Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-03-24

/ -
be resisted ? / looked up and saw
my wife on her knees,--I knel
too. | did not know how to pray
but my heart was broken. Nd
sobs filled the room, / wept fol
the first time since my childhood
lido not know that | said anything
but ] felt, oh /! IFELT! and feelings
without saying, is better than say
ing without feeling since God cam
be deceived. There. was kline
of sweet comfort in doing like my
pure wife, who seemed almost glO
rifed as ! thought of her meek
forhearance. She heard me weep
ing, and came to my side and whis
pered, "The blood of Jesus clean.
seth from all sin. Let the wicked
forsake his ways, and the unright
eous man his thoughts; and lei
him return unto the Lord, and be
will have mercy upon him ,and
turn TO our God for be will abun.
dainty pardon"
"Oh Ellenor !" / cried, "can
you not pray for me SO l can hear
you ?" and she did pray for me,
and | prayed for myself, until a
peaceful calm came over my soul
When I rose from my knees, the
sweet morning light was coming
up in the East, and / walked ont
into that dewy dawn a new man ;
with new thoughts, new feelings,
new resolves, and with Gods help
intend to bea man of new works,
for Ellenor had said as / went out,
by "work is faith made perfect. "
| went to work Immediately; |
could not bring back the dead, but
| could aid the living. / sent the
widow a deed securing to her, her
old cottage home and an order to
buy what furniture she wished.
| sold my fine wines and brandies
to the druggists at great dis
count. What provisions / had
left, after sending Mrs. Brenton a
wagon load, l hauled home. /
tossed deck after deck of cards in
to the fire, my handsome billiard
table was knocked to pieces and
thrown from an upper window,
while lockers on thought the ma
MAC ought to be taken to the AS
ylum. 1t was late in the AFTER
noon when | went home. Mywife
was sitting on the gallery watch
ing for me. Her pale face wore a
look that was a mingling of hope
and anxiety. She looked at me, as
/ took my seat beside her, as if
trying to read my countenance,
and exclaimed, "Oh! Richard !!
Richard! Tell me, am l dream
ing, or was last night real? My
brain reels, and l feel so bewil-
dered / cannot tell"
"My poor, neglected darling !
How heart hungry you must have
been, but l thank God your afec-
tions did not freeze, swell as hun
ger, and by His grace, / will hence
forth be husband as we'll as a
provider. {Oh how many men
are SO absorbed in business, even
though that business is noble and
good, as to forget the finer neces-
stiles of a woman's nature J "Yes,
dear Ellenor, it was your warm
love that drew me back. Mrs.
Brenton's story SO thoroughly ar
oused my nature, my convictions
were sos:rong, my remorse so deep,
but for your sweet image that
came before me like pleading an
gel, | should have killed myself
last night" She was leaning her
head on my shoulder, and felt
the warm tears falling on my hand,
but l knew they were not bitter
with sorrow, so | did not try to
sweeten them with soothing words,
but drawing her nearer my heart
| told her all that had occurred
the night before, and all that l
had done that day. She was
much affected by Mrs. Brenton's
story, and shuddered at the pic
ture | had seen IN my agony of
our own sweet babes.
/ persevered in my efforts. to