National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-02-18
The Door in the Heart.
BY VIRGINIA L. TOWNSEND.

by, and on that door was written WONAS.-
CHARLES DICKESs.
and So it is with the drunkard. Far upa
great many pairs of winding stairs in his
heart is a door and on that door is written
MAN, aud You must knock at it once, twice
sUyen times, yes, serenity times seven. that it
may open unto us.-JoHS B.Gough.
He was an old man-not SO old
either, for the years of his life could
not have wrinkled his forehead and
whItened his hair, and the hands
locked together on the low pine ta-
BILE did Lot tremble so with weak
uees OF old age; yet very old and
very miserable looked the solitary
occHpaut Of that narrow room or
cntery, with its faded red curtains.
and its atmosphere rendered almost
intOlerable by the bar-room into
which it opened. y hat bearing
unmistakeaOle evidence of long IN
timacy with brick bats aud cutters
maintained safe position on one
side Of the owners head, and pair
of elbows through his coat sleeves
III rejoicing CONSCIOUSNESS that they
could afford to be ont Add 10
this, reader, pair of pants whose
original color it would be matter
of time and study to determine, and
You have the tout ensemble of the
wretched being who occupied the
old gTog shop which he was allowed
to frequent in all the village of
Greenfield.
Ana yet that miserable, solitary,
/ friendlesS creature. sitting there half
stupiipd with the effect OF last
nights Tevel, and utterly uncon.
scious thar, outside, the May morn
ing Of God, with its glorious birth
righg of sunshine and dews and
bird songs, has a heart, and far
away, up a great many pair of stairs
4 in his heart, Is a door covered with
cobwebs and dust, and ou that door
/ is word written, which Time and
Sin have never been able to ei1acc
and that word is MAN.
But nobody ever dreamed Of this,
and people shook tLeir heads, and
SaId Bllly Strong's case WAS a hope
less one. Had not many kind-hcart.
ed persons reasoned with him earn
eStly on the evils Of his ways? Had
not the 'tcmprance men gone to
him with a pledge and promised
him employment il he would sign it ,
Aud all this lad been utterly in
vai1.
Nh, none of them had groped
their way up the winding stairs, and
read the name on the hidden door
there.
But, while the unhappy man sat
by the pine table tEat morning, the
uarkecper suddenly entered. follow
ed by a lady with soft hazel eyes,
and a face that a child would have
gone to in any trouble,
The old man looked up with 4
vacant gaze of wonder, as the bar.
keeper offered the lady a chair, and
pointed 10 the occupant of the 9th.
er,Saying, That's Billy Strong, mad
am aud with a lingering stare OF
surprise and curiosity,lcft the gentle
woman alone with the now thor
oughly sobcrcd man.
The soft eye of the lady wander
ed with sad, pittying er HIcsSion
over Bill'S features, and then, IN 9
low, sweet voice. she asked, Am
rightly informed ? Do | address Mr.
, William Strongf
All! with these words the lady
had gotten further up the winding
stairs, nearer the hidden door, than
all that had gone before her.
Yes that is my name, ma'am,
said Old Bill, and he glanced down
at his shabby attire, aud tried tC
hide the elbow which was peeping
ont tic tarthcst; for it was Ions
time since he had been addressed
, by that name. and, somehow; j
sounded very pleasant to him.
Il am very glad to meet YOU, Nj
Strong said the lady; Il have hear'
; my father speak Of you so often, ant
of the days when You and he wer
boys together, that almost feel a
if we were old acquaintauccs. Nol
surely can't have forgotten Charlie
Morrison 2
no. no! Charles and | used {,
!. be old cronics,' said old Bill, with
i. sudden animation, and Il light in hi
: eye, such as had not been there fo
y many days. except when rum len
it titiul briliancy.
!, All, the lady did not know, ~ pei
i haps the angels did, that she ha'
mounted the stairs, and was soltl
!, feeling for that unseen door.
= SO she went on, Il almost feel n
:, though could see the old spot upol
which your homestead stood, MI
: Strong. | have heard my fathe
:. describe it so often. The hill, witt
!, It's crown of old oaks, ut the bacl
G of your house, and the field Of gold
Il en harvest grain that waived II
q front. Then there was u gree
II grass plot before the front door
a and the hugo old apple tree tina
r threw it's shadows across it, aud til
" grape vine that crept around til
II pillars, and the iose.bush that lool,
I. cd in at the bed d'room window, an,
,, the spring that went flashing au
4 singing through the bed of mint Il
II the side of the house
g Old Bill owed uncasily In hi
X chair. and the muscles around hi
l. mouth twitchcd occasionally bu
/. unmindiul of this, in the same low