The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-11-02

in it some of my wardrobe OF other
things | made bundle dressed myself
for a journey, and put my little hoard,
saved for my wedding day in my bosom.
Then l sat down and wrote two notes
one TO Maggie, inclosing her wages and
giving her the clothes | left behind-the
other to my landlady, with the rent and
before the night was gone, or the people OF
the house awake, and left it far behind
me, and was at the station, awaiting the
early train for New York.
There, when the excitement was over,
and | leaned back YEARLY in my seat
amidst the crowd of strange tellow-p -passen-
gers. first began TO realize the awful
truth, and feel that life was worthless
henceforth to me. There are women who
would have taken their lives into their
own hands, feeling as | felt | knew |
must strive to live while God so willed it
/ but the striving seemed SO hard now. the
shortest life SO long. | felt ten years
older than had felt the day before |
think | looked it also.
! How lived, where | went. would not
interest you. My home waS humble. my
DAYS were cherries. but WAS too good a
workwoman to suffer- | never saw one of
my old acquaintance. never heard the
name of the town, save, perhaps, when
read 1t in the columns OF some newspaper.
| knew no one. No one knew me.
The people worked for called Inc an odd,
silcn: creature soon the young women
called HE an old maid. Even OH the Sab
bath | Staid at home, for the trcacherv oi
the man had thought the best in the
world. had made me believe all seemingly
good people hypocrites.
Lonely, lonely, lonely, - lionel y that
thought | should die OF pure loneliness for
five long weary Years.
( At last awoke one Sabbath morning
10 hear the bells ringing for church. and
out OF the past came the memory ot other
Sabbath DAYS. | lonGcd, for the first time.
TO JOIN the worshipers and bend my knee
in PRAYER among them. ~ arose and
dressed myself. waiting for no breakfast
and went ont into the frosty streets The
clocks were on the stroke of ten, and there
WAS no time 10 lose. - chose the nearest
church and went in. The crowd WA,
thick already, but as | passed up the ai>l,
Il woman whispered, Room here. sister.
and moved her dress 10 make WAY for me
Then Il voice said. Lei lis pray, ant
INV face WAS covered. When lifted ii.
the preacher stool in the pulpit ready Il
read the first hymn.
was not mad-I wls not dreaming. a.
| thought at first | WIS awake and in nv
senses yet the face looked Oh was th,
face oi john Rcdc>,lllc. the eyes that min,
rested OH. his knew him in an instant
and hc knew me SAW ii in his look
Il look that came and passed - quickl,
tha hardly knew that had seen him er,
ii was gone and would have lett tn
church had it been possible. But even tn,
ai>le~ were full felt must wait unit
the crowd dispersed and hide myself il
that. But could hear him preach an,
live did
lie stood up, with the bible under hi
hand. and looked over the church first
then at me. and as his eyes paused there
he took for his text
"Thou Aah not bcar tlL<c utneSs agaa,S
/. tAy noyhJo."
The sermon opened with remarks upol
the vice of slander. i. degrees it grew
familiar and touched on daily events. il
which the truth w:,s forgotten and fal>
, accusations flung upon Il neighbor or ser
want. And then in such 4 WAY that /
seemed to every nearer natural and to tin
purpose, he BEGAN Il story-a true one, h
said
He drew the picture of two lovers
friends 50 dear that their lives were inter
woven. He painted 4 scene OF homei
happiness, with hopes of future bliss
: girl who trusted, and Il youth who though
rothing on earth ~ precious IL his prom
: iscd wife. And [ with my heart beatin
80 fIriou>ly that could hear it. knew th;l
: it WAS OF our own happy time he Wa
speaking. And into the earthly par;.dis
: aSrrpcnt-Slander-crept, unseen, ur
| heard, until one day the lover found hi
' betrothcd wife gone, without 4 sign, with
D out Il word or message. and search as h
: might. could hear no tidingS of her
: | saw faces full of interest turned f.
1 wards the preacher. | KNOW that in otl
c er, this seemed onl y an incident related I
{! force the sermon home TO the heart ,
I those who heard it and know also tina
n looking across the dense mass of worship
erS. the fire in his black eyes burning int
!, mine, JJhn Redesdale WAS speaking onl
e to me.
Himself the man he pictured. CROWN
If old from sorrow in his youth, striving |
10 his duty, but doing it without JOY
e Himself the Slandered man, for who,
sake tears dropped down the wrinkle
Z, checks of the Old Methodist women al
: filled the eyes Of the granddaughters /
: their sides | heard how he had grieve
p in silence. knowing wrong had been dol
II him, but Not by whom or how, until
{ diving woman sent for him. a woman wi
had been an actress, whose beauty la
IT turned TO glr;lstIiness, whose pleasures We
| vanity and vexation of spirit, but, who q
t her death-bed, wore rouge upon her WI
cheeks. And as he went OH, knew
u spoke of Mrs. Edgar, and knew for Il
: inst time that that which | had listened
l. Il whn dared tn dnnht hin-was q M.