The Portland daily press., 1868-07-31
Miscellany.
speci.,I rroridences.

The following amusing story, from How
tits Journal, is, perhaps, as conclusive in re-
gard to special providences" as the argu-
ments generally advanced in their favor:
A,priest going along on Sunday on the
road, saw boy in very ragged dress sitting
dangling his feet in the water OF brook that
ran by it.
"Well, my boy" said the go1,; father, "what
makes YOU sit there today, ard why don't
you go to the chapel?"
Its because Pm not just fit to be seen
there, because of the raggedness of my
clothes" said the boy.
And who may your parents be, and what
are they doing, that they don't see YOU better
clad, and going to the chapel on Sunday?"
Il can't exactly say" replied the boy, "what
they may be doing just now, because they
have been dead some years, and Get along
as we'll as can without them"
"But you should not neglect going to the
chapel said the priest; 'and if you are
ashamed OF your clothes, why, L would have
you get up tetimes in the morning, and step
into the chapel when nobody is there, and
say your prayers, and depend upon it, God
will be dropping something in your way''
so the boy thanked mis- reverence for his
advice, and promised to follow it. Sometime
after, as the priest was going the same way.
he saw the same boy, but now very much al
tered in appearance, and being very well
dressed.
swell, my boy, did you follow my advice,
and do you now so to the chapelp.
'Ah! bless your reverence" replied the lad
shat did, indeed, and 1 wish L had seen
you years before, for it was the best day Of
my life when did see you."
"How was that ?' asked the priest.
"Why, God bless your reverence got up
early in the morning, as you advised me and
went away to The chapel, and as did not
want to be seen, slipped in quietly and got
behind the door, and began to say my prayers,
and sure enough, it was just as your rever-
ence said it would be-Providence was after
dropping something in my way directly.
When first went in there was nobody there !:
but presently there came blind man, and he
pat his head into the chapel and said. Is
anybody here; and when nobody answered
for kept quite still, for 1 would see what
Providence would be after-the blind man
entered, and made his way to a seat, and be-
gan saying his prayers. And presently an
otner blind man came and put in his head
and said, is anybody here? And the first
blind man answered and said, There is no.
body but me, and am blind And with that
the second blind man entered, and made his
way to the first blind man and sat down by
his side, and they began to talk. And the
one blind man asked the other how long he
had been blind? and he said Eighteen
years.
Eighteen years, that is a long time: why.
you must have saved power OF money in ali
that time" -
Nay replied the first man. mot so much
as you would think-bad has been nv best
luck. | have only saved $40, and | have it
Stitched into my cap, here, that nobody may
steal it,"
And with that, your reverence" said the
boy, II saw that all your reverence had said
was the truth; and that Provi lence had drop
pea something in my way Immediately. Sol
up and went softly up to the men, and took
each his cap aw y out of his haud, and made |
for the door. But oh +! the two blind men,
but they were astonished, aud they seized
each other by the throat, and one said: %
ye thiet OF the world but We have stole,. INV
cap and my money and TO It they went like
furles, and when the people came into the
chapel they found them rolling Oh the foo,
together, and screaming that the one had rob
bed the other, and the other had robbed the |
one; but no caps nor money were then to be |
seen, and then both men were more astopish |
ed than ever. But 1 was By that time far |
across the fields, blessing your reverence fcr
the true words ye had said 70 me, for. true
enough, Providence had dropped something
In my way all at once. And now yonr rever,
ence sees that 1 dress decently as any other
BOY OF tnem all, and go to the chapel every
sunday; and often bless the day that mel
your reverence as did"