Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-03

story OF a Widow and her
Son.
BIT 4 CLERGYMAN.

BIT 4 CLERGYMAN.
When came to settle ia Hampton the
PEOPLE had been without stated preaching
or long time. went ut work ia earnest.
n my pulpit labors, and in my every day
Intercourse with the people. sought to
make Christianity living. operating pow
.r-a companion for the hesrthstone and
he workshop; q guide and mentor in
III the busy affairs oflifc; . support under
he burden Of earthly cares; and . source
II blssaed hope in the hour Of sickness and
liss olution.
just at the edge Of the village. on the
north, and under the shadow of Mount
stood small cot, With . shed. .
:ow-house, and shop attached. Tais shop
bad been once . shosmaksr's shop but
The door VAS locked now, and the skivings
81 leather lay untrodden about the step.
ping stone, growing black and crisp in the
storm aud sunshine knew that tho Widow
Naomi Preston lived there-tha, she lived
that she Vas very poor. And
| had her sad story how her husband had
died drunkard, and how her only child
her son, Noel-had fallen into temp alton,
and been torn from her by the hands Of the
law.
"Noel Preston was really true.heartcd
boy" said Charles Bradford, who was my
informant "and the time was when he
Was one Of tho fairest lads in the town
but his fathers fall broke his spirit, and he
took to drink. The rest OF the story you
can easily imagine 4 mothers love did
occasionally hold him back FOR . little
while; but shs demon had fast bold on
him, and finally drew him down. Two
Yeas ago coma Christmas, Noel Preston.
then nineteen, got into drunken quarrel;
or, perhaps, ] should use some other term
than quarrel, for | have It from those
v no were his boon companions that he
never quarrellei. Tho circumstances were
simply these: It was Christmas evening.
and dance vas going on at the tavern
Noel was in liquor. and went there to see
the dancars, and hear the music; and there
he drank more-drank until he Was intox.
icated. One OF the dancers, who had drank
enough to bring out the natural littlsness Of
his soul, objected to Noers being allowed
In the tavern, and finally wound up his
opening speech upon the subject BY de-
claring that With the landlords psrmis-
sion he would put tho drunken puppy
out. Noel heard him, and demanded to
know whom he called . drunken puppy,
upon which the daucor-Aaron Robinson
BY nams-rsplied that hs called him-Noel
freston--a drunken puppy, and then be
added . sentence which was perfectly
awful"
"Charles Bradford told me wha. Robin.
son said, but | cannot transcribc it here.
After Robinson had uttered those dread
full, brutal words against the memory Of
Nosps dead father, Noel caught him and
dragged him down into the hall, and
thence out Of doors, where he challenged
him to stand up like man, and either
take those words back or fight. The result
was fight, during which u chancs blow,
delivered full npon tho side OF Robinson d
neck, directly under the ear, dislocated the
epine3 causing almost instant death. Noel
was arrested and tried and convicted oil
manslaughter, and sentenced to impr son.
Rsnt for ten years.
1t was du,ing the last week in October
that found her alone in the little, cot and
feeling ofextrems ssdnes, possessed me-
when saw how poor she was She had
ust been eating when | entered. Upon
tho ricksty table vera pewter plate, a
small broken pitcher, brown drinking
mug, part OF loaf Of black bread, aud /
piece Of rusty boiled pork There wa.
one other chair besides that which she oc
cupied. and this she offered to the. Their,
was bsd IN the room aud over hit,
| pine bureau, aGainst the wall, between tn
two front windows, was tackled upa trian
ular giece of looking glass. | could see
At once. that everything not absolutel,
necessary for tho common wants o: life ha,
been sold.
Tho poor woman had handed mea chat
but she had not done il in 4 spirit Of wei
come. In fact, ] could plainly sec tha
my presence was not agreeable to her, tn
| meant to overcome her dislike i'll could
| YOU'RE the new minister, | suppose 7
sho said, after hal taken the protfere,
eeat.
told hor was, and that in the rount
Of my pitriarchia! visits | have called in 4
sec her.
She looked up into my fac, and | coul,
detect the signs OF inward struggling
Presently, she said
| You might have saved yourself III
trouble, SIR. don't belong TO your parish
and have no part in your affairs. don
have the comPanionship OF those wh,
attend your meetings. and don't want it
| What did you come here fory''
| For moment this question, coming as i
did after such chilling spee,h, rather non
plussed me, but quickly recovered
myself.
II camo to see you, to visit YOU as
visi. others who man bs in trouble and scr
| row"
She laughed bitter, freezing laugh, I'd
cried
And what are my troubles and sorrow,
to your Can you bear them for mcs,
YES" told her. "We can al hell
bear one anothsrs burdens Of life, if VI
will. III give you my love, and sympathy
and goodwill, and pray for you, will moi
that relieve you Of . portion Of the bur
den 2"
Who talks Of love for such a. me
BIB! It's lie Nobody loves me And
what do you suppose care for your prsv.
ere! How can your prayers benefit me
! tell you they are empty, useless things'
That must depend upon what sort o.
prayers | put FORTH" said to her with =
kindly smile. ~ mean to show you that
my prayers can do much. The cold winter
- coming. and you must have foed, and
ias', and clothing; and you are entitled 10
them. Twill pray for you 40 would pray
for my own mother. Ny lips shall speak
only what my hands are willing 70 make
good. You must allow me to take the
place, % far a. can, Of him who has take
from you.'
For few seconds could not tell how
she was going to receive this. Her head
wss bowed. her hands pressed over her
face. and l could see there was an in yard
struggle. But the gsn,ler spirit prevs led
end love for her boy moved her to speak
20, sir, Col forgive me il have been
harsh and unkind 70 you but Won don,
know what have had to bear. You've
heard the story Of my poor boy ,"
Yes" said.
10" she went on, cit isn't his being
away from that cuts deepest into INV heart !:
but when | think the brand is upon him
and that in all the time 10 come men mus,
shrn him and despisc him-O, it 10 cruel,
cruel -
told the suffering woman that she was
mistaken. l told her that the best men OF
the town did not regard her son IS q muir.
derer, Nor think him even great criminal.
For mo own part looked upon ler son a.
poor unfortunate, whose youthful life had
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