Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-12-24
THE DEACON'S CHRISTMAS.
BY HERO STRONG.

moon never was brighter.
Deacon Haines' =" ife sighed as she
put back the curtain from her bed
room window that morning and look
ed out.
Five years ago, that very day, the
great SHOWS of her life bad come to
her. How well ehe remembers that
tateful morning when, though the
eun shone gloriouslv, and the heavens
were blue and clondless. all the light
aud joy went out Of her life and left
The world blank of gloom, almost of
despair.
Twenty four years she had been
John Haines' 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 aud
uttered no complaint.
Just, upright 10 all bis dealings,
Deacon Haines was man who never
erred in his own Judgment and
mercy was word unknown 10 his
vocabulary. Ifthe 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 deacOn's right hand had Of
Tended be would have cut il off, thus
obeylng the scripture literally. No
atone'nent for any sin he might have
! com united would have been too hard
for him TO make-indeed he would
have rejoiced in it, forgetful that
Chri-t's death has already atoned,
aud thai Heaven requires only re.
| pentance
He was religious to q fault for
there is suoh thing as carrying even
ones piety too far. until it becomes
curse instead Of blessing La the
simple faith OF an Obedient soul there
is peace and rest, but in the bigoled
fana;icism of self-righLeous man
well, never mind the rest-I am
writing a story aud not sermon.
Deacon II iines had only one child
"a beautiful fair-hsred, blue eyed
girl, and in his stern, ascelic way, be
idolized this girl. When she was
! eighteen years OF age, she fell in love
with Royal Clayton, the son of q Ro.
man Catholic.
Wben the news of this reached the
deacon, his rage was terrible. He
struck his foot upon the floor, and
raVed with what was almost an oath,
that If ever she spoke 10 that son
Of popery again. he would disowu
her forever.
Emma had something of her faith
ers own spirit, and she loved Royal
with all the strength of her fond
young heart. She knew that her
fathers prejudices against him were
unfounded, tor Royal was not Cath.
olic; and she told the deacon without
hesitation that she should follow love
instead Of duty. do not indorse
hercourse-I endorse nobody : course
Il only tell Of things that | SEQ in
the world, without Judging for or
against. There is only one Judge,
And be knowcs all hearts.
Five years before, on Christmas
Day, Emma had left her home, with
on the Knowledge of her parents,
and became the wife Of the man she
lol ed Immediately aft r the ceremo-
ny the young couple had taken the
cars for the west, aud only once had
any tidings Of them reached Lanborn-
ton. A letter came TO the deacon in
Emma's handwriting, but the infex-
ble old man bad br~ ughL it himself
from tho post-office, and. in the pres
ence Of his wife, had laid it uDopeu-
ed upon the fire, and watched it
shrink TO ashes.
He had no child, be said sternly-
he would hold no communication
with one whe was none of his.
Emma's name was forbidden to be
mentioned IN the household A ser
want girl who Inadvertently referred
to Miss Emma in the Deacon's hear
ing, was Ut once dismissed, and poor
Mrs. Hanes having once been betray
cd into burst Of tears by coming
suddenly upon some article of CLOTH
ing which had been last worn by her
child received such dreadful adj
monitioU that she did not get over
| trem bling for week.
Mrs Haines was one Of those gem
tie cliuging creatures who Ought to
be loved aud cherished by some true
tender heart, but who usually fail to |
the mercies of such iron-nasured men
as Deacon Haines. II is law of ma
lure, suppose, and who shall gain
| say IL? She submitted to him In !
everything and would 20 more have
thought OF disputing his authority
tnan she would have thought of dis
putting the right of the wind to blow.
But nights, very often, when the
deacon waa fast asleep, she would |
steal softly up to the chamber which
bad been Enms's, and there upon
the cold pillows last pressed by the
head of Der darling would weep |
away the soreness Of her heart.
She hoped always that some letter
or message might come to her she
would risk the deacoD's anger, and |
write just one word of love to her
daughter; but she hoped in vain No
tidings ever came.
Days, weeks and months passed
by, a. Cob, Heaven, be pltiful y they
will drag by, whether We soar by
Nights of ecstasy or sink into depths
of despair.
This beautiful Christmas morning
Mrs. Hanes went about her plum
pudding, and her chicken pie, and
sponge cake, and other dainties, with
heavy heart She never dreamed
OF emitting a single item in the
Christmas bill of fare, for the deacon
was a methodlcal man, and if there
bad been 80 much as dish of pre-
serves MISSING, he would have looked
upon 1t a. q crying lin against the
s. IS . ~