Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-10-05

[ never asked Paul what profession he
wished to follow, but one day he told me
he should enter the ministry. II shall be
home missionary, and | shall join the
Methodist Church." he said. We had
heard that Paul Clifford was in the West,
and l knew my Paul meant to find his
father, and this was the way he should do
it. r..t.-s
Paul accepted no particular field, but
as an independent missionary, he took a
broad circuit. ] was with him when, in
the fall of 49,, he determined to hold
camp-meeting in part Of the Southwest
which was opposed to anything of rel-
gious order. Gamblers, outcasts from ev-
cry land, forgcrs, robbers, composed the
population. Mary efforts had been made
but no successful meeting had ever been
held. There were stories told of minis
ters who had promised, at the point of the
bowie-kuife, never again to set foot in the
country. trembled for Paul, but he
told me my fears were vain, II shall
have my meeting, and shall live; and
| believe" he said, fixing his black eyes
upon me with look so like his mothers,
Il shall meet ham there"
Paul leased place called Cold Spring,
where fountrin of clear water bubbled
in the midst of an evergreen grove, and
conceived the idea of having q dinner as
well as a meeting. "We must have some.
thing novel to attract, Aunt Faith. Once
here | know | can impress the people as
they never been before. There is a pow
er in the truth and witchery in eloquencc. +"
An advertisement was circulated prcm-
Using camp-meeting such as had never
been held before, and dinner gotten up
in the best manner, end the best Of liquor
was to be served. We reached the ground
little late. | could see Paul was anx-
ious for the success of his scheme, and
was unusually pale. The grove was filled
with people, men, women and children,
carrying all sorts Of faces and dressed in
all kinds Of costumes. There were moth
ers with babes hanging on their arms,
coarse men with rifles in hand, and ugly
dogs at their heels. There were gamblers
with keen blades shining beneath their
coats, and there were few well-dressed
gentleman and ladies who were attracted
by the novel arrangement. Paul entered
the rude pulpit, and thrill Of pride went
over me as that noisy .assemblago hushed
into silence, when in a clear melodious
voice he pronounced blessing upon the
people and the food they were about to
partake. [ did not hear all he said, but
| knew there had been power in the words
for as looked around / saw many of the
mothers faces wet with tears.
was standing by the most powerfully
built man | ever saw, not large, but Of
well-knit strength, and as | caught sight
of the pistols in his belt and heard his
muttered threats, | trembled for Paul.
This man shouted to Paul in tones that
cut like knives, -"You have lied, Mr..
Preacher Where is the liquor you prom
ised ?" I'D .iI .-. a,
Paul raised himselfto his full hight and
with look that seemed to embrace every
man, woman and child of that vast multi
tude, he pointed to the fountain that spark
led and eaped in the sunshine. "There y
he said, in tones that vibrated through the
woods, and came back to us, echoing,
"there there :" "Drnk Of that clear
spring, bubblng up from the bosom of the
earth, and then come up hither, and will
tell you Of a fountain clear as. crystal
flowing from the throne on high, whose
depth no man can measure, and whose wa
ters cleanse all stain" a....
did not hear any more, for the man
beside me turned his face toward me, aud
muttered q curse. | shuddered, for |
knew those eyes with darts of fire leaping
from them, and those sneering lips, with
their cold smile had haunted me for years.
Paul Clifford stood beside me. | could
touch his garments.
started to make my way to Paul,
when there was a sharp click, a fash =
"Aunt Faith, am shot !" Paul cried ;
then throwing his arms mp, he fell back
upon the greensward. v
paul Clifford" | shouted, "it is you
who has done this; you have shot your
own son T; you have killed Margie's Paul"
With wild cry the laan leaped forward.
"Make room, men; stand out of the way ;
give him air. He will not die, Margie,
Paul, did not mean to forsake you. /
was hunted to DEATH" T
"Stand back, all of you,p / said "Paul
Clifford, ''do not touch hair of the head
you have laid low he does not belong to