The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-10-14

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burden. They were all her neighbors-
many wiusaiaaaHnUkjpd. ,trnlhful friends
who had '@wTtii her II tie same commu-
MON tdJie for years. Yet she could not
meet their eyes, nor force that tnge Of
shame from her pure cheek, but moved
humbly forward, weighed to the dust
with a sense of humiliation and suffering.
A slight, fair creature walked by her
side, p. y shrinking behind her all the
way, pale and dropping. like crushed
lily. 1t was the deacon's daughter, and
the babe was hers, but she was unmarri.
ed. A black dress and a plain, white
vandyke Supplanted the muslin, that in
the days of her innocence had harmon
lied so sweetly with her pure complexion.
The close straw bonnet was the same,
Pntits trimming of pale blue was displac-
e. by white satin ribbon, while the itch
an abundant brown curls that had for
merry droppe' over her neck, were gath,
cred up aud parted plainly over her fore
head. One look she cast upon the con-
gregaton, then her eyes fell, the long
lasbes droo her burning check, and
with downcast- brow she followed her
mother to a seat, but not that occupied by
the old deacon.
There was a slight hustle when she en-
tered, and many eyes were bent on her, a
few from curiosity, more from Commiser-
alton. She sat motionless in the corner
'fthe slip, her head dropping forward,
r. eyes fixed on the small hands
nt.& lay clasped in her lap.
After the little party was seated, a still
ness crept over the house; you might
have heard pin drop, or the rustic of a
silk dress, to the extremity of that large
room. All at once there arose a noise at
the door opposite the pulpit; it was bu
Ia tootstep ringing on the threshold stone,
and yet the people turned their heads and
looked startled, as if something upcom-
mon was about to happen. 1t was only
a handsome, boId-looking young man,
who walked up the aisle With naughty
step and entered pew on the opposite
side from that occupied by the mother
and daughter. and somewhat nearer the
pulpit
A battery of glances was loveled at
him from the galleries, but he looked care
lessy y up, aud even smiled, when young
lady by whom he seated himself drew
back, with look of indignation, to the
farthest corner Of the pew.
The old deacon loo ed up as these bold
foot-steeps broke the silence; his thin
cheek and lip became deadly white, he
grasped the railing couvulsively, half
rose, and then fell forward with his face
on his hands, and remained motionIess
as before. Well might the wronged old
gentleman yield for u moment to the in,
firmities Of human nature even in the
house of God.
That bold man who thus aulaciously
intruded in his presence, had crcpt like a
serpent to bis hearth.stone-had made
his innocent name a by.word, and his
daughter, the child of his old age, creq-
ture for men to handy jests about. But
for him, that girl, now shrinking from the
gaze OF her old friends, would have re
manned the pride Of his home an eve
lamb in the church of God Through
his wiles she had fallen from the high
place of her religious trust, and now, in
the fuIness of her penitence, she had come
forward to confess her fault, and receive
forgiveness of the church she had disgrac.
ed. =
The old deacon had lost his children,
one by one, till this gentle girl alone was
left to him; he had folden love for her,
his latest born, in his innermost heart, till
all unconsciously she had become to it an
idol. The old man thought it was to pun
sh him that God had permitted her to fall
into temptation; he said SO beseechingly,
to the elders of the church, when at her
request, he called them together, and
made known her disgrace. He tried to
take some of the blame upon HIMSELF
SAID that perhaps he had been less indul.
gent than he should have been, and so her
affections had been more easily won from
her home and duty-that he feared he
had been proud man-~spirtuaIly poud,
but now he was more humble--and that
his heavenly Father had allowed this thing
to chasten him; the end had been obtain
ed he was sickened old man, but could
say, "The will of God be DONE" There.
fore he beSought his brethren not to cast
her forth to her disgrace, but to accept
her confession of error and repentance
to be merciful and receive her back in the
church. He went on to say how humbly
she had crept to his feet, and prayed him
to forgive her; how his wife had spent
night after night in prayer for her fallen
child, and so he left her in their hands
only entreating that they would deal mer-
cifully with her, and he would bless them
for it.
Willingly would the sympathizing Ell.
ders have received the stray lamb again
without further humiliation to the bro
ken hearted old man; but it could notbe
The ungodly were not unwillaSn
tho sins of an individual o.
munity. Rhe narii