Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-12-21
THE DEACON'S CHRISTMAS.
by HERO STRONG.


Christmas day dawned bright and
fair and cold
All the hills around the little country
village Of Lanbornton were white with
snow, The roads were trodden hard,
and the prospect for fine sleighing I'M
der the light of nearly full moon
never was brighter
Deacon Haines' wife sighed as she
put back the curtain from her bed
room window that morning and looked
ont,
Five years ago, that very day, the
great SHOWS of her life had come to
her. How well she remembered that
fat full morning when. though the sun
shune gloriously, and the heavens were
blue and cloudless, all the light and
Joy went ont Of her life and left the
world "a blank of gloom, almost of des-
pair
Twenty.four years she had heen John
Halues wife, and IN all those years she
had never repented of her choice.
There had been many times when the
mans hard nature had wounded her
sensitive spirit, but she trusted all
things with Heaven and uttered no
complaint
Just upright in all his dealings,
Deacon Haines was n man who never
erred in his own judgment; and mercy
was a word unknown in his vocabulary.
If the people would live as they ought
to and as they might, he was wont to
say sternly, they would not need to be
forever crying for forgiveness.
If the deacons right hand had
offended he would have cut it of, thus
obeying the scripture literally. No
atuncmeut for any sin he might have
committed would have been too hard
for him to make-indeed he would
have rcjoice in IT, forgetful that Christ's
death has already atoned, and that
Heaven requires only repentance
He was religious to fault, for there
is such n thing rs carrying even ones
pety too far, until it becomes curst
Instead of blessing. In the simpl,
faith OF an obedient soul there is peace
ana rest, but IN the bigoted fanaticisn
of selt-rghteous maxwell, neyei
mind the rest-l am writing a stor,
and not a sermon.
Deacon Haines had only one child
beautiful fair-haired. blue-eYed girl
and in his stern, ascetc way, he idol
lied this girl When she was eighteen
years of age she fell in love with Roy
III Clayton, the son of Roman Cath
ohc
When the news of this reached tn
deacon. his rage was terrible. I'll
struck his foot upon the floor, and ray
ed with what was almost an oath, tina
il ever she spoke to that base born sol
of popery again, he would disown he
forever.
Emma had something Of her father
own spirit, and she loved Royal wit
all the strength of her fond youn
heart She knew that her father
preludicos against him were uufounded
for Royal was not n Catholic; and sh
told the deacon without hesitatioutha
she should follow love instead of duty
do not endorse her course-l cndors
nobody's course--l only tell of thing
that see in the world, without judgin
for or against. There is only one judg,
and he knows all hearts.
Five wears before, on Christmas Day
Emma bad left her home, without tn
knowledge OF her parents, and becam
the wife Of the man she loved. linn,
diately after the ceremony the youn
couple had taken the cars for the ives
and only once had any tidings of thei
reached Lanbornton, 4 letter came {
the deacon in Emma's handwriting, bu
the intiexible old man had brought
himself from the post-ofice and, in th
presence Of his wife, had laid il unopeI
ed upon the fire, and watched it shrin
to ashes.
He had no child, he said st>rnly b
world hold no communication With GU
who was none 81 has
Fmma's name was forbidden 70 /
mentioned in the household. \ So
yupt nlrl who Inadvertently referred I
IL. ls.....,,f &, ina l0ag9sris@ nPaTlHt