Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-02
HliscellanY.
The Old Elint-LOcIk.

MY granuLathoi, 4" S"'' '
in the Continental army, and afterwards
removed from Connecticut and settled IN
the wilds of Vermont.
He lived at this time with my father,
on the farm where he had cut the hrst
tree, in the then almost unbroken forest.
Always given to early rising. it was his
habit to build the morning fre-build is
the proper term; for to lay in order the
huge piles of logs and lesser wood, in the
wide mounted chimneys of The olden
time. was bit of civil architecture that
would require building committee now
a-days.
On one occasion, the fire had gone out
on the hearth, and as friction matches
were in the future, as we'll as percussion
locks and air.tight stoves, there was moth
ing better to be done than to 60 to the
nearest house for Goals, or try for spark
from the fiint-lock of an old Continental
musket, that always hung over the Chin
ney-piece. Those old muskets combined
great awkwardness and ingenuity; the
fiery spark upon which the whole engine
ry depended lay within dull looking,
smoke colored bit of flint stone, only
brought out, as if in retaliation, by foe
of steel. Taking down the gun, he blew
down the barrel, to make sure that 1t
was not loaded, and put fresh printing
into the gun. The spark decended, flash
ing the powder into a blaze, and soon a
bright fire went roaring AMI cracking
up the chimney, boiling the family tea
kettle as if nothing unusual had hap
pened. And the family slept on equally
unconscious that miracle had been per-
formed-that an angel had come down,
as it we're, at the morning sacrifice, and
stayed the forces of nature, for their
preservation. But at tea, when my
grandfather gave charge to give good
heed to the fire, the story all came out.
And notwithstanding that my GRANDPA
Their was a soldier of the Revolution, and
understood all the ways and tricks OF
the regular arms; Notwithstanding the
gun was reliable, "true to what was put
within" it was heavily loaded still, hav-
ing been double charged the day previ-
Gus, for marauding hawk that had
wisely kept beyond the range. l shall
never forget the look in my fathers face
as he took the gun, and stepping out up
on the high terrace in front of the house
with one spring of the lock, without any
fresh printing, discharged it with deaf
ening report, the contents blowing q
black, Jagged rent in the green turf Of
the slope below.
My grandfather regarded it as spec
ial providence, for he knew how tha
death laden tube had been in direct rang,
of my parents sleeping apartment anC
at an exact level with row of it'll,
heads in the trundle-bed when the sparl
went down that kindled the kitchen fire
the remainder being restrained. 1t wa
lesson of the personality and love Q
God that has never been forgotten. TIL
thought of God had come close to us an,
wrapped us about like a garment. Th
idea of general providence that take
in nobody in particular is no less absur
than the idea of general shower tina
waters and refreshes the field, causing
to. lbring forth by handfuls, no singl
rootlet or blade being reached in partic
ular.
Blessed are they who abide under tn
shadow of the Almighty-under the COY
er of His wings. "How excellent is tn
loving kindness, o God therefore tn
children of men put their trust unde
the shadow of thy wing"-Aduance,