The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1866-03-01

lug chair by the fire, and Blossom, a
young girl, sat between them.
Mr.. Owen rose to welcome him so
did Blossom; but the wife did not no
tice him,--she sat still, rocking herself
to and fro, looking at the blazing fire.
Mr.. Allen put hand in the brawny
one that was held out toward him, and
laid the other on Mr.. Ovens breast
My friend p he said, chow is it with
the DEGREES of God ?"
'Just and true are all thy ways, thou
King of Saints,' faltered the man.
There was something strange in his
voice,-a thin, womanly sound, SO un-
like the deep, stentorian tones in which
he had always spoken before. Mr.. AL
Ian, when he heard it, almost felt as if
it had dealt him blow
''Thank God! He has not then for
saken you, and from the depths of this
deep trouble you can still say, The
Maker of all doeth well7"
Eyes, yes" and for an instant there
glimmered from his dull eye spark of
the old controversial fire. ''you don't
suppose | have held on to that anchor
when the skies were cloudless, and the
little waves just rocked my bark, to let
alone of it now-now, when the great
waves and pillows are going over me,
do you? I've planted it firm, and it
don't yield no, it don't yield, but the
strain is terrible. God send it may
carry me into port; oh, Mr.. Allan, so
it will. 1t has seemed to me to-day so
dark, so>wonderful, so inscrutable, that
he,-my Bennie! Mr.. Allan there is
good, wise purpose behind it all. Can
you see it p
''To bring you nearer the kingdom"
said the minister.
''Oh, don't tell me that, can't bear
it. God is too wise; he knows a hun
dred such souls as mine are not worth
one of Bennie's. I can suffer if / am
too great sinner for Gods grace to
save, but Bennie! Bonnie! / have sat
here all day, since the news came, Won
dering; he was SO good son. and
Mr.. Owens voice grew almost inarticu-
late with emotion. ''Such a dear,
precious, noble boy! thought, when
| gave him to his country, that not a
father in all this broad land made so
precious gift-not one. God forgive
me if my grief is sin. Mr.. Allan, the
dear boy only slept minute, just one
little minute, at his post; | know that
was all, for Bennie never dozed over a
duty. How prompt and reliable he
was p and Mr. Owens eye wandered
out over the brown fields, with such a
perplexed, wondering look. II know
he only fell off one little second; he
was SO young, and not strong, that boy
of mine. Why, he was as tall as I, and
only eighteen? and now they shot him
because he was found asleep when do
ing picket duty" Mr. Owen repeated
these words very slowly, as if en-
deavoring to find out their true mean
ing. 'sTwenty- hours, the tele-
graph said only twenty-four hours
Where is Bennie now ?"
owe will hope with his Heavenly
Father said Allan, soothingly.
eyes, yes, let us hope; God is very
merciful, and BeAnie was so good
do not mean holy he said, correcting
himself sharply, ''there is none holy !;
no, not one, but Jesus died for sinners.
Mr. Allan, tell me that. Oh, Bonnie,
Bennie -
The mother raised herself as she
heard his name called, and turning,
said with smile:
'sDon't call SO loud, father, Bennie is
not far off, he will come SOON"
"God laid his hand on them both,
you see,'' said Mr.. Owen, pointing to
her without making any direct reply.
s'She has not been justly herself since.
It is merciful thing she is sort of stun
ned, it seems to me; she makes no
wall. Poor mother! if my heart was
not broken it would almost kill me to
see her so. Bennie was her idol. /
told her often, God had said, Thou
shalt have no gods before me-"
Mr., Allan looked in astonishment at
the bowed man as he came and now
stood before him. These few hours
had done the work of years. The sim
envy frame was tottering, the eyes were
dimmed, and the sudden sorrows had
written itself in deep wrinkles all over
his manly face. He recognized the
power of the great kind heart, simple
and almost child-like in it's innocent,
clinging affection; how could this be
reconciled with the stern, strong head
the head that to commen observers
outlined the character of the man P
'sGod have mercy on you; He is try
ing you in furnace seven times heat
ed," he exclaimed almost inv oluntarily
! "'I should be ashamed, fatherr he
said, ''when am man, to think new
er used this right ARMAND he held it
out SO proudly before me,-for my
country, when it needed it. Palsy it,
rather than keep it at the plough
"Go, Bennie, then, 60 my boy" /
said, ''and God keep you. God has
kept him, think, Mr.. Allan!' and the
farmer repeated these words slowly, as
if in spite of his head, his heart doubt
ed them.
Like the apple of his eye, Mr.. Ow-
EN-, doubted it not
Blossom had sat near them listening,
with blanched cheek. She had not shed
tear to-day, and the terror in her face
had been so very still that no one had
noticed it. She had occupied herself
mechanically in the household cares,
when her mothers condition devolved
entirely upon her. Now she answered
gentle tap at the kitchen door, open
ing it to receive from neighbor's hand
letter. ''It was from him." was all
she said.
Twas like message from the dead.