Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-06-11

successful and never heard that the par
ties concerned lived to repent it; yet per-
verso Imagination will conjuro up possible
scenes of domestic infelicity--will suggest
such bits of conjugal dialogue as this:
| well, it's all right and just that should
| suffer for my disobedience. l shouldn't
| have had to bear such things If 1 had Civ
| en- heed to the best of fathers and mothers
rm sure wish you hadp
| And dear, good DIR. Elliot, too ; he would
have saved me, if you hadn't come prowl-
| ing about his house nights and made me so
unhappy that he was obliged to send for
papa
MARY Ann, never came near you
there
Now, Joshua, don't for your souls sake,
say that again Didn't I see you with my
own eyes, down among the gooseborry-
bushes? And didn't / hear your own
voice Il hope there isn't another like itD,
tempting me to elopc with you from that
blessed haven of reiuge?'
Il do brlicve, Mary .pgn, you are crazyl
navcnt proved an at5i by my mother, a
dozen timcs?
Your mother again! etc., etc.
Dr.. Elliot being 'wcl-to-uo,' and keeping
neither locks nor bolts on his p sessions,
was frequently visited by burglars in
small way.
Coming home late one night, from visit
to 4 poor patient, he heard on passing
| through his kitchen, a strange swashing
| noise in his cellar, soon followed by the
sound of stealthy steps coming up the
stairs. Hiding behind the door, he saw
emerge tall man, bonding under huge
basket filled with salt pork, just taken drip
| ping from the brine.
The Doctor recognized poor neighbor,
and stepping forward said kindly: you
have a heavy load there. Allow me to as
sist you
with a cry of dsmay, the culprit drop
| ped the basket, and actually fell on his
knees, cntreatng forgiveness, on the plea
that this was his first offense, and that his
family were suffering from want of food.
But my friend said the good doctor,
you certainly knew you had only to come
to me and ask for help to get it, without
damaging your soul with sin and your coat
with brine i'm this way. I forgive you of
] course, Dul uO lnllh gOu iuNt lhhCh
more than your share of pork. l will di-
vide this with YOU and when you want
more, or anything else, just come and tell
me frankly.
And, against the almost frantic remon-
strances of the poor wretch, he compelled
him to take just half of the stolen meat
saying: Garry it to your wife, with my
compliments. 1 hope it will go down just
as slick as though you had taken it with
out leave
DR.. Elliot never revealed the name of
this man though he enjoyed telling the sto-
ry as he did one somewhat similar, which
is well worth preserving.
Late one dark night being summoned TO
patient in a neighboring parish, he went
for his horse to his barn, which was at some
distance from the parsonage. just as he
was about to enter, he heard some one COM
! ing out, and Immediately concealed him
self behind large bush in the lane, hiding
his lantern under his cloak. Presently the
wide barn-door swung open, and man ap-
peared bending beneath an immense load
OF hay bound together by a rope. Through
loops of this rope he had thrust his arms,
and he carried the huge mass like a ped
dler's pack.
The Doctor suffered this thieving Atlas
to pass him; then, taking the candle from
his lantern, he crept softly forward and set
fire to the hay, then again concealed him
self. In moment that moving haycock
was one great cracking blaze, and the thief
with wild cries, was frantically flinging it
from his hnoH and hack He guppppien i'm
extrcating himself without help, and ther
ran as though pursued by iiends across the
snowy field.
Some months after this there came to the
Doctors study a pale, thin, melancholy
looking man, who after much painful hes
itation, expressed a desire to make a con-
fession of sin. With a serious and sympa-
thetic manner, yet with, l suspect sly
twinkle in his eye, the minister set himself
to listen.
I've had n dreadful load on my con-
science, Doctor, for considerable spell
and it does seem as eff 'twould kill me.
I'm eeny most dead now
'Ah! is it possible? What can you have
done? You are a respectable man and q
church member, replied the Doctor, in
seeming surprise.
Yes, jined the church thirty years ago,
replied the old farmer; then, sinking his
voice to an awesome, confidential tone, he
continued: But I'm dreadful sinner, fol
all that Doctor; and bein church mem.
ber, my sin, you see was of too much ac
count to be winked at and judgment fol-
Tered close arter it. o dear, or
Pray tell me your trouble, brother
well, Doctor, it consarns you
'Indeedp
'Yis. One time last winter, | got leetl,
short of fodder, and thought tn myself as
how you had more'n enough for your crit
ters; and so one night the Devil tempted
me to go over to your barn, m tu' dear
or
TO help yourself to a bit of my surplus
hay, eh?'
'Yis, Doctor, jes so! But | never go
home with that are hay. The Lord wouldn'
let me du it. l had a load on my back
, and was carrying it away when all tn one,
it burst into blaze about my ears =
Struck by lightning?'
NO, Doctor, it was a clear night Nv,
jest made up my mind that fire dropped
= down from Heaven, and kindled that ar,
, hay. Twas a judgment and a warnin', an
y I'm afeared a sort Of forerunner Of tn
flames of hell. ! haint had no peace o
l mind sencc, nor felt like eatn' good mea
Of vittals. Al last, thought might fee
r little better eff I'd jest own up to you, an
o ask your pardon an your prayers
To the astonishment Of the poor penitcnt
. the minister laughed out right merrly
Then he said: BE comiorted, ncighbor
Q your little thieving operation was hardl,
1 Of such consequence to Heaven as that. /
, was who caught you at it, and set fire t.
t the hay from my lantern; and | must say
You yelled Justify and ran brisIly, for Q
/ man of your years. Why didn't you tel
- me if you wanted hay? Now go home in
peace, get well and steal no more
You Doctorl Your BE you sartiI
7 sure YOU set fire TO that are bundle of hay?