The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-09-15
Aumsehnla Hntas.
THE SHEPHERD AND HIS LAMB.
A TRUE STORY.
BY VIRGINIA RANDOLPH.


the balmy air, and the rich odor of the flow
ers that bloomed around every dwelling,
In the stiffness, his ear caught the accents
of little song, from voice so deicately
sweet that it seemed like silver thread that
breath of air might break. With an ex'
clamation of surprise and delight they looked
around, and saw baby face peeping over
nurses shoulder. A fair little face it was,
with innocent blue eyes, and little rosy
mouth, from which came the tiny music they
had heard.
"WhOse little darling is this?' he said to
the nurse. He was almost stranger in
the city, having entered on his charge there
only few weeks before.
cit is Mrs. DIS little girl, the nurse re-
Piled
"Ah, then" said he, 81 am her pastor
How old are you, my lamb?'
"Three years old, said the little one, as
she looked into his beaming face, and went
at once to the arms that were opened for
her. She was not afraid of such face and
voice as that.
Then DR.. H. said to her, ASK your NAM
ma to bring you to church some pretty Sun
day, and there you and will sing and praise
God together"
| So little Mary was brought, and heard
her shepherds voice in the songs of Zion.
1t was wonderful voice, and none who
heard ever forgot it, The deep, organ tones
won the heart of little Mary, who dearly
loved music, and after that she would never
stay away. Il want to hear DR.. H. sing"
she would say with such pleading little
voice that it could not be resisted
Winter came and went, and Spring ap-
peared. She was even fairer than her wont,
but neither sunshine nor flowers could bring
| joy to the heart of old Virginia, for it was
in the year of eighteen hundred and sixty.
four, and the great war was drawing rapidly
to its fearful crisis.
A day of fasting and prayer was ap-
pointed. The church of DR.. H. was filled
to OVERLOOKING. In spite of the intense heat,
and the dense crowd, little Mary was there,
sitting on the lap of her father, who found
place on the pulpit steps.
The heart of the minister and the patriot
was well-nigh bursting with grief for the
woes of the church of God, and the people
of his beloved land. The flood gates of his
eloquence were opened, For one hour and
a half he held them in silence, broken only
by sobs. "The grandest effort of his life, "
said the gentlemen one to another, as they
parted at the church door. 1t had need to
be.
4 am weary and spent" said the pastor
to his family, when he returned home. 81
must 90 to rest now, but will be better in
the morning Like his blessed Master, he
was slowly but surely "giving his life for
the sheep
The opposing armies, with their mighty
elements of destruction, came to close quar-
ters around the once happy and hospitable
town.
One evening DR.. H, saw little Mary D.
in the lovely yard in front of her home,
kneeEng beside her father with happy face,
helping him to tend the flowers. The next
morning her father was summoned away with
the militia. In few days came the news
that he was taken prisoner, and he never
saw his little Mary again.
The conflict waxed fercer. Battles were
fought around the pretty city. Day after
day DR.. II. walked miles through blazing
sun, carrying refreshment to the wounded
on the field. Then they were brought by
hundreds into the hospitals, and here again
he was found early and late, going from cot
to cot, bearing comfort to body and soul.
she will wear himself out, said the sur
geons who witnessed his labors. But he had
no time to think of himself-he was seeking
the lost and wounded sheep.
There came at last day when his work
was done. He consented to lie down to rest,
aud he rose up no more.
Now the shells began to fall around the
city. The inhabitants were fleeing from
their beautiful homes in every direction,
seeking shelter wherever they could find it.
The physicians said DR.. H. must be removed
from the excitement and the heat into the
country air.
He was borne on bed from his chamber
to the ambulance that stood waiting at his
door. Fear and horror had seized upon the
city-but the crowd who hung around his
house that morning "beheld his face as it
had been the face of an angel" In his
heart perfect love had cast out fear
As the ambulance moved slowly over the
heavy, dusty road, its progress was stopped
by another vehicle 1t was one-horse cart,
into which were crowded Mrs. D. and little
Mary, with her brothers and sisters. The
feeble voice of the pastor called from the
ambulance, "My little Mary, are you there?"
1t was the last time she heard her shepherds
voice on earth.
He was received with open arms into the
lovely and hospitable country home of one
of his members. There, after two weeks
more of "wearisOme days and nights, on
fresh and beautiful morning, he was trans