The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-08-02

as this. Perhaps he OWNED that the
turning-point in the infinite career Of
human soul had been reached. -
Then, for the first time, Mary raised
her head, and it could be seen that she
was strangely moved. Wild, half
frightened expressions knitted and
unlimited themselves upon her fca-
lures. The poor wretch fried to speak,
but could not. Seeing Mr.. Nelson's
mournful and plying expression, and
with his kindly-spoken words rever-
berating freshly in her ears, she
brought her hands suddenly before
her face, and, rocking herself from
side to side in her agony burst forth
into understandable tears.
The minister, allowing her to weep,
said not o single word, for he knew it
was not yet time to talk His gaze
left her, and went wandering around
the room. Perhaps he was thinking
of his little visitors, who had not long
been gone, and contrasting them with
the polluted and lmh6epy wretch be-
/ fore him. In the centre OF the study,
which was very large, square apart.
ment, with scarcely an inch of wall
left uncovered by crowded book
shelves stood table, on which were
strewn the remains of a recent festival
-manglcd pyramids Of ice-cieam con-
sumed almost to the base cakes, rasp-
I berries, sugar, cream, fruit drinks,
/ lemonade, and water-ices In fact,
+ the Sabbath school of the Church Of
st. Timothy was to break up on the
morrow, and Mr. Nelson had invited
the children to little sociable feast
and conrersoz,one, as an appropriate
and pleasant winding up of the season.
They had been with him for the last
two homs, ever since five o'clock
These were the children whom Mary
Smith had seen; and Mr. Nelson,
bringing his eyes back to his visitor,
and waiting until she should in some
/ degree recover, was momentarily ex-
pecting the arrival of servant to
clear away the remains of his banquet
and put his study in order.
After few moments, Mary's sobs
grew less violent With great efforts
she contriyed to seem little com
posed. Then she raised her tear
stained, n-stained countenance, and
said brokenly:
You spoke SO to me, sir-to n
wretch ike me-that l couldn't help
looking down Ill not detain you
long, sir, though God knows what it
cost me to drag myself here this day.
Do you-do you think there is any
hope for such a wretch as ?"
"Hope ?" repeated the minister with
almost a smile, like radiant and
mournful rainbow springing from tears.
'While there is life there is hope"
"But | am such sinner-such
very great sinner.
Christ Jesusrame into the world
to save sinfers
But you do not know me" urged
Mary Smith. lyon do not know me,
or what / have done, or the kind of
life have led for twenty, yes, for thir-
ty years God forbid you should inn
agine all the hideous things that can
be imagined about a woman in my way
of life, and then believe that I've been
guilty of them all, and then tell me, as
truly as though you were going to die
this night, whetherrhere is any pardon
for such sin as that
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth
from oil sin, answered the Clergyman
softly. From all sin" he repeated
Had your sins been equal to all the
sins of all the world, from time Of Eden
until now, remember that His blood
cleanseth from all sin"
Come" he continued, taking one Of
Mary's hands, which she no longer
withheld; you have returned too far
now, ever to recede; and when you
leave this room, you will leave it a
better or worse woman for all etern-
ity."
He pointed through the window
which overlooked the portico, and di-
rected her attention to the gathering
shadows which obliterated the last
traces of the sunset, and to the early
stars that twinkled between the mass
i've Doric columns. Unwittingly, he
employed the same thought which n
poet, but little read now, has beauti-
fully elaborated, and added: 'If it
were not for this gathering darkness
there would be no beautiful stars seen
in heaven. SO it may be with your
own soul If the brightness of your
day has long since passed, tho stars Of
penitence and faith are ready to shine
among the shadows of your soul, if you
will only let them. believe that the
shadows and the darkness there will
cause them to be seem"
Mary gazed in the direction in which
the minister pointed, and her eyes
filed again.
"Tel me what | must do; how |
must set about it, she murmured
hoarsely
He sat down beside her, and there,
in the soft summer twilight, the good
man told the guilty woman the old,
sweet story Of redemption by which
the world is saved. She listened to
him with fearful and most devout at
tention. Once he was interrupted by
the servant whom he had been expect
ing. But Mr. Nelson directed him to
come again in half an hour, and de-
voted that half hour to the instruction