The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-05-26
me PRAYER ii Abe cradIa.

=
A little cottage set on the outskirts of q
thriving American town. Over the windows
and over the doors the scarlet pendants ofthe
prairie rose, brighter than jewels, rich with
diamond dewdrops, lustrOus IN each leaf
with the warm kisses of sunshine. A pic
ture that makes that little corner a bit of
paradise, for within sang a young mother
bending over the cradle of her first born 1t
was a girlish face, scarcely nineteen sum-
mers old-a face Of gentlest motherhood
blended red and white, with a touch of
brown that made it in harmony with its sur
Ioundings, the dark hair put plainly back
the lips smiling, uncOnsciously the eyes all
most holy in their softened glance as they
rested upon the beautiful boy before her,
whose white lids dropped and then futtered
back, baby laugh leaping out before they
settled again to seeming Sunderland little
fingers quivering
These were the treasures of hard work
ing mana man whose shoulders had borne
the burden Of honest toll from his child
hood man who feared God, and loved him
with gushings Of love that swayed all his
soul when in his hours Of happy rest. His
wife sat by his side and their boy nestled
against his bread true bosom He had gone
forth that morning, fortified with prayer
strong IN the faith that the mighty God he
served would keep him and his from all
harm.
The breath of summer stirred the leaves
to music and gave voice of melody to all
the streams. 1t touched the tangled hair
and clouded brow of a man who came sui
lenly along the lonesome road. His black
brows met ominously. The strong lines of
his face deepened the savage-or hopeless
expression Of his countenance One hand
grasped his slouched hat and nervOusIy
doubled it till its shape was destroyed
Some horrible thought trempled upon the
vindictiVe lips. LOstF' I0StF was the
handwriting upon that strange face. OF
was there no loving angel that yet stood by
that miserable MANI No arm tender and
loving to draw him from ruin No lip of
sinless purity to whisper warning2
No" he cried, kissing the word to empty
air, no one cares for me. Why should
try? I'll make a covenant with hell, and -
he flung his cap, with a. oath, iercely into
the dusty road, drew his breath hard, as the
sight of the little cottage cleaned upon him,
then stopping, he picked up the hat and
crept stealthily toward the cottage
"Ill steal," he muttered III be the
outcast men would make me; I'll 90 ahead
to ruin, body and soul
At that moment his eye caught sight of
the babe and its mother. Her voice, strange
ly. sweet with long forgotten music, came to
where he stood.
Sleep, baby, sleep, mothers darling
shut the blue eyes. There, he is gone How
beautiful little angel Then she stopped
and kissed him and mUrmured, after long
and yearning look, ooh, Father, when my
baby Is a man, keep him so pure that he will
never lose the beauty Of his SOUL
The listener staggered fOrward-the crum-
bled hat was under his eyes, wet with hot
blistering tears; the rugged form quivered
with passionate sObs
40, God!-and WAS once a child Ike
that-my mother bent over me s0-and-
perhaps she prayed for me-"
timid step-a low, quick cry. Who
was this terrible stranger? She stood there
awed as well as frightened, for she still
wept.
Madam-I-I-am hungry--and very
tired--will you give me something to eat?
May ! sit down on your dOorstep?
She brought him food. and plying his
tears, made him 90 into the parlor ali the
wild vengeance of one hour ago was dead
within him. Soothed by the quiet, he fell
asleep and slept until the toiler came to his
hOmely dinner--to his wife ard child And
then he told his story
was desperate man this morning.
have tried to be honest, but | have been In
prison, and men brand me. Help me, for
| Gods sake, to get a living Your wife,
though she did not know it, killed the evil
in my heart this morning. l was nearly lost
again l could not beg, and when people
asked me questions | could not lie, for | had
| said | viii be honest, there shall be no half
way about it. But when l told the truth ]
was turned off coldly from every where hut
/ here. l ask you, for Gods sake to be my
helper"
And the prayer, the tears, were not in
vain. | could show you the picture of an
other cottage where roses and peace, and
love, grow together; but who would see in
the man settled beneath his own vine the
wretched vengeful traveller of the summer s
day?