The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-05-13

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Dr.. Elliott, ! Hotcsl Clergyman Of an
old Connecticut town, being swell to- +
do.@s Fnds Keeping Deith8e lerks porT
holls'oA his pos4c ssions, eks frequent-
N visited by,burglars in q small was.
Coming homo late ono night from 4
on b1sikA his xitdSc6, 8 Ssisangsl
swaslling noise in his cellar, soon fol- |
lowed by tic sound Of stcaitlly steps
comm. up the staifss Hiding behind |
ihe door, he saw emerge a tall man,
bending under q huge basket, filed
will, saf pork, Just taken dripping
from the brine.
1 TIE doctor recognized o poorneigli-
1bo=, and stepping forward, said kind
BY: "You have a heavy load there. |
Allow me 10 assist YOU" al
Will a cry of dismay the cuiprit
cropped the basket, and actually fell
on biz knees cntreatiDg forgiveness,
ON the blca that this was his first Of
fence, and that his family were suffer-
Inc froac want OF food. :. 81 -
.But my friend, said the doctor,
"you certainly knew you had only TO
come TO me and ask for help 10 get il,
without damaging your soul with sin
and your coat with brine in this way.
/ forgive you, OF course, but | do
think you have taken more than your
share of pork. ! will divide this with
you, and when YOU want more, or any
thing else, just cvtnc and tell me
frankly
And, against the circumstances Of
the poor wretch, he compelled him to
take just half of, the stolen meat, say
fne, "Carry il TO your wife with my
compliments. / hope it win go down
just as slick as though you had not
taken it without leave
| DIR. Elliott never reyaled the name
of this man, though he enjoyed telling
/ the story, as he did one somewhat
similar, whichis well worth prcsefr-
ing.
I One dark night he went for his
/ horse IN the barn, which was at
same distance from the parsonage.
just .s he was about TO enter, he heard
some ono coming out, and in1nfedi-
ateIy concealed himself behind large
bush i'm the lane, hiding his lantern
under his cloak Presently the wide
barn door swung open, and q man ap-
peared, bending beneath an immense
load of hay bound together by rope.
Through loops of this rope he thrust
his arms, and he carried the huge mass
like q pedlar's pacss. The doctor suf-
fcred this thieying Atlas to pass him,
then, taking candle from his lantern,
he crept softly forward and set fire TO
the hay, then again coz cealad himself.
In q moment that moving haycnck
was one great, cracking blaze, and the
/ thief with wild cries, was franticaliy
flinging it from his head and back.
lie succeeded in extricating himself
without help, and then ran as though
pursued by fiends across the snowy
fields.
Some months after this there came
to the doctors study pale, thin, mel
ancholy looking man, who after much
] painful hesitation expressed a desire
tes mako a Confession of sin. With
] q serious and sympathetic manner, yet
with. l suspect, a sly twinkle in his
eye, the minister set himscIfto listen.
"Pve a dreadful load on my con-
science for a considerable spell; and
4 it does seem, doctor, as ifitlwouhlkill
me. I'm most dead now"
..Ah. is it possible? What can you
haze done? You are respectable
map a church member" replied the
doctor in seeming surprise.
Eyes, ! fined the church thirty
years ago. replied the farmer; then
sinking his voice to an awesomc COIL
fidcntial tone, he continued: "But
! Pun dreadful sinner, for all tibet, doc
tor; aud bcir' u church member my
sin, YOU see was of too much account
! TO be winkcd ct, and judgment follcr-
cd close on artcr it. o dear, Or
PRAY tell me your trouble, broth
err
well, doctor, it consarns YOU
.IndeedP'
-lis. One time last winter, | got
a lcetlc short of fodder, ami ] thought
! to myself as how you had morc'n
enough for your critters and SO one
night the deviltemptcd me to sc over
TO your barn, an too dear, OF
$50 help yourself toa little of my
surplus hay, eh!"
His doctor, jcs so. But | never
got home with that az hay. The Lord
would not let me do it, ! had load
Oh nay back, an was carryin' it away,
when all at once it burst into a blaze
about my cars
"Struck by lightning =
No. doctor, it was clear night.
I've just made up my mind that fire
dropped down from Heaven and kin
died that ar hay. Twas judgment
and warnin', am I'm afeared a sort
forcrunner of the flames of hell.
Lavcn'nt had no peace of mind since,
nor felt like eatin' good meal. AT
! last, ! thought l might feel better if
Id jest own up TO YOU, an ask your
pardon an your prayers"
the astonfshment of the poor
penitcnt, the minister laughed out
right merrily. Then he said: BE
comforted, ieighbor your little thiev-
ing operation was hardly of such con-
sequence 10 heaven as oil that. 1t
was / who caught you at it, aud set
fire TO the hay from my lantern; and
must say you yelled Justify and ran
briskly for man of your years. Why
didn't you tell me il you wanted hay !?
Now go home in peace, get well and
stealnO more
.You, doctor. You? Dc you sarten
sure you sot fire TO that ar hay -
"Yes, quite sure that was my own
little bonfire. hope ii didn't scorch
YOU much. l noticed when you came
to the meeting the next Sunday that
your hair was little singed. As for
the flames of hell, neighbor. thar's
;lyour own lookout. 1trust there is
time 20 escape them. yet
$50, so. 'fwasyo did it all. The
Lord be praised - exclaimed the far
mcr fervenrly. II rally is an amazin'
relief, am my old wennn was right,
for she says: Go 10 the minister an
confess, an that'll lift the biggest heft
off your conscience, an be better than
doctor stuff. An so you did it |?
Well, folks say You're q nasscr man
fora joke; but this one was more
solemn than sermon 10 me, and more
ctlcctual doctor, do believe
So saying the farmer departed in
peace: and the parson kept the secret
of his name, even III his own family,
always. think.
4 Warning 10 Theatre-G0ers.
A.