Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-06-03

Il have tried to learn that lesson be
fore, and thought, when no trials wer,
upon me, that / had succeeded. | know
1t must be wrong-this angry and revenge
ful spirit-and | have tried at times Il
stltie 1t in my heart, but it will not die
1t fingers there, poisoning and pol!uting
all within me. | have tried to pray, but
1t has risen up like black cloud, hiding
the face of my Heavenly Father, and
81 have felt as if deserted by God and man.
God sometimes hides His face and
suffers US to walk in our own strength
that We may know how weak we are, and
feel the corruption of our hearts; but He
IS touched with feeling of our infirmities
therefore let us seek earnestly for his pres
ence, for grace to help us in time oi
need"
William burst into tears His poverty,
and his wrongs were all forgotten, in the
memory of his sinful anger and murmur-
ings. The spirit of other days was re-
turning-the Divine was triumphing over
the human; and they bowed down before
God with the loving confidence of little
children, casting all their cares on His
mighty arm, and committing the future
TO His wise direction. That humble cot
tage was holy place, sanctified by the
presence of the King of kings; and they
rose up with peace and resignation in
their hearts.
A storm was evidently coming on. AL
ready the show began to fall, but there
was not wood enough at the door to last
two days, and William must 90 to his
nelghbor and get permission to cut few
trees, or at least to pick up the limbs
winch were lying about. He buttoned
up his coat and went ont. He could not
forget the home of other days, and the
shed tuD of wood all dry and ready for
the tre, which he had been forced to
leave; but he brushed away Il tear that
dimmed his sight and pressed on through
/ the storm, which every minute increased
in violence. Already thin, white drap-
ery-purer and whittier than a maiden's
bridal robes-lay over the rough and fro
zen bosom of the earth, twisted here and
there by the breezy fingers of the wind,
INTO graceful knots and wreaths. He
stepped on something which moved be-
meath his feet, and looking down, he saw
large pocket-book half covered with
the snow. A sudden fash of Joy darted
through his heart. Seizing it, he turned his
face from the wind to examine the con-
tents. There was roll of bank bills, and
he carefully unrolled and counted them
-twenty-ffties-in all five hundred
dollars.
His first impulse was, to secure
cure the money and throw the pocket
book away. He saw nothing clearly but
the money before him-he thought of
nothing but the blessings that it would |
bring to his poor family. Was it not his |
own he had found it-had not Heaven |
sent 1t IN answer to his prayer-in mercy |
as relief to his wants? How much good |
this money would do! Bread and shelter
for his wife-his patient, uncomplaining
Wlte-and for his little ones, whose cheeks |
were growing pale with want. Thus he |
reasoned, but his conscience whispered
beware. suffer not the love of gold to |
make plague spot on thy heart. This
money is not thine, and Satan may have
permitted it as snare TO thy soul-God
may have permitted it as a trial of thy
faith
But perhaps, he thought, l cannot find
the owner, then it will be mine-honestly
mine and hoping that it might contain
no evidence of ownership, he commenced
examining the pocket-book again. Nor
tai, condemn him not too harshly for this
wish-sit not in hasty judgment on the
heart OF thy erring brother. Thus temp
ted, perhaps thine own had been no bet
ter. But the examination left no doubt.
There was the owners name, fully in
scrlbed-the name of a rich merchant.
with whom in days past William had
been acquainted. What a death blow
was this to his wild hopes! The vision of
nome comforts, which had blessed him
Tor a moment as if in mockery, was
snatched away, and the miserable hut,
the pale wife, and hungry children,
rose before him. Dashing the pocket
book to the ground, he stood for a mo-
ment gazing on it.
"Tempterl deceiyerl" he exclaimed
why am l thus Knocked and tantalized p"
And then, as if a sudden thought had
struck him, he picked it up, and stepped
INTO a thicket, which afforded a partial
shelter, and seated himself on a fallen
tree. The elements were in commotion,
but there was tiercer conflict in his bo-
som. The love of gold, not for its own
sake, but for the sake of the good which !
1t might bring to him and his, was con-
tending with long established principles q
Of justice and rectitude
This man is rich, the tempter whis- G
pered, ''he will never miss this sum, nor 9
know the want of it and oh the good l
which 1T would do to thy shivering wife .
md babesl Is it not Godsend, and wilt |
ngs?" |
ut is not thine it is not thine said /.
conscience. stain not thy hands with 1,
dishonest gains. Bring not upon thy Z
oul the curse of an offended God. Bet =
er that thy children perish before thv
yes, than that their father should be- :
'ome a robber."
lie sat there for more than an hour, the n
ushing wind and falling snow all un- +
leeded, but when he rose up the conflict h
vas passed, and the expression of his
ace though sad, was resigned. I,
Remembering the purpose for which q
lie started, he turned his face towards. his -
lelghbor's house, where he obtained a =
mall load OF wood and a team to haul it a
lome. a
That night, after the children were in a
'ed, William produced the pocket book, d
Inroled the bank bills before his aston n
shed wife, and told her how he found it. Il
Lalf hid beneath the snow. 81
"What shall you do with it ?" she said. b
"What shall | do with it?" was the re- m
'ly. Sc
''Return it to the owner. We can bear
oil and poverty, but not the reproaches 81
f a guilty conscience" W
81 knew it would be thus. When that II
ark temptation was on Inc and the evil in
n my heart was ready to triumph, l h,
new that you would not fail to see clear q,
Y, and approve the right" n
but, William how will you get it to ST
i'm? You have no horse, you have no IA
honey, and it will not do to risk it in oe
etter." q
81 have thought of that" said William, Fl
sing and going to the window. ''The N
,orm is over, and tomorrow l must go of
n foot and carry this money to Mr.. Carl IN
IN: 1t is but fifteen miles l will start tiI
IL 4 l.. IL