Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-08-15
SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST Is, 1868.

"DOeS the .RcVerenu hlr. wilson live
here 2" he asked, hesitatingly.
II am he," said the old man. "Comc into
the hall, out of the snow, and tell me your
business with me-"
"I would like to stay here tonight" said
the man.
Cant you go to the tavern"
"It is too far to walk on such night as
this"
II am sorry. my friend" said the pastor,
'to turn off any man, especially soldier,
on such q night, but cannot accommodate
you. The tavern is not half mile distant,
and if you have not the money to pay for
bed, | will give it to you"
II want to stay here"
ut is impossible"
The minister was about to close the door,
when the man asked abruptly:
"Was John Wilson, who was killed in
Virginia, a son of yours 2"
An expression of pain fitted over the old
mans face.
"Come in to the fire." he said, kindly
My poor boy was q soldier, and may be
you knew him."
aye that did" muttered the man, as
he followed the pastor into the sittingToo
"He knew john" said the latter, and,
with this brief introduction, he asked the
stranger to be seated.
The soldier Obeyed, and sat for while
holding his cap in his hand, and gazing in
| to the fire.
81 think you said you knew my poor boy"
said old Mr. Wilson, in u low, unsteady
| tone.
| None knew him better, SIR" replied the
soldier, without taking his eyes from the
| fire. ave were together great deal"
'Did he ever speak of his home z" asked
! Mr.. Wilson, sadly.
Frequently to me, but to no one else (;
and then it was only to regret the madness
that made him lose it."
30, if he only had come back" sobbed
the old father.
The stranger was silent for moment,
then he went on hastily:
"He was ashamed to do so, sir. He felt
that he had, by his own act, forfeited all
claim to your affection, and sympathy, and
| he was ashamed to return, though he earn
estly longed to do So"
"And we loved him SO much !"
1t was the mothers voice this time, and
| it was full of tenderness and sorrow. The
| soldiers head sunk lower on bis breast, and
| something like sob shook the heavy folds
of Blue cloth that covered him. Then, after
u long silence, he went on /:
He told me that he was bad, undutiful
son, that he had given you much trouble
but that he would gladly give his life to
recall 1t ALL"
ale was only boy, sir, misguided boy
and was too harsh with him." and the old
man wept.
The soldier raised his cap before his face
| as if to shield it from the fire, and his
mouth worked neIvousy.
"He became better aud truer to his duty
after he grew to manhood" he continued
| slowly. "He saw his sin plainly, and he
determined, with Gods help, to do better
| and he kept his determination. He was
| very steady aud faithful to his duty for sew
eral years. and after he entered the army re,
formed entirely"
The mother spoke again; this time with
! joy mingled with resignation.
THE Lord is very merciful. feared that
! the boy had been cut off in his sins"
! There was something in this patient meek
ness, even more touching than in the grief
of the old man, who confined to sob and
! murmur:
80, my boy, my boy ~
"Ie loved you very dearly" said the sol
! dier, "even though he behaved SO badly,
! heard his forgiveness from your lips--to
""'S hN"'e yoN 'A"' Joe P"AN'ohSNA
! him"
pardon him." interrupted the mother,
''pardon him. Poor boy, he knows now
how freely we have done so from the first y
"iIo does, he does" sobbed the soldier
as he sank at her feet, and bowed his head
on her knees, and burst into tears.
This strange act on the part of the soldier
brought all but the mother 20 their feet, in
astonshment. She knew at once what il
meant, and sat, with happy smile on her
face, tenderly smoothing his hair, as she had
done when he was boy.
"What does it mean Z" gasped the old
man.
at is our boy-our John-and he has
come back to US from the grave" she said
There was rejoicing in the little parsonage
that night over the recovered son, and il
was with gushing hearts that they all Joined
the next day in the angel song of GLORY to
God in the highest, and on earth, peace
good will to men,"