Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-08


he won't ki,s me"
Poor Ben was so amazed and embar-
rassed, he hardly knew how to act. His
face was rclder than il was in the school.
room the day previous. II any girl had
kissed him before in his life, ii certainly
was before his remembrance. Eibby at
tributcd his flushed face and silence to
vcxation She dared not say any more
about her kissing him. But With fearful
eyes and Elltoring voice, she said plead
ingly.
Wont YOU forgive me, Ben? never
will treat sou SO shamcIully again, as
long as | live"
Forgive YOU" Ben repeated. II was
great brute to cit so mad with a little
ten year old girl, and throw Il SNOWFALL
at her" And he caught hci up in his arms
and kis s;cd her half dozen times; then
he dropped her, and hurried of without
even saying good-hye-he dared not
trust his voice just then but Libby went
on TO school feeling that She was for
given.
What IN cvcntful period the last twcn.
ty.fOur hours had been 10 Ben! lie rub.
bed his forehead Was he awakcP Had
all these things actually tranSpircd or
was he dreaming? Notwithstanding he
! had felt that he should be willing Ia 90
almost anywhere, and do almost any
thing TO get away from punbar's and
Swctland, the rccollcctionS of his last
hours in that town were not unpleasant
School. master Willct'S reputation for
being model teacher, increased each
year. ill, at last. il came 10 be An est:.b.
liShed custom for all young pcdagogucs
in that vicinity. 10 call upon him every
convenient opportunity, and to take
special trips for that purpose, II they had
! any kind OF trouble in their schools. lie
received them with such genuine cUrdi
ality and kindness that the most timd oI
them were relieved of their cmbalrasS'
mcnt, and felt no hesitation in consult
ing him ON any difficult point.
Mr.. Wilet always had some story from
his experience, to relate, that helped
young teachers wonderfully to see their
way out of dilemma. He would often
bring forward u large book containing
the names ol all the pupils that he had
ever had, and slowly turning the pages
over, he would give his visitors interest
ing "reminiscences OF many of them
But the story he told the most frequently,
and dwct upon the longest, was BenjG-
min Farwcl', The last winter that he
taught school, he had gathered at his
house, one Saturday, about dozen teach
ers from adjoining towns. He had to
tell them Bcn's story and rs it was new
to most of them. they were greatly in.
! telcStcd.
"Did you ever hear from him after he
left Swctland ?" one oi them asked.
"Oh, bless you, yes indeed He is one
OF The most talented young clergy
men in the whole west. He came here
three years ago, for lhc first time since
his uncle took him away He had been
absent nine years, then. He arrived in
Swctland one Saturday evening in Feb
iuary, and he went directly to our min
istcr's. We learned afterwards that Mr.
Gordon knew that he was coming. and
met him nj the depot But, Il" no Other
person in the place knew anything about
il, we were surprised Ia see fine look
inc young stranger enter the pulpit
with Mr.. Gordon. the following day. NJ
AGENT for any religious object, ever drop
ped in upon us unannounccd; and it WAS
not any ncighboring miOster, we were
sure, iol in that case Mr., Gordon would
be in his ncighbor's pulpit. thought
during the opening exercises, that ii the
stranger were going 10 address Us, Mr.
Gordon would give II; his name. and tell
us what object had brought him hither
but he did nothing nf the kind, and, III.
though the young minister preached tn
us, both morning and afternoon, not one
of us learned, till the close OF the alter
noon service, the name of the speaker.
"Ic did no. announce any text in the
morning; but read the last sixteen verses
of the twenty fifth chapter OF Matthew
You will not doubt that had read thai
chapter scores Of times, and that had
heard clcrgymen read it, and preach from
almost every verse that he read, and yet
it sounded now to me, and think it did
to most of his hearers. Every ones at'
tention was arrested 10y the simple read,
ing of ;hat portion of the Scriptures.
think, however, that Notwithstanding his
quiet exterior, we somehow detected in
him strong under current of feeling
and that we were irresistably borne along
with it.
"When he ceased reading, he talked to
us concerning the solemn declarations
we had Just heard; but he dwelt princi
pally upon the passages--'Inasmnch as
We have done it unto one of the least o
these and 'Inasmuch rs ye did it not. =
He electrified the whole congregation
when he spoke upon the not doing. anC
told how human hearts had hoped, and
longed, and pined for the kind word that
was not spoken-the kind act that was
not performed-th sympathizing teal
that was not shed. till some were driver