Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-05-21
Tho Last Dollar.

ae gave II TO his wife with q sigh
yet with a look Of resignation. = .
ut rs our last dollar" he said
"But the Lord will provide"
The Rev. James Spring was minis
ter In the little mountain village 0,
Thorrville. He was poor, and hi.
congregation poorer. Often before
he had been very near his last dollar
but he had never got out until to-day.
$50 you've been alwayaaaying, :"
sobbed his wife; "but whatsM to be-
come Of US when this is gopHt They
won't trust US any more at The. store,
and your salary won't bsasae for
three weeks, even if you get then.
WY do you stay here. when the peo-
pie are 90 poor"
IL have no other place to 20 to
nor money to travel to it, if the Lord
opened the way. My work for the
present is; hero. He feedeth the
young ravens; He will surely feed
u.s."
81 wish 1 had your faith, but I
haven't, and it won't come to me.
Oh what shall we dop' and she
wrung her hands despairingly. "My
poor children" d..
"OnceI was young, and now I am
old" solemnly said her husband, speak
ing in the words of the .Psaimist, "yet
never have I seen the righteous for
saken, nor his seed begging bread. -
AS if in answer to this pious ejacu-
lation, there came a sudden knock at
the door. ALI the while the minister
and his wife had been talking, storm
had been raging outside. On opening
the door, a traveller quite wet through
entered.
IL was coming through the forost
from Maryville," he said, "and ventur-
ed to stop at the first house I saw.
My horse is in the shed. Do I take
too great liberty?"
"Not at ALL" answered the master
of the house. awe have but a Door
shelter, as you see there is a good
fire ut any rate"
For it was in the kitchen where
this conversation took place. Indeed
this humble house boasted no parlor,
and the kitchen was dining-room,
drawing room, living room and all.
The stranger proved to bc a man of
education and intelligence, and in con-
versation with him, the minister for
got his trouble, and was reminded Of
his earlier and brighter days, when
intellectual comrani"nship had not
been the rarc thing it was now,
among these hills.
At last the storm abatcd, and the
stranger arose to go. His host ac-
companied him to the gate, and
watched him until he disappeared be-
hind turn Of the road.
"See here James," said his wife, ea-
gerly, when he returned to the house.
-'I found this on the table near
whore the gentleman sat-"
1t was fifty dollar grcenback.
wrapped hastily in bit Of paper,
that looked as if it had beon torn
from a pocket-book, and on tho in
side of the paper was written the
verse of the Psalmist, which was
now apparent the traveller had owe +
heard.
II thought he was writing the di.
reetions he asked for" said the min.
ister.-He means it for us. Thanks
be to the Lordl Did I not say, my
dear, he would provide 2" '-'
His wife burst into tears. tac .
"God forgive me" she said, II will
never doubt again. The Lord surely
sent this stranger to our aid"
"And he will still provide" replied
her husband. i"Whatever nv lot
may be, here or elsewhere, in Him ]
trust" --=..-=
"A month after, q fettcr, rare event
came to the "Rev. James Spring" Il
was as follows: "Rev. and dear Sir
The church at Maryville has unani-
mously called you to itss pastorate
The salary is fifteen hundred dollars
and a good parsonage house." The
letter concluded by . saysng:s 9Th.
writer Of this first came to know Won
by your hospitality to him during :.
storm. . few weeks ago:" He over
hsaod you, ina hinonleht'ib great dis
trcss, speak-with saeli full faith. tha,
he'feels you arc 'j.as' tho PERSON 10
this charge. and on shiss roeodnmendaa
tion this call hns.beon, made.s Mary
vile was the county yss6wn, u rich an,
thriving place il sbroad aid fsrtfl,
Evaliey; N .tkee if0ot Or thv shifis. .a24
was q far filter sphere or LABOR f5rs,
man Of the miafsstsrl abilities, tia,
the Wild village ip The mount Ans. ss e 4 4
aso;a fyoGng man tas 9 yoS without,
family b6k, ,ase nissionAax s6auiisSsl