Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-10-12


/ sea a feeble. sickly boy with bis head
.,wed AZ his mothers knee, bis hands vi
-Iasped and his lips uttering a lsping 10
prayer a very feeble prayer to reach so re
lar vet whispered as Il was, II ascended to
he Great Throne, borne upward by the p
strong fervid suplicaiion Of her who brought
him into being, aud now sheltered him be- Il
meath her strong love. / saw her borne TO
her grave, aud the boy, as yet child, left I
TO tho care Of strangers, beneath whose
neglect the lessons Of his childhood we're
swept away His nature became stern, 4
he grew up cold aud hardened man, strong
10 fight the great battle Of life, and struggle
for the rewards Of earth, without oue tho't
OF her who had sheltered his young life, |
without Que thought Of the great reckoning |
80 come. Again see him in his youth
plodding, striving man. with earnest, anx'
ious brow and toiLhardened hands He is
sitting at a table with a book in his hand,
well thumbrd and worn. II marks the
progress Of his gains, and be pours aud
pouders over il, turning from it only to
look at small box near by which holds
those gains, the story of which is written
in the book. Upon shelf near by lies an
other book. 1t is dust.covered, and has
been undisiurbed for months spider has
woven bis web around it, and rests there
10 security. II is book Of promises which
never fail
Obed turned uneasily 10 his bed. i
know it well, mutlered he. My mothers
Bible. She gave IL wheu / was boy,
very little boy.
The gil did not seem 10 hear bin. Prom
ises made when the earth was in its infancy
and humanity was tainted Grst with sin
Promises which have ever been rewarded,
ss man's wants called them into birth, aud
whose glad realization shall exist when
earlh& man be swept away aud time itself
merged in the great ocean of which 1t forms
drop eternity.
Obcd raised his eyes, but he could not
bear the earnest, mysterious gaze that met
his own He trembled at her words aud
yet be could not but love aud reverence
her, for be felt their truth like holy writ
Speak, charge you, said be with half
imploring, hslfshrinkiug gesture let me
know the worst, who are your
Hear the rest, answered the girl. From
childhood until now there was one cou-
missioned from on high to guard aud direct
the footsteps Of that man as be jonrneyed
along the road which leads to the dark
valley aud to point out the seeds OF good
works which might be sowed on earth, and
yield a glorious harvest for the garners of
eternity. But be would none o. her coun-
sell be needed not her whsperings. Scar
ed in conscience and 6Dt in heart, be turned
away from the calls of heaven and fixed
his eyes on earth.
o my child my child do not rebuke me
thus. said the wretched man clasping his
bands, and bowing his bead upon them.
II ] we're hard 10 others | was never so to
thee. II abored to become rich, it was
that you might enjoy it. If l loved gold,
Il pefied all to get it, it was because my
love for you was greater than all elss Do
not speak thus. l cannot bear il.
He bowed his his head upon his elasped
bands, and the tears trickled through bis
fingers.
Your love TO me was the last hope OF
heaven. The guardian spirit took her
station at your side through life. In form
your child, the object Of your love and care
but still your guardian, with the same SOL
emn duties, With the same high trust COM
mitted to her, aud with that holy love alone
as The golden chain to lead you from earth
TO heaven. With mortal form came mortal
fraties, but far above all earthly cares was
tLe high holy purpose for which sue came.
Nov tell ME before 60, for earth is passed
with ne foreTer, was | recreaDt TO my
trdst 2
The old man srLke not, for bis heart
was filed with It's own communiugs. The
memory Ct the past was sweeping through
his mind, wasted opportunities, the great
omissions, time SPEEDING on and pointing to
sge decrepitnde and death. lie dared
not answer. At last the words, My child,
burst from bis full heart Speuk Que word of
pardon for the past There was no response.
Once more he looked up. His Idaugbter
lay lifeIess before him. With a wild cry
be aung himself at her side.
Esther, dear child Of my heart guardian
spirit whoever thou art, come back oh
leave me not forever
The lifeless form moved not and as he
struggled to raise her from the ground he
saw standing at her side the semblanee Of
her,elf, ETHEREAL as phantom, sereny beau.
tiful, yet calm and plsiooless as ice. lie
stretched out his hand implorngly.
II thou art she who has been lifelong
at my side, to keep me from sin, come
back By Him who died upon the cross,
implore it. BY Him VINO heard the dy.
ing cry Of one who led life of crime, aud
sought bis mercy only in the throes Of death,
aud pardon for His holy sake, pardon and
return.
Man ! replied the spirit, can never
again be child Of thine. While mortal
means could lead you right, my errand was
on earth. That time is past the future is
in the hand Of Him whom We all obev
Yet hear me once again. said the Tretcb.
cd man rising up aud confronting the form
whose dim outline was Swallowed still he
fore him. BY your own value Of man
salvation as you wonld not abandon hv
man soul to perditioD, aud eonsgn it
woe, charge you desert me not in this n
hour Of utmost need and deepest agon
when.'all that is good within me is batlliI
for. life agOinst the power of evil Daug
ter spirit whatever you are you dal
not thus desert me for whose redempIo
such price was paid. There is promi:
in bo hopk upb bfah x,ou off