Smyrna times., 1857-08-05

meath his heels, be gave ten dollars to some
benevolent institution
| He was just man--the gallows and jai
always found him faithful and answering
| advocate. -..s ........
And now he is dying man--see! AS he
sits upon the bed of death, with the dollar in
bis clenched hand.
Obi holy dollar. object of his lifelong pur-
suit, what comfort hast thou now for him in his
pains of death!
| AT length the dying man revived and dicta-
| ted his will. II was strange to see the mother
and son and lawyer muttering, and sometimes
wragling beside the bead OF death. All the
while the tesiator clutched the dollar in his
right hand.
While the will was being made, the preacher
came--even he who held the pastoral charge
of tho great church, whose pew-doOrs bore
sanity names on silver plates, and whose seats
on Sabbath-day groaned beneath the weight of
responsibility, breadcloth and satin.
He came and said his prayers decorously and
in measured words-but never once did the
dying man release his hold of the dollar.
"Can't you see I'm going!" at length said
the rich man, turning frightened look towards
the preacher.
The preacher, whose cravat was ofthe whit
est, took a book with golden clasp, from
marble table.
And he read
"And say unto you It is easier for a camel
to go thr6agh the eye of needle, than for Il
rich man to enter the kingdom Of God"
"Who said these ords-who-whe!" fairly
shrieked the dying man, shaking the hand which
clenched the dollar at the preachers head.
The preacher hastily turned over the leaf
and did not reply.
"Why did you never tel me of this before
Why did you never preach frsm it as sat in
YOUR church! Why--why!
The preacher did not reply, but turned over
another leaf But the dying man would not be
comorted.
"And it is easier for camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for rich man to en-
ter the kingdom of God, is it Then what's to
become ef me! Am rich! What tenunt did
| ever spare-what debtor did | ever release !
And you stood up Sunday after Sunday and
preached to W., and never sad one word about
the camel!'
The preacher. in search of consolng pas-
nc, turned rapidly over the leaves, and in his
Confusion, came to this passage, which he read !;
"Go now ye rich men, for the miseries thut
| shall come upon you. ur gold and silver are
cankered, and the rust of them shall be wit
ness against you; and shall cat your flesh as it
were FIRE; you have heaped treasures together
for the last day. Behold the hire of the labor
ers who have reaped down your fields which Is
Of you kept back, crieth and the cries of them
which have reaped are entered into the ears OF
the Lord of Sdbbaoth -
And yet you never preached that to met"
shreked the dying man.
The preacher, who had blundered through
the passage from James which we have quoted
knew not what to say. He was, perchance,
terrified at the very look of his dying parish
| ioner.
Then the wife, drawing near. strove TO corn
fort him, and then the son, (whO had been read
ing the will,) attempted a word or two of con
ISOLATION.
And with the dollar in his hand. he sank int
death, talking Of stock, of rent, of copper mint
and canal, oftenant and debtor, until the breath
left his lips. Thus he died
When he was cold the preacher rose ant
asked the LAWYER whether the deceased hat
left anything to such and such a charitable go
ciety, which had been engrafted upon tht
preachers church.
And the wife closed his eyes and tried 4
wrench the dollar from his hand, but in vain
He clutched it as though it were the only ga
vior to light him through the darkness Of eter
nifty.
And the son sat down with dry eyes, an
thought OF the hundreds and thsusua ads whic
wore his own.
Next day there was a hearse followed by
: train of carriages nearly a mile in length
There WAS crowd around the open grave, a n
1 an elegant sermon upon the virtues Of the de
ceased, by the preacher
s There was a tiutlering of the Grape badges
y and rolling of carriages, and-no tears. The
left the dead man, and returned to the palace
, where sorrow died even us the Grape was take
\ irum the door.knob.
d And in the grave the dead hand still clutche
! the DOLLAR.