Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1866-09-06
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THE PURITAN OF 1868.
Il Prize Tale ,oritisn torths NY Observer
By MHs. R ID. c. ROBINS.

1t was in the early part of October
1868, that the Rev. Mr.. Allen started t
walk to Farmer Ovens over the hills
He had to cross two low spurs of the
Green Mountains, and as he climbed t.
the top of the second the rich valley o.
the Otter Creek lay spread on before
him. AT any other iime he would have
stopped 10 admire its gentle undulations
It's great flower garden of forest trees
rich in every color and hue, its silver
threads winding their way to the wa.
ters of the Champlain, and the glorious
autumn light which lay like a golden
mantle over them all. But. this after
noon he seemed oppressed by the beauty
around him. He looked upon it with
eyes misty from tears. There was dull
heavy weight upon bis heart-a weight
which, even the long, fervent prayer be
had uttered Sc increasingly SINCE noon
failed TO move. Between him and that
Landscape, we might almosesay, between
him and the mercy seat, there moved a
slight, tall boy, with alaughing blue eye,
clustering brown hair, and lips always
ready with merry word To-day, there
was Bennie, nutIng under The bare. Draw
ny arms of the buuernut tree; throwing
his lines into the lille brooks, that came
babling down from the steep mountain
side, driving his cows along the morrow
foot-palh standing with Blossoms under
the bright maple, and -shoBghling with
pride and joy as she wreathed her pretty
face in the gay Leaves. 49, sa 6..5
a"Oh, BennieI Bennie - Mr.. Allen
hardly knew he was calling the name,
until il came back to him with such an
empty, knocking sound, from the hardless
echo; aalnost'- Mr.. Allen thought,
startling himself by the seeming lmpiety
of the wordS-salmost as if there we're
no great. kind Father over Us all. y
As he came near Farmer Owens
house, he saw his oxen yoked to the plow.
He knewlhey had beengthere since the
telegraph came. Mr.. Owen had read il
in the field, gone to the house and for.
gotten them, and no one had dared to
put them up. He was man fully capa-
bic of taking care of his own affairs un-
derany circumstances, never having been
known before to forget
Mr.. Allen beckoned to an Irashman
who was passing, and asked him to take
care of them. The man came with an
awed look upon his face, as if even there
he stood in the presence of great sOr-
row.
Mr. Allen walked on slowly toward
the house. He had known Mr.. Owen
for many years, and he knew him well.
Indeed, there was peculiar bond of sym
palhy between the two men. In all his
large parish. there was not one upon
whom the minister relied as he did upon
this strong, sturdy farmer. Many and
many an hour he had walked by his side
when he was upturnjng the brown earth,
and had discoursed upon topics which
would have sounded harsh and rep0lsive
to common ears, but which were fraUght
with deep and vital interest TO them.
Mr.. Owen was direct descendant of the
Puritans, and every drop of his blood
was tinged with as strong and true
'blue" as if he himself had landed in
the Mayhower. He took naturally to the
sterner doctrines Of religion, while Mr..
Allen Versed in all the modern lore,
questioned and doubted. The keystone
of Mr.. Ovens theology was the sover-
eighty of God: :-sShall not the Judge Of
ali earth do right 2" This was tie man
upon whom God had now laid his hands
on SO heavily; and Mr. Allen felt thatif
the trial brought no murmur, no rebel
lion against the mighty Sovereign, the
stern old faith were indeed rich one in
which to live and die. He knew that
one element in this war was Puritan.
Sons of the Round-heads filled up the
ranks of the Northern army. They had
marched to battle to strains Of the Old
tunes ,haI had fingered in the nursery
apd sanctuary from the day that Crom-
well and hls soldiers chanted them on
Marston Moor, All down The aisles. of
Time came tramping 10 the music armed
men, bearing on their shields the two
words, Liberty and Equality. They trem-
bic on Mr. Owens lips with his parting
blessing 10 his boy. Would he remems
Der them, and would they comfort, end
give him strength noD IS
Where there is afflictiou in a house
the minister is at home. Mr.. Allen en-.
tered without knocking, and made his
way 10 the large. ld-fashioned kitchen
in il VI ghleh y be was sure Of finding the fam
lily.
There, by a table. with his arms fold
ed and laid heavily upon il, sat Mr..
Owen. His wife was in small rocking
chair by the fire, and Blpssom,i young
girl, sal between them. i .s4a1 r...,
Mr.. Owen rose to welcom him /; so did
Blossom; but the wife did not notice
him-she sal sill, rocking herself to and
fro, looking at the blazin wood.
Mr.. Allen put haLd in the brawny
one that was held out toward him, and
laid the other on Mr." Ovens great
hea9ing breast, "My friend" be said,
chow is it with the DEGREES of God Pr
Just and true are all thy ways, thou
King of Saints" faltered out the man.
There was something strange in his
yoice2a Thin, womanly sound, SC. unlike
the deep. stentorianp tones In which he