The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-12-29


Taksns Down the Old Min.
| You do not see it till yoa begin to 90
down steep, winding path-the old ,nill.
It's surrounded with beautiful shade trees
and flowers growing all around When the
water is let on. the great wheel turns around,
the spray arises and shines on it and rain
bow often over it. The min was new. and
it seemed as ifit would 60 of itself. The
water seemed to shout with g!adness as It
rushed upon the wheel and the birds sang
in the trees. and everything was fair and
good Day after day and year after year
the mill was in motion Children who
grew up near it felt as if they had always
been there, always would be there.
/ But after the mill had stood about seyen-
ty years, and had received the name of the
Old MIL the timbers became weak. II,
seemed to tremble under its .labors. When
the water was let on the wheel, the Joints
Ecreaked and groaned, and it seemed to take.
Ia great while to get the els in notion
II H-cund slower and slower. 1t cracked
every part It was very plain that me
old mill was really worn out. Every year.
4 It grew feebier and did less work. II.
One day the owner came that way to talk
with the tenant or the man that lived in Il. !
well Mr.. Willard the old mill is almost
| worn out. fg -
Yes. sir; but You see have set up poles
against it to prop it up, and mean to get
more a nd so hope to keep IT going =
TT will dono good. The poor old thing
is worn out. 1t was built of frail material
and no propping can now save it, ne5a
'Br, sir, what do you propose to dor ilsh (
TO take it down. Ia aqg5F
What the mill ] have lived IN so long 7!
cannot have it done, sir! I claim IT,
as, - ~ =; -fs.s,, q, 81 s,..--,.,
But Mr.. Willard have you been careful
and faithful to pay me the rent on the old :,
mill p
Mr. Willard hung down his head, for he
knew he had paid but very poor rent. :,
Must it come down and be turned out
OF my home 2 -,,ssss.sa
Eyes it must come down forall down.
said the owner But will tell you what +
will do, I will take it down carefully nv
self, and willsave everything in 1t that is
worth saving And. then propose to erect
a new mill higher UP the stream, near the
great lake. have selected beautiful spot 4
%, far more beautiful than this, where
the sun always shines, ard the birds alwayse
singing, and the flowers are always fresh. Itl
is,a place sobeautiful that the angels come
there and bring their harps and sing; andi
there propose to erect new mill-not Of
such fraii tim5ers as this was built of, but
dura bic materials, such as will last ages and
ages. And am going to make it in such
way that the very movings of the wheels
will make music, as if the building was one
great organ to praise God with. It. will
never grow old, or need repairing. Won't
that be glorious p -
when shall you take this down p
'Oh, very soon.' ,,
But who shall live in this new mill y r,
You SHALL -. &ty E -.,#, fs .-.;
But what will do while it is building,
'Oh, will take care of you. II have q
summer house on the hill that they call ri.
on, among the trees, where you will be safe
and ready to enter the mill. Don't have
any fears
Does my little reader understand my
story
The human body is the M III the eart'l is
the place wi ere it stands the life that God
pours into us every day is the water let on
the wheel the trees around us are the bless
,ngs that God gives to us; the rainbow over
the wheel is the bright hopes that hang over
us every day.
But we grow old. The poor old man lives
in an old mill. Life seems hardly to move
the wheels now. He cannot straighten up
as he once did. He must die. The owner
God himself-will come and carefully take
down the old MILL But he viii build UP a
new one, higher up the stream, nearer the
lake-himself-and make it Of materials that
never decay. Good cid man! "Disciple of
Christ Come out from the mill while 1T is
being rebuilt, and as you cope sing, ~ know
that If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved,
! have building of God, house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens" 2d q