Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1868-04-09

The PowrR oy GocpvYs~ TE,a
SroRY .-Once there waS 4 good man
whose name was John Kant tie lived
at Cracow. in Poland, where he taught
and preached L was his rn'e e suffer
wrong rather than % wrong II others.
( When he got 70 be quite ol1, h was
seized with q wish 10 see once more the
home of his chldhoQd, which was many
miles distant from where he now lived
So he got ready, and, having praye!
70 God, set out on his way Dressed IN
a black robe. with long gray ha:r and
beard. he rode slowly along.
! The woods through which he had L.
pass was thick and dark ; but there was
light in his soul for good thoughts Of God
and Gods works kept him company, and
made the time seem short
One night, as he was thus riding along
he was all At once surrounied by men
some en- horseback and some on fec;
Knives and swords flashed in the l1ht
Of the moon, and John kaut saw thu.
he was at the mercy Of a band Of rot-
berS
He eot down from his horse. aud said
to the gang that he would give up to them
all that be had about him lie then gave
them purse filled with silver CONS. 4
gold chain from his neck, 4 ring from hi>
finger and from his pocket a book Of
prayer, with silver clasps.
Have you given II. all 2 cried the
robber chief, III a stern voice - have ypu
any more money p
The old man, in his confusion, said he
had given them all the money he had
and when he said this, they let him GO
Glad to get off so well, he went on, and
was soon out Of sight But AL At enc,
the thought came to him that he had some
gold pieces stitched IN the hem of hi>
robe. These he had quite forgotten when
the robbers had asked him if he had any
more money.
This is lucky" thought John Kant.
for he saw that the money woull bear him
to his friends, and that he would not have
to beg his way, or suffer for want OF food
or shelter
But Johns conscience was tender
one, and he stopped to listen to its voice
1t seemed to cry to him in earnest tones,
Tell not lie. Tell not lie These
words would not let him rest.
Some men would say that such . prom
ise, made to thieves, need net be kept
and few would have been troubled after
such an escape. But John did not stop
to reason.
He went back to the place where The
robbers stood, and walking up to them
said. meekly, Il have told you what is
not true | did not mean to do SO, but
fear confused me sssgardou me.
With these worde7hc held forth the golc
pieces, but to his surprise, not one Of IL.
robbers would take them \ straMr,
feeling was at work in their hearts
These men, bad as they were, coult
not laugh at the pious old man. Thou
shalt not steal said voice within them
All We're deeply moved
Then, As il touched by common feel
iug, one Of the robbers brought and gave
back the old mans purse another, his
goli chain another, his ring another
his book of prayer and stin another led
up his horse, and helped the old man tc
rem Juut
Then all the robbers, as if quite asham-
ell OF having thought of harming so good
a man, went up and asked his blessing -
John Kant gave 1t with devcut feeling,
and then rode on his way, thanking God
/ for 50 strange al escape, and wondering
at the mixture Of good and evil in tie
human heart