The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-04-16

"for Master Elias rule" Did q
COED man, the farmer and inn-keepe
gently demonstrate sometimes VIII,
her charities seemed beyond pr
dence, she would say: "Have v
not prospered well in all things, N
husband. Yet have | followed a
my life Master Elias rule Ar
if, while she was busy with some kin
charity, some one would ask, "Wh
is this Master Elias, and what is II
rule p She would smile and saw
This is his ruie," and go on wit
her work OF mercy.
SO it came to pass that Maste
Elias rule became proyerh and
saying in the village for every actio
of beneyoience and good will.
1t happened one Winter night
when the passengers had alighte,
from the stage coach and gone int
The cheerful inn, and one very poo
old man had fingered outside, as
afraid to go in among such grav,
company, THAT the stage driver tooh
him by the arm, and led him into tn,
parlor, and called out to the land
lady: "Here is poor old man
mistress, who will he thankful,
believe, for Master Elias rule t.
night" Gle shall he taken care of, =
answered the Iandlady, oheerily, as
she was bustling round preparing
supper for her guests.
The old mar started when the
driver spoke, and looked Tor mo-
ment from one to the other, and then
seemed to sink into revery ; but
when the mistress of the house set
some supper before hun, Ie looked
up timidIy in her kind lace.
II am afraid l cannot pay for much
of supper, to night"
"You shall not pay anything for it,
nor your bed either.' was the reply.
"Eat; it will do your heart good,
nan."
Yes" added the innkeeper, who
had come in a moment before, seat /;
it does one good to eat such days
and nights as these! think my
wife may as well follow Master Elias
rule, as she calls il, With ygp.'
The other Travellers mad gone u ;
to their beds : the inrEeSpar, his wire
and the old man were alone when
this was said. The old man dropped
his knife and fork, and exclaimed, in
a trembling voice: "What does that
mean ~ The innRseper iaHqhG'i
outright. aWhy, man" said he, sit
does 4St mean that we murder OF rob
hsa7ea nelp us, there would he no
robbing of you THAT we murder or
rob travellers here? Eat your sup
per-" he continued, more ge2tly.-
Why, whan my wife sees a chance
Of doing any good to anybody-glv-
ng man supper, for INSTANCE, or
, bed, or sead.ag sone nre wood TO
, neIghbor-why she does it, and she
calls it following Master Elias rule
hats all il means.n
The old man had not resumed his
supper.
'Who is Master Elias >" he asked.
The ian-keeper and ms Wife were
unused at the agitation Of their Wis
tor,
"Thirty years ago." he went on,
Il kept a school in this village, and
was called Master Elias"
The innkeeper's wife was holding
lis nsnds in nars, and looking
through her tears into his face. 'tihe
,ane tho samei'' cried sne. "Mas-
.er Elias, have you come back p
The innkeeper stood astonishea, !
might say ssnast, at this scene
Master Elias had been such prOverb,
such a mysterious being, neither the
nor any one else had ever
certainly known whether hs was
mortal man of fiesh and blood, or
some creature of Imagination, written
about and read apout IN books; so
that the apparition of Master Elias,
standing in person in the rar!or OF
MS inn, affected him very much as
might an apparition OF some unearth-
" being from another world
Master Elias, don't you remem
ber me ?''-Rut no-you cannot--l
was a poor beggar girl once-and
when my mother was sica went to
your house, and yon gave me half oi
everything you had---have yoii for
gotten it, the barley ioafs l never
have. I have followed your rule
always, and give half to the poor,
and my good husband there can tell
whether, in the twenty years ! have
been married to him, all things have
not gQne on yell with u.s."
The innkeeper had by this time
recovered from his amasement. He
shook his guest by the hand, and
tod him to make his home in the inn
for the rest of his life, if he liked it: a
1t might be thought that however
much the inn-keepers wife had pros
pered by following her rule of char
ity, Master Elias had not fiourished
by it, at least for he was old and
poor-he had been sick great deal
out of employment---and4 Dad start
ed forthis village, his homelof thirty
years ago, homeless and friendless.
But did not his reward come at last?
In the inn he found home; in the
inn keepers wife a daughter, in her
children pupils, whom he loved to
teach, for his intellect wac bright and