Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-04-27

/ the presence OF sdch a standing repro3Ch
/ to his inquiiy, and thinking TO drive him
/ upon the pauper maintenance OF the town.
/ Alas the lord OF the house was ptia-
/ Bile sight TO see, as he wandered, half
naked. from door TO door In Daleford. Of
fering shares In his rocks for bread, snd
with no moro OF those vacant smiles which
I had shown his citation in his time of imag-
: mary wealth. Distress had now Joined
hand with idocy, and the dream of COM
fort HAD vanished from the fools brain.
The haggard skeleton. In his life OF chance
I found casual sustenance enough To keep
his soul with his body still but that ghast-
1 " aspect of human life was more mocking
/ than even his sterile apology for farm.
/ Slow and sad was the step of the saunter-
| ing scarcecrow through the town.-the
melancholy cynosure OF the pointing I'm
gers. the desolate victim of shameless re-
lationship. aud a shattered brain. Alas
for the spectral land proprietor, Had
Heavens all embracing glance no ray TO
guide his list-less feetl
One day, As instinct sent MIN begging,
amer dinner time. for the dismal niscel-
lany of his daily food. summer storm
darkcned the heavens and the earth. and
pcal- OF thunder startled all animated
things. The flowers bowed In terror, and
the invisible milliners who deck the bon
net, of nature few TO their most secret
haunts. But the fool stalked abroad in
the pelting rain, and lined his lack lsstrc
eyes 10 the furious source OF the tempest,
half amazed. half delighted. a; the inter
mitieni fires.
Suddenly a shrek was heani along the
road: and. looking backward. he saw
upon frightened horse young maiden
OF the village, clinging to the mane of the
cslloping animal. which. snorting with
alarm. approached him.
Daniel Mossar was fool-hut he was
man. A wise one might have stepped
aside In fear. but Daniel seized broken
bough by the waysidc. and brandishng
the huge weapon for a moment, darted in
Ia the middle OF the road and. as the wild
caree ring stccd came laundering on with
his insensate burden. with a well-drected
force the limb was brought In contact
with the horses head. The conclusion
was tremendous. and the animal. painting
and quivering. with swelled veins. fell
heavily 10 the ground.
Happily for the girl. whose hold was upon
his name. she was hanging upon the op-
positc side 10 that on which he fell: and
before the half stunned animal could
struggle to his feet again. the idiot, in
>pired by the emergency. sprans forward.
aud pulled the maiden from her pcrilous
position The shouts OF approachin. men,
one Of whom was her iathcr. now attracted
his attention, and In a few moments. the
girl. still unconscious. was In her parents
arms
well done Daniel, God bless YOU for
saving my daughters lifr." was the CRATE
tut exclamation OF Mr. Foutley. A. the
party. bearing the girl. and leading the
ROM passive horse, proceeded TO his house.
near by. ~ gu have done that which |
ffNtI and \ a
cau 10 repay. poor fellow but h. does
not understand me" added the father
shaking his head. the fool. unheedlug
followed them proudly brandishing the
huge branch with which he felled the
horse. and smiling al H. what agent,
The Almighty sometimes chooses FOR his
works" Continued Fontley A fool has
been the means OF saving my only child
from ride to n bloody grave
Helen Fonfley was but fifteen on that
day Of her great danger and was returning
home from customary jaunt when over
taken by the storm. Her father WAS
wealthy. and conferred in her all his mos,
cherished hopes. The heroic deed OF Dan
lei affected Fontlev deeply, and filed him
with active compassion for the Young man.
He resolved 10 be his friend, aud he was
20. out OF the mouth OF the thunder fol-
owed blessings for the fool with tho
passage 81 the clouds on that dav came sun
upon the soul Of his fortunes.
Having inquired fter his Affairs. on the
next day Mr. Foniley rode over 10 the
fools farm" and made brief survey OF
it-Daniel and few others accompanying
him.
What do you think Of the division OF
the property" was the question OF one.
Was 1t not cruel!"
Daniel. come 20 nv house. CruelY-
no. replied Mr.. Fontley, his face bright
ening up with a meaning smile, as they
len the sterile uplands.
Robert Mosgar did 4 greater favor 10
his nephew by the division than his ignor-
ance intended. II l am not much mistaken.
But We Will see, soon. bow IL turns out"
From that day Daniel was amply provid-
cd for in the house OF Mr. Foniley. and
meanwhile the secret OF the latter's words
became revealed. The experienced eye OF
Fontley had detecte !. IN the course OF his
visits TO ii, indications which had escaped
the notice OF all others, and which subse-
quent prospecting proved true. Those bar.
rem fluctuations Of soil contained a mighty
mine of coal. and the wealth OF the crate
full and delighted Fontly developed the
black treasure Tor the benefit of Daniel
Numerous workmea were soon employ
ed upon the before derided waste, and
Z
importance from these fields. Capital
and enterprise were attracted TO the ,own,
and hundreds Of families were supported
by labor in the mineral. ''bowels OF the
harmless earth and the star of the fool
rose suddenly up la the sky of benefaction
Fontley, his patron and self-appointed
agent. was true to his grateful instincts
aud his important trust. ard Daniel Mos
gar became the possessor OF untold
wealth.
As if Heavens rebukc were designed 10
he Immediately manifest, the strain did
not extend into the land OF Robert Mosgar.
and he saw with double modification the
/ contrasted wealth Of the nephew he hal
I de>poiled. Between his efforts to pur-
\ chase any part Of the fools farm or all
I of IL. at any price, stood the sagacious,
wa;chfu- and honest fontley; aud OF what
/ plying Providence Ia held in mysterious
reserve for the day OF the idiots destitu-
/ tion, the mind and heart of Fontley became
the guard.
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
settled there, converting IL TO idiocy.
I Years OF dull darkness had left no hope
for return OF reason, but now the reign
| OF folly had expired. The sudden change
I in his lot threw Daniel into a state OF
| feyerish exultation. which resulted in
severe sickness, from which skillful treat
ment raised him gradually 10 health and
sense again.
Ii appeared as if joy had started and
loosened from his brain the disease which
had made him idiotic. and the long latent
bane was expelled forever. He arose a
man! Man, in the sane and glorious con-
/ troll OF all his faculties. Man, in the full
| possession and free use of that immortal
mind, without which we would be no kin
nor part of the Creator nor dream that
our final home and harbor is the bosom OF
| our yearning God. A man Fool no more
and like one who wakes from some long
vision of dread images, he moved and
spoke with an unladen mind, and wept in
joy at the coming of the morning OF his
liberty.
The tears Of Fontley and his daughter