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

down. cast eyes ald shoulders stJopng az
beneath burden. At last, the mldew
Of grief began to wither up the memory
of that good old man. When the first
indication Of this appeared, the hearts Of
his brethren yearned towards the poor
deacon, with united feeling of deep
commisoration. The day Of JuIia 5 hu
initiation had been appointed, and the
Sabbath which preceded it was sacra
mental one. The old deacon was getting
very decrepit, and his friends would have
persuaded him from performing the du-
ties of the day. He shook his head, re-
marked that they were very kind, but he
was not i'll, so they permitted him to bear
the silver cup around, filed with wine, as
he had done for twenty years before, tho
many an eye filled with tears as it mark
ed the trembling Of that hand, which
more than once caused the cup to shake,
and the wine to run down its sides to the
floor There was an absent smile upon
his face when he came to his daughters
seat On finding it empty, he stood be.
widered, and looked heIplessly around
upon the congregation, e if he would
have inquired why she ' not there
Suddenly he seemed to rec, llect; NOR
tai paleness oyerspread his face. The
wine cup dropped from his hand, and he
was led away, crying like a child.
Many of the brethren visited the afflic-
ted man during the next week, They al.
ways found him in his orchard, wander
ing about under the happy boughs and
picking up the withered green apples
which the worms had eaten away from
their unrpe stems. These he diligently
boarded away near large sweet briar
bush, which grew in corner Of The rail
fence On the next Sabbath he appeared
in the Westinghouse, accompanied by the
minister as we have described, to be out
ragged in the house of God by the presence
of the man who had desolated his home.
1t is little wonder that even tn ere his Just
wrath was for, a moment kiudled. The
services began, and that erring girl listen
ed to it as one in a dream. Her heart
seemed in painful sleep; but when the
minister closed the Bible and sat down,
the stiffness made her start A keen sense
of her position came over her. She cast
frightened look toward the pulpit, and
then sunk back pale and nervous. Her
trembling hand wandered in search of her
mothers. The old lady looked on her
with fond grief, whispered soothing
words, and tcnderly pressing the little
hand that had so impIoriugly besought
her pity. Sill the poor girl trenbIed and
shrunk in her seat, as if she would have
crept away from every human eye.
The minister arose, his face looked
calm, but the paper which contained the
young girls confession shook violently in
his hand as be unrolled it. Julia knew it
was her duty to arise. She put forth her
hand, grasped the carved work of the
seat, and stood upright till the reading
was finished, staring all the time wildly in
the parsons face as if she wondered what
il could be all about. She sat down a.
gain, pressed a hand over her eyes, aud
seemed asking God to give her strength.
The minister descended from the pulpit,
for there was another ceremony yet, a
baptism of the infant. The gentle, erring
girl was to go up alone with the child of
her shame, that it might be dedicated to
God before the congregation. She arose
with touching calmneSs, took the babe
from her mothers arms, and stepped into
the aisle.
She wavered at first, and keen sense
of shame dyed her face and very hands,
with a painful flush of crimson, but as
she passed the pew where young Lee was
sitting, an expression of proud anguish
On her counenance, her eyes
filled with tears. and she walked steadily |
forward to the communion table, in front
of her fathers seat.
There was not fearless eye in that
congregation. Aged, stern men, bowed |
their heads to conceal the sympathy be-
trayed there. Young girls, careless, light
hearted creatures, who, never, perhaps,
dreaming of tho frailty of their own ma
lures, had reviled the fallen girl, now
wept and sobbed to see her thus humbled.
Young Lee became powerfully agitated;
his breast heaved, his face flushed holly,
then turned very pale, and at last he star
ted up, flung open the pew door, and hur-
ried up the aisle with a disordered, un-
natural step.
"What name?" inquired the parSon,
bending towards the young mother, as
he took the child from her arms.
Before she had time to speak. Lee was
by her side, and answered in a loud,
stern voice
"That of his father, James Lee
The trembling of the poor girls frame
was visible through the whole house; her
hand dropped on the table, and she leant
heavily on ittog,support, but did not look
up. The minister dipped his hand into
the antique china bowl sprinkIed the ba.
bY'siorehead, ard a clear voice pronounc-
= -. .tsintcry broke from tie
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