" asked
Mrs Edmonds, who evidently loved to look at
the bright side.
"Say. He does not say much to me, can
tell you. 1 told him not to worry me with his
excuses, but to bring his money; and that he
need not cross my door step again till he could
do that
g am sorry for his wife" said the little
stocking mender, presently: "she appears to be
truly piOuS woman.
Pious,' retorted her husband Yes, and
so is he; tbs thatdisgusts me- Religion, indeed,
and he owes ME four pounds, ten and sixpence
Il thought the Bible said 'Owe no man any,
thing. Christianity, fOrsoOth.''
Mr. Caleb Edmonds was n highly respectable
q
substance; for business had prOspered with
him He was industrious and Obliging rising
early, working hard and thus from the small
beginnings he had risen to the possession of
considerable wealth. But, although an excel
lent man of business, Mr.. EdmOnds was a very
ordinary Christian. True, he had brgmn the
race, hut he did not press toward the mark
Alas, for the cares of this world and the deceit
fulneSs Of riches, And rs it is characteristic of
low standard of piety to he harsh and censori-
Gus IN our Judgment of our fellow christians so
Mr. Edmonds, when he heard of any defect in
the character of professors around him, was al
ways the first to exclaim, Christianity, in
deed"
Is not this too common with us alI1 Do we
not, even if we give no expression to our
thoughts doubt and hesitate much more than
we should doubt and hesitate, regarding the
reality of the religion Of our . Ready to halts''
and Feeble minds - Do we not set up a
standard of perfection for our fellows, which
were too Lofty, IN our view, as standard for
ourselves And are we not too ready to ex-
claim against the wandcrings of Others even
while Icc turn aside into forbidden paths?
Perhaps such thoughts as these had passed
through the mind of Mrs. EdmOnds as She sat
over her work; for when she rose to leave her
basket for some more active household duty she
bent over her husband for a moment and said
gently, Caleb, l do not like to hear you say
Christianity, indeed as you did lust now
Suppose your fellow-christians were to Judge of
You as harshly as you of them, You often say
it, she continued hastily . you doubted John
Watsons rel igion yesterday, because he lent
money to your rival; and ThOrntOn's, because
he opposes you in business; and you shook your
head about Miss Milwood's piety because she
r. argued with you against total abstinence
Judge not that We be not Judged"
Long after his yjfe left him these words rang
in Caleb's ears" Judge not '"
As Iozf ha in fha pl
sleeping and waking-for business was very
dull, and he could spare half an hour for rest
a vision stole upon him. and he passed, in ina
Sination, rapidly through the scenes which fol-
low:
AT first he found himself in the front parlor
Of house in q very quiet neighborhOOd, and
is-the presence of three maiden ladies, whose
names he knew very well. They had their feet
upon the fender, and-their knitting laid aside
were evidently discussing the affairs of their
neighbOrs.
ssSuch pride ;" said the elder lady, whose
name was Rayby; what will come next,
wonder
The most fashionable boarding school in
r., assure You, said anOther-Miss Phil
lip.
:. All >" said Miss Rayby. " and can rcmem-
Der the time-Of course was re,y young, then,
hut still l can remeinber-when Caleb Ed
mpnds swept ORt his own shop
Dear me and now he has the upstart i'm
pudence to send his girl to such school
that" exclaimed Miss Sophia MilwoOd, the
spinstcr who had not yet spoken. oh, the
pride Of human nature.
And he a professor, too.
Professor, too,
Professor said Miss Rayby ''religion does
not teach a man such absurd pride as that
Miss Phillip shook her head, and began 10
lament the increase of false professors.
We'll, thought Caleb, II believed that in
spending some of my cash upon the education
of my children, l could not go very wrong, but
i find am misunderstood, even here
The next scene was the drawing room of the
John Watson of whom Mrs. EdmOnds had spo-
ken. A lady was making tea behind a silver
urn and gentleman-her husband-sat beside
her.
Poor Thompson, said Mrs. Watson-:or it
was she-.'I trust he will succeed.
He 0brH, If by Gods blessing, can COM
pass it q.
He is n very deserving young man, contin-
ued the lady; 1.-The manner in which he bore
the loss of all his property would win esteem,
even if he had no other claim
Mr. Watson did not reply his mind had wan
deTed to another branch of the subject. That
Caleb EdmOnds, he said at length. II am sur
Prised at the illfeeling he displays
Towards Thornton
Yes, he is evidently annoyed at the opening
OF another shop so near his own; whereas in the
principal street Of a town like this he should
have expected competition. Besides, he has
made a little fortune, and has nothing to fear
yet he will not treat George Thornton with or
dinary ciyilty.'
Il thought he was a religious man. said
Mrs. Watson.
He pyetenis to be-" replied her husband"
!, bat have not such faith in q religion which
Ebrings forth so little fruit "
aoi Poor Caleb, his wife's words-the Masters
rNrrll 1a6 in LoI
never done before meeting with a responsive
: echo is his heart.
Again a change, and Mr. Edmonds found him
self beside sickly looking woman, who, lean
ing on her husbands arm, walked slowly to
wards the house Of prayer. 1t was impossible
10 look without interest upon her pale and snx-
ious face-a face which had once been beautiful;
and equally impossible to disregard the careful
tenderness with which her steps were guided by
the strong man at her side Their conversation