The weekly Butte record., 1862-07-26
NO. 3S

( the Evil oae, then laid himself bowu and began
/ to saore. About midnight be heard the earth
crack, and 10 OF a coalblack horse, roie ou;
OF the cleft a Moorish knight, with long train
Of followers behind himl He dashed down
fariously upon Offer, breathing smoke and Gre.
and in voice Of thuader demanded that he
should bind himself to bis service forever
Not so fast, my friend said Offer. d" I will
try your metal a while first. So he goes for
long time up and down the world with Satan,
and likes his services better than the Empegors
Now il happened, as once they were pro
ceeding along the highway, three old crosses
stood before them OF the road. At this sight
Satan suddenly checked his black horse, and
whispered tremblingly, Let rs steal round by
the fores, path - " Is my master afraid Of the
gallow trees p cried OEer, scornrully. Know
you not said Satan, that the son Of Mary,
who died on the cross. has great power? Take
heed, or it viii be verse for you "Ic that IS
So quOth 0her, good by to your worship
As came to you uncaled. viii make free to
60 unbddeD."
So on he rides. asking Of every traveller be
meets where he shall End the Son of Mary.
Bu. as few carry the Savior in their hearts, he
finds none TO show the way 10 bis dwelling.
At length one evening he reached the cave Of
pious hermit, who lodged him on a bed Of
straw, and refreshed him with food and drink
Father said 0hey, after he had appcased
his hunger, " l have long sought the Son Of
/ Mary, canst thou direct me TO his dwelling 3"
Then the holy man instructed him in the faith,
and bada him. if be would save his soul, TO re
tire into the desert Ike John the Baptist and
spend his life in prayer and fasting. Nay,
good father said Oaer, have no stomach
( for grasspo and honey. If there's no 9TH
er door to Paradise, prefer to stay outside"
Nay my son. said the wise hermit, if thou
hast no calling to spiritual exercises. thou must
try good works e That sounds like reason,
said Offer q" whereto is my strength given me
except for works? What shall I 10 first ?"
" Yonder," said the hermit, flows a swift
/ river, whose current will endure neither boat
nor bridge, obstructing tie way of pious pill
grims to the Holy City. lie; it be thy charge
to bear them safely over on thy back
Willingly cried 0Ieri and forthwith be
built hut beside the stream, aud waited for
the pilgrims. Hour after hour, day after day.
patient as a camel or an elephant, he bore the
pious burden from shore to shore and if any
one offered him money for the servise he said
'' Nay, DO it for eternal life! :"
And so he did for many long year, till his
hair grew white with age At length, on q
dark and stormy night, he heard piteoas cry
calling, Good Offer, gentle Offer, strong Or
fer, fetch me over" Sleepy and weary was
the old man but he remembered the Son Of
Mary, grasped, yawning. the young pine tree
which he used as a staff to help him through
the deep mire and rushing water, and waded
Justify to the other side. But no pilgrim was
/ to be seen he thinks he must have been
dreaming, and trudges back 10 his hut and
lies down again. Scarcely had he forgot him
self when the little, piteous voice again calls,
Good Offer, gentle Offer, strong Offer, fetch
me over ~ He rises patiently the second
time, wades through the stream and looks
about, but can see no pilgrim. So he les
down to sleep again. Then comes once more
the little, piteous voice, now shrill and clear,
" Good Offer gentle Offer, strong Offer, fetch
me over,' The third time he takes his pine
tree staff and steps bravely into the cold. cold
water Now | will find thee" said he, be
thou man or mouse. if l stay up all night for
it." And sure enough, there he found on the
other side little lad in a white mantle with
head of golden curls, from which rayed halo
Of soft light. With one small hand be grasped
o banner, showing a lamb on the blue ground
in the other lay a round globe. His clear
eyes looked up full of smiling trust, into the
face of Offer, who raised him with two fingers
and set him on the top of his head. But his
patience was almost gone. Methinks," be
muttered, the child might as well have gone
a pleasuIing by day light" But as hs de-
sceuded into the deep food, what means it?-
the little one grows heavier than so much lead
Soon the strong man would fain draw him
down on his shoulders. Heavier and heavier
grows the burden Offer sinks into the miry
bottom till the water is almost to his head
Exhausted, with sweat pouring from his face,
/ scarcely able to save himself from drowning.
he at length staggers to the land. sets down
the child, and casts himself upon the earih.-
Little master" he gasps, Sc pray thee go no
further this time have received harm
The child looked upon him with gracious
SMILE spread out bis little hand, and says,
Offer thy sins be forgiven thee! Hence
forth thou shalt be called Christopher, for thou
hast borne the Christ, the Saviour Of The
world, the son Of Mary. Plant thy dry stat
/ in the ground; IN the morning thou shalt be-
hold a sign that is true"