The Shasta courier., 1866-06-16
COURIER.
The Vermont Puritan.
A TOUCHING STORY OF 1868.

The Vermont Puritan
TOUCHING STORY OF 1868.
1t was in the early part of October, that
the Rev. DR.. Allan started to walk to Far
mer OWENS over the hills. He had to cross
two low spurs, of the Green Mountains, and
as be climbed to the top of the second, a rich
valley of the Otter creek lay spread out be-
fore him. AT any other time he would have
stopped to admire the gentle undulations !;
its great fowery garden of forest trees, rich
in every color and hue; its silver threads
winding their way to the waters of the Cham
plain, and the glorious light which lay like a
mantle over them all. But this afternoon
he seemed oppressed by the beauty which
surrounded him. He looked upon it with eyes
misty from tears. There was dull, heavy.
weight upon his heart-a weight which even
the long, fervent prayers that he had utter
ed SO increasingly since noon had failed to
move. Between him and that landscape, we
might almost say, moved tall slight boy,
with laughing blue eye, clustering brown
hair, and lips always with a merry pleas
ant word.
To-day there was Bennle nutting under
the bare, brawny arms of the butternut-tree /;
throwing his line into the brooks that came
bubbling down from the steep mountain
side; driving along the narrow foot.path /;
standing with Blossom under the bright
maple, and laughing with joy as she wreath
ed her pretty face in the gay leaves.
"Oh, Bennie Bennie ~ Mr.. Allan hard
ly knew he was calling the name until it
came back to him with such an empty, mock.
ing sound from the heartless echo; almost"
MIR. Allan thought, starting himself by
the seeming impiety Of the words" almost
as if there was no great, kind Father over us
ALL"
As he came near Farmer Owens house
he eaw his oxen yoked to the plow. He
knew they had been there since the tele.
graph came. Mr.. Owen had read it in the
field. gone to the house and forgotten them,
and no one had dared to put them up. He
was man fully capable of taking care of
his own affairs under any circumstances,
never having been known before to forget.
Mr.. Allan beckoned to an Irishman 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 Id
the presence OF great sorrow, and without
the least noise he obeyed.
Mr.. Allan walked on slowly toward the
house. lie had known Mr.. Owen for many
years, and he knew him WELL Indeed, there
was a peculiar bond of sympathy between
the two men. In his large parish there was
not one upon whom the minister relied as he
did upon this strong, sturdy farmer. Many
aid many an hour he had walked by his side
when he was upturning the brown earth
and had discoursed with him on topics which
would have sounded harsh and repulsive to
common ears, but which were fraught with
deep and vital interest to them. Mr.. Owen
was direct descendant Of the Purtans, and
every drop of blood in his veins 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.. Allan, versed in all the
modern lore, questioned and doubted. The
keystone to Mr.. Ovens theology was the
sovereignty of God Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right?' This was the man
upon whom God had now laid his hand so
heavily and Mr.. Allan felt that if the trial
brought no murmur, no rebellion, against
that mighty sovereign, the stern old faith
were rich one in which to live and die
He knew that one element in this war was
Puritan. Sons of the Roundheads filled up
the ranks of the Northern army. They
marched to battle to strains of the old tunes
that had fingered in the nursery and the
sanctuary from the day that Cromwell and
his soldiers had chanted them on Marston
Moor. All down the isles of time came
| trampllng to the music, mailed men, bear
ing on their shields the two words. liberty
and equality. They trembled on Mr.. Owens 5
lips with parting blessing to his boy
Would he remember them, and would thew
comfort and give him strength now!
When there is affliction in the house tbe
| minister is at home. Mr. Allan entered
without knocking, and made his way to the
| large old fashioned kitchen, in which he was
sure of finding the family.
There, by the table, with his arms folded
and laid heavily upon it, sat Mr.. Owen
His wife was in a small rocking chair. by
| the fire, and Blossom, q Young girl. sat he.
tween them
Mr.. Owen rose to welcome him. 50 did
| Blossom; but the wife did not notice him-sbe
sat still, rocking herself to and fro. looking
at the blazing wood.
Mr. Allan put his hand in the brawnv
one that was held out towards him. and laid
the other on Mr.. Owens heaving breast
My friend he said, " how is It with the
DEGREES of God ?'
| Just and true are all tby wavs tbop
hing of Saints faltered out the man
There was something strange in his voice
"a thin, womanly sound, SO unlike the deem
stentorian tones in which he had alwavs
spoken before. Mr.. Allan. when he heard
it, almost felt as if it had dealt him a blow
Thank God? He has not, then forsalon
you, and from the depths of this deem trouble
you can still say, The Maker of ali doeth
| we'll" A' uo' VI
/" Yes. yes,"-and for an instant .bere
glimmered from his dull eye a spark of the
old controversial fire" you don't sunnose
have held on to that anchor when tba sk;es
were cloudless, and the little waves inst
rocked my bark, to let alone Of + MOI ~.
now, when the great waves and billovs arr
going over me-do you? Pve planted Il firm
and it don't yield, but the strain Is terrible !.
God send it may carry me into mort oh
Mr.. Allan, say it will. It has seemed q
me day, SO dark, 90 wonderful. 40 ;nscru.
table, that he-my Benniel Mr.. Allan there
is good, wise purpose behind it all. Can
you see it, a-
ITO bring you nearer the kingdom. y said