Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-05-25

Numerous workmen we're soon employed
upon the before derided waste, and Dale
ford in few years derived its chief impor.
tance from these fields. Capital and enter
prise were attracted to the town, and hun
dreds of families were supported by labor in
the mineral bowels of the harmless earth,
and the star of the fool rose suddenly up iu
the sky of benefaction. Fontley, his patron,
and self appointed agent, was true to his
grateful instiets and his important trust, and
Daniel Mosgar became the possessor of un-
told wealth.
As if Heavens rebuke were designed to
be Immediately manifest, the strata did not
extend into the land of Robert Mosgar, and
be saw with double modification the con-
trasted wealth of the nephew he had de-
frauded. Between his efforts to purchase
any part of the fools farm, or all of it, at
any price, stood the sagacious, watchful and
honest Fontley and of what pitying Provi-
dence had held in mysterious reserve for
the day of the idiots destitution, the mind
and heart of Fontly became the guardian.
Nor was this all the fortune of the fool.
In his youth he had been bright" as the
saying is, but disease of the brain had set
tied there, converting it to idiocy. Years
of mental darkness had LETT no hopes of rev.
olution of reason, but now the reign of folly
had expired. The sudden change in his
lot threw Daniel into state of feverish ex-
exultation, which resulted in severe sickness
from which skilIful treatment raised him
gradually to health and sense again.
1t appeared as If joy had startled and
had made him idiotic, and the long, latent
bane was expelled forever. He rose man!
Man in the same and glorious control of all
his faculties Man in the full possession
and free use of that immortal mind without
which he would be no kin nor part of the
Creator nor dream that our final home and
barhor is the bosom of yearning God. A
man Fool no more, and like one who
wakes from a long vision of dread images,
he moved and spoke with an unladen mind
and wept for JOY at the coming of the morn
ing Of his liberty.
The tears of Fontley and his daughter
were freely mingled with his--a happy trio
And still prosperity with brigher smiles,
marched fondly on with him. The dark
ness ftly fell on the other side of the can
yass, and the justice of God was truly vim
dicated.
The haryests became the prey of various
misfortunes They were backscant, mildew-
ed, here scorched by too much heat, and
there destroyed by tempests. Murrain
blighted his cattle, fire destroyed his build
ings, and as if the hostility of elements, and
OF men were not punishment enough, sick
ness prostrated him and in the midst of his
running adversely, his only children sickened
and died.
So fed the promise of better farm. So
persisted, like the golden mist sunset the
vision of the william. When he recovered
from the couch of physical prostration, he
learned for the first time of all the good for
tune of the nephew he had wronged-his
reason added to his riches-his further bliss
his union with his benefactor's daughter
Then walked Robert Mosgar forth into the
air and Confessed, in anguish, his wretched-
ness. He beat his breast, and strod, among
the ruined fields, and knet and sobbed
aloud
Now, oh, Lord, know my sin And
though my heart is broken, it is purified: y
81 And so ends the story of the fool
farnl." So closes it, with moral. Let
not the oppressor be too confident. The
changes of New England's April is not SO
great as changes of man S estate; and they
who exult in cruel self reliance, over the
unfortunate and unhappy, may take their
pluca tn marrow