The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-07-11
Column for the Young.
GRANDFATHER's BIBLE.

try house where little Rose was
visiting her grandparents. In the
old-f fashioned kitchen satthe grand
mother, in her black silk gown and
| white cap, by the open window,
reading. from her large Bible, and
fsmelIing the honeysnckle just pick
ed rom the vine. Rose, fresh from
her morning bath, and dressed in a
white muslin frock, stood on the
worn threshold of the door, looking
out on the quiet meadows and
orchard, and thinking that the very
bees, COWS, and chickens were re-
membering the Sabbath-d day.
On the Kitchen table lay a hymn
book and paper-covered catechism.
Rose took them regretfully, and
seated herself on q low stool to
study her lessons. Two hours must
wear away before the village-bell
would call them to the place where
one day is better than a thousand
elsewhere. Tears wet her blue
eyes when she remembered the
Sunday-reading after dinner in her
mothers room, and the hour at the
close of the day, when it seemed
so easy to be good. Grandfather's
Sabbath was surely longer.
Thus unused little Rose on her
cricket, trying to say perfectly
GAIL mankind by the fall lost COM
munion with God" Occasionally,
she glanced at her grandmother,
still reading through her silver
spectacles, and wondered if she
should ever really like to read in a
Bible with large print. Presently,
little Rose opened the door, and
crept noiselessly up smooth, un-
carpeted staircase, to a part of the
house where she always liked to
linger, for the woodwork was made
of the fragrant cedar. She loitered
by o window looking out on the
farm-yard and distant hills, before
she could summon courage to taI
at her grandfather's study door
From the room came a grand SOUND
of strange words melodiously rolled
off. Rose knew they were Greek
and hesitated about disturbing the
reader. There came pause; Rose
hastened to the door, and gave {
timid rap. "Come in" said the
grandfather in o loud tone. Sc
little Rose entered the room o.
which she stood in great awe, fol
the walls were covered with dingy
books of theology, and it did not
seem a place where children could
laugh and play.
"Grandfather," said Rose, in a
faint voice, 81 came to ask you for
a nice story-book to read before
church; Pm so tired of sitting
still" Then Rose looked at the
book-shelves again; among the
rows of leather bound volumes
there did not shine forth one red
and gilt book just suited to little
girl.
GA nice story-book, little child
why, here is one written on purpose
for YOU :" and the old minister
took from an upper shelf one of the
brownest, most dingy books within
sight, to the great dismay of Rose,
who hoped there might be found in
a very high row, one like her pretty
books at home. "Here, child, is
the first Bible I ever had; what a
treasure it has been; truly a lamp
unto my feet, and a light unto my
path;' it is the best book in the
world, and the only one suitable for
the Sabbath-day. Read it, little
granddaughter, all your life, and it
will make you a wise woman"
Rose did not dare to demonstrate.
Taking the old book, and thanking
her grandfather not very heartily,
she closed the door carefully, and
went to her own room to seek some
new amusement. The little white
bed was nicely made, her Sunday
bonnet and cape were laid out with
her gloves and parasol, the dimity
curtains were looped back, and the
blinds closed. Rose took possession
of a large easy-chair by a window,
with nothing to divert her but the
old, time-worn Bible, which she
concluded to open The type was
small, and every now and then the
long, old-fashioned appeared to
bewilder her. Rose happened to
open at the place where it speaks
of Christ's birth. It was easy to
understand the account, there were
no long words to perplex her. She
then readin another place about the
loaves and fishes, which seemed to
her something like large picnic
on the grass.
After church, in the pleasant
simmer evening, Rose, of her own
accord, sought the old Bible again,
and read in another place, making
out the long quite readily.
At tea-time she saidto her grand
mother,-" Grandma, the Bible is
.,sna s...1L - ~