Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-04-08

puS NV WI III ~ HNHN'N
the scene at the threshilg foor-Ruth
coming up the hill into town early in
the morning before the people are up
with six measures Of barley tied up in
her veil for want of a bas-carrying it
doubtless just as tic women of Bethlehem
carry their bundles to day, on the top Of
their heads,
During the forenoon, Boaz himself
comes up to town, sits down in the
gate and calls the Elders, or, as we should
call them, the Alderman of the town. !
saw Just such au assembly one day last
week in Jerusalem men with grey
boards, white turbans and long robes,
standing in the gateway-several men
and women present, one man stating the
case. another making notes 1t was a
Court just such Court as assembled here
on that day to witness the transfer Of
the right of redemption in a lot of land,
Boaz buys the right to redeem it, and
then the fir Mobaitess--the stranger
and alien-becomes his bridc-the mo-
ther of kings-of the King of kings!
THE SHEPHERD BOY.
Mounting our horses once more, we pass
through the narrow streets of the town
descend the hill along the southeastern
slope, wind through the ravne, leave the
terraced gardens behind us, and ride over
rocky pasture lands, where the shepherd
boys are tending their focks Of sneep
aud goats, Willing away helagging hours
by playing on a rude hageoet
We think of shepherd boy who tend
ed his fathers flock in these same pas
tures 293l years ago-Ruth's great grand
son, David. He is the youngest of large
family, and it is his business to take care
Of the sheep We see him as he sits OIL
} these rocks-a boy with auburn hair
ruddy countenahce and sparkling eyes
He brings his dinner in Tag, eats it here
and washes it down with the purest spring
, water. He has abundant time to prac
tice with his sling and there are few
} boys in town who can take better aim OIL
who can set the stone flying with so louC
: hum. He has sweet voice, and w
hear it ringing over the hills in snatche.
of song. He can play on harp. Blu
likely it is OF his own obstruction and {
5 very rude affair, but the music doubtless
. is much better than that from the fageo
, let's of these Arab boys. He sings no
: only the songs of others, but those of hi
own improvisiDg. Take from your pocke
that book containing his poems, and reat
the opening lines of one Of them
.The Lord is my shepherd Il shall not want,
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
He leadcth me besides still waters"
Those poems of his have been the dc
light Of men in all ages, in every coun
, try, and in every Language. They arr
suitable for every occasion and all vIcis
situdes Of life How wonderful the ef
fusions of this shepherd poet. Home
lived two hundred years later. We reat
his poems in a language which is passing
away, and if We translate them into ou
own tongue, much of the beauty thel
possessed in the original is gone; bu
the poems of David are ever frest
Q and new. They give strength il
time of weakness, joy in sorrow
) comfort in distress Read in the sane
tuary or the closet, at the marriag
feast or in the chamber Of death, at tn
'tbaptisma font or by the opened grave
they satisfy the soul The sick, racke(
with pain, the slave in his bondage. th'
prisoner in his dungeon, the martyr at tn
stake, the mourner weeping for the lovet
and lost. find in them such comfort ant
consolation as can be found nowhere else
More wonderful--they are as sweet to th
unlearned as to the learned, as satisfy
ing to the heart and intellect of the pio
neer on the verge of the pithless prairie
or the dweller; in lovely mountain glel
unacquainted with literature, as they ar,
to those who have won the highest O
, collegiate honors. Other poems grow oil
solete, but these retain ever their fresh
ness. They are as beautiful, as sweet
} tender, pathetic, grand and majestic tc
J day as they were when first sung by tha
young poet tending sheep in these pas
lures
1t has been said by some one that tn,
hight of oratory was for the speaker t.
make his listeners feel that If they wer'
upon the platform they would make jus
such speech. use the same language
soar to the same sublime nights; it wal
on that principle that the Psalms Q
David came home to the heart Of on,
good woman, who was sure that if he hat
not written them she should, for they
, suited her case exactly !lu i (
5 This pasture was the school room o
that poet, The stars, the flowers, tn