Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-10-12
MIS- l. Ill A n Y.
CATCHING A SUNBEAM
ny EArE.

10 glauuen lne thttns but iuto noN icN
heart, do they find their way2 The earth
upon winch our minds dwell. like the mate
rial earth has its dense forests, It's deep, din
valleys. iis dark caves and cavsrns into
which the sunlight rarely, II ever comes.
I, would seem as IL many pccpl, loved these
gloomy shades. and hid themselves. Of
choice, away from the bright and beautiful
sunshine. They carry shadows IN their
hearts and shadows on their faces. When
they come into your prc'cncv i, seems as II
the air was suddenly darkencd by passing
.loud.
Mr.. Hickman was one Of these men, who
walk Tor the most part, in dark rallcy', or
.it in drc,ry caverns. Rarely, il ever, on
returning homo, did he bring light into his
dwelling. II there WAS merry laughter
among the children on hls entrance. their
voices were hushcd, II loves lighI bcamcd
from tho coun,enance Of his wife. m she
,ported with her li,,lc ones, Il faded away,
giving place toa sIb'r. thoughtful, hall
troubled look. llc always came home
bringing a shadow with him. and sat, for
the most part, in this shadow through all
the chccrlc-. evenings.
why was this Was there a great trou.
ble m the hear, Of Mr. Hickman? Had he
passed through s,mo depressing misfortune,
or suffered some terrible ,alic,ion? ~.
II was a. we'll with him a. with most peo-
ple-bct,er than with a very large number.
Ills husincs was prosperous, and every year
be adlci many thousands ~ dollars 60 his
rapidly aceumulaiins fortune. Bui be was
no, man possessing an orderly adjusted
mind-was easily disturbed by trih''. and
annoyed by incidents thl, should NJ, have
affected him any moro than the butring Of
hy. lIut the real cause lay deeper and
more hidden. grounded In an lnorlIna,e sci.
f,hncs.. that robbed him Of tho pleasure
wh.ch mi sh, have attended success, through
envy Of Others good fortune. lle was
r,lou. Of hi' compccr' IN business, anl Al.
way. experienced diagrcrablc sensation
when l,e heard them spoken Of as success.
ful. W wonder that sunlight could not
End it, way into hi, hcuri Envy and ill
will, burn in whn, hear, they may, always
send up black smoke that obscure. the hca
,cn.. The j. there. shinin: a. bright.
IL a. ever, but ~. rays cannot psns trate
,hi. cloud Of passion. W day passed IN
which something dI not otcur to disturb
or cloud tho m,nd " Mr.. Hickman and %
evening after evening ho came home, bring.
ins with him shadow instead II sunlight.
. on. what drsccration of home was this
home. where the h'art'' sunlight should ev.
cr dwell. and hcarl.warmth pcr,ads all
the sweet atmosphere. Nothing OF cIter.
nal good was denied by Mr.. Hickman to
hi, family. They had all of happiness that
money could buy. ", tar from blPpincs.
wers his wiic and children. They were
dropping COR sun,hlns-.tho sunshine OF
smiles AMI plcasan, words, aud joyous
laughter. But these came NJ, from Mr..
Hickman. H. at among them grim and
gloomy. for the most part. like some som.
bcr heather d,yinity-hali dreaded, half
rropiua'ei
Mr.. Hickman wa. not 50 siolii but that
be- Jaw in thi. the existence Of wrong
H. loved b., wife AMI children, desired their
gooI. and va. ready 70 make almost any
sacrifice Tor them that be- knew how to
make. Even a. hc.l, modify in hi' home,
conscious that hi, presence rested like a
nightmare on the spirits Of his wife and
children he would say to him'clf-
"Thi. /. not righ,. | should bring home
pleisau, word, and cheerful smiles "
Yet almos, as he said this would his
though. 90 back tn some incident Of the
day. which mere self,hne.s gave power to
disturb biz feelings, and b, would 90 OF
again into a brooins state Of mind, out Of
which he had not resolution enough 10 M,
himself. Often /, happened that hi' chill.
Lren sought, in the outgu.hing cladness
Of their hearts, TO break the spell that was
on him-but almost always he repused
them-some,imcs coldly, some fretrully and
sometimes in sudden angcr-so that at last,
they rarely came near or spoke to him, as
he sat through his silent evenings
Wrong. all wrong" Mr.. Hickman Of.
ten said TO himself. a. the shadow fcll da: k.
er on hls home. But a knowledge Of the
evil did not bring a knowledge Of the cure
or. rather tha, self couques, which must
precede cure. lie mus, lot the sunshine
come into liIs own heart ere he could pour
forth i,s rays on other hearts. lie must
come out of the dense forests and gloomy
valleys and dusky caverns, into the clear
sunshine but how was he to come out ?
Who was to lead him forth2
One day, as Mr.. Hickman "a, in his
counting room conversing with a gentleman,
lad came IN from the store to ask him
some question about business. Mr llick.
man replied in curt way, and tho lad
went out.
"what is that boys name ?" asked tie
gentleman.
Prank Elward.. was replied.
IL thought so. Hes fnO boy. How
long has he been with you?"
"About three months"
"Does he give satisiacuOn?"
"Yos."
am pleased to hear il. His mother
lives in cur neighborhoOd, and my wife