Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-03-25


lowed all my life Master Elias rule An,
| if, while she was busy in some kind charity
some one would ask, "Who is this Maste
Elias, and what rule she would SMILE AM
say. '1IhisiS is his rule, - andgo on with he
work of mercy.
So it came to pass that Master Elias
rule became proverb and saying in th
village for every action of benevolence anc
good will
1t happened one winter night, when tn,
passengers had alighted from the stage
coach and gone into the cheerful inn, anC
one very poor old man had fingered outside
as if afraid to go in among such grand com
pany, that the stage driver took him by tn,
arm, and led him into the parlor, and called
out the land lady: Here is poor old man
mistress, who will be thankful, L believe for
Masters Elias rue tonight"
He shall be taken care of, answered
the landlady, cheerfully, as she was bustling
around preparing supper for her guests.
The old man had started when the driver
spoke, and had looked for moment from
one to the other, and then seemed to sink
into revery; but when the mistress of the
house set some supper before him he look
ed UP timidly in her kind face.
II am afraid cannot pay for much of a
supper to night.
''You shall not pay anything for it, nor
for your bed either, was her reply, Eat !;
it will do your heart good, man."
Eyes, ~ added the inkceper, who had
come in moment before, ''eat, it does one
good to eat such days and nights as these !!
think my wife may as well follow Master
Ei,ds' rule, as she calls it, with you
The other travellers had gone up to their
beds; the innkeeper, his wife, and the old
man were alone when th:s was said The
old man dropped his knife and fork and ex-
claimed in trembling voice: What does
that mean?" The innkeeper laughed out
right. ''Why, man." said he, 1T does not
mean that we murder or rob (heaven help
US, there would be no robbing of you)-that
we murder or rob travellers here? eat your
supper, y he continued, more gently. "Why,
when my wife sees a chance OF doing good
TO anybody-giving man supper, for in
stance, or a bed, or sending some fire wood
to a neighbor-why she does it,and she calls
it following Master Elias rule; that 8 all it
means"
The old man had not resumed his supper.
''Who is Master Elias ?' he asked.
The inkeeper and his wife were amazed at
the agitation OF their visitor.
Thirty years ago, he went on, Il kept
Master Elias"
Theinnkeeper' wife was holding his hands
in hers, and looking through her tears into
his face. ''The same the very same! !"
cried She master Elias, have you come
back ?"
The innkeeper stood astonished, [ might
say aghast, at this scene. Master Elias had
been such proverb, such mysterious being,
neither the inkeeper nor any one else had
ever certainly known whether he was NOR
tai man of flesh and blood, or some creature
of Imagination, written about and read about
in books so that the apparition of Master
Elias standing in person in the parlor of his
inn affected him very much as might an ap
partition of some unearthly being from anoth-
er world.
Master Elias, don't you remember me ?
But no-you cannot-I was poor beggar
girl oDce-and when my mother was sick l
went to your house, and you gave me half OF
everything you had-have you forgotten 1t
The barley loaf? | never have. | have fol-
lowed your rule always, and given half to the
poor and my good husband there can tell
In the twenty years [ have been
married to him, all things have not gone
well with US.
The innkeeper had by this time recovered
the hand ,and told him to make his home in
the inn for the rest of his lite. if he liked it,
1t might be thought that, however much
the innkeeper's wife had prospered by follow
ing her rule of charity, Master Elias had not
fourished by it, at least; for he was old and
poor-he had been sick a great deal-out OF
employment-andh had started for this village,
his home of thirty years ago. homeless and
friendless. But did not his reward come at
last? In the inn he found home: in the
wife daughter in her rosy
children pupils, whom he loved to teach, for
his intellect was bright and his mind well
stored; in the villagers. one and all, he found
friends, for his name was already among
them, associated with goodness and virtue;
and at last, beside his little sister grave, he
found a resting place, where on little white
stone is recorded how the people cherished
the memory of Master Elias rule, and look
cd forward with cheerful hope to meeting
him where that rule of charity shall be even
The rule whereby ,oe are to be judged.
RJc SIrCKER The Raodinp EIOLe