The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-03-30

hand over the strangers mouth TO pre-
vent him from speaking; but he, taking
him by the hand which he had lifted up
for this purpose, sale, "I have seen how
your accounts stand in your book now
look, and see how they stand in Gods
book " and taking up the great vol
ume which he had brought in under his
arm, with his other hand, he laid it
down on the top Of Sitnon's books, and |
began to turn over the leaves slowly.
Although it was full of writing, with
names in great letters over the top Of
each page, still Simon could not read
them so as to tell whose names they
were, till, by and by, the page opened
which contained his own account, and
there he saw his own name written as
plainly as cOppcrplate.
did you not know, Simon" said the
stranger, "that cd kept an account OF
the thoughts and deeds of men, and
that at the last every one must be
judged according to what is written n
the books ?"
As Simon continued to look, he saw
that not only all his evil deeds and
frauds were plainly written there, but
all that he had only thought Of doing,
but had not done for want of opportu-
nifty and that these were all, too, set
down to his discredit. And he noticed,
still further, that the good which he
bad neglected to do was also put down
against him, on the debtor side Of the
leaf; for, as it appeared to him, it was
a sort of account book, in which his
evil deeds were recorded ou the left side
of the page; while the right side, left
for the record of good and yigtuous
deeds which should have been placed
to his credit, was almost entirely q
blank. Simon answered at length, as
he continued looking, that he had heard
the ministers tell, in their sermons, oi
such kind of a book, but that he never
really believed that it existed.
"But now you can not deny the evi
dence Of your own eyes; for you well
know that no mortal could have known
and writton the things which you reac
there"
Simon kept on reading ; for it seemed,
indeed, as though he could not lift up
his eyes to look away. which he at
tempted to do several times. But be,
r fore he had finished reading his ac
count, the stranger took the book up
closed it, laid it under his arm as h,
brought it, and stood still, looking di
, rectIy at Simon. Simon, too, looked a
=, him and as he looked, his singular visi
tor seemed to become nearly twice n
tall as he was when lie entered the room
Then he laid the great book upon 81
nous shoulders. Tho weight Of i
seemed to crush him TO the floor s.
that he awoko, all in fright, and we
, with sweat, grooming so loudly as t.
, awake his wife, who inquired, ia Of
anxious voice, "What is the matter, 81
mon 4? " ......
Simon, after some rubbing of hi
eyes, and some disconnected muttorini
and mumbing, managed to give bis viii
some idea of his dream and couscQuen
fright. .... ...... t.. ......
). "Well,4 said she, lit is but a dream
after all, and by no means as bad as
= might be"
e EYES," said Simon "but it's tru
- enough, wife, that l have not done ju,
h as ought. know it,"
@ Although Simon could not keep tn
,e dream out of his mind, he was not dis
II posed to think at all times alike about
h ometimes he would feel rather pen
tent, and promise himself that he woul
A try to come a little nearer to honest
i. and justice and not only so, but th'
If he would now and then give a littl
~ something to the poor and needy
that be would even put little silver il
d to the contribution box, instead of col
N pers. At other times, however, he va
very much inclined to treat the who
st matter as something about which b
need not be much concerned that
y was natural enough for one who Wi
u more than usually perPlexed to drea
= disturbing dreams aud that it was |
~ strange thing that some scraps of Pa
"A son Donewell's sermon should get mix,
"a up with his dreams.
But while he found it difficult, ev,
Mt after his most peuitent moods, to resi-
- his fondncss for driving hard bargain
ks so, in his most hard hearted once,
could not wholly throw off all sense
SO the claims Of conscience and right a,
ny it must be said, to do him justice, th
@. more than once or twice he did yield