The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-01-04

Missls, and I'll never do it again as
long as live"
s'Why! cried Mrs. Burton, sswhen
did you get in heres'
Il was very drunk last night, he
stammered, s'and / must have turn
ed in unbeknownst to myself"
F! Drunk she exclaimed, "a drunk
en- vagabond in my very best bed!-
/ What shall I dot I can never fan
cy it again. But you must go to
jail for this, / promise you. Martha,
| Martha! run for the police"
"Oh, no, no, mol" cried Marshall;
forgive me this once. I've poor
wife and family at home. If YOU
send me to jail they mustgo to the
poor house, and we shall be ruined
I cannot faegiive you, saia Mrs,
Burton, with tears IN her eyes; ssyou
must go to jail for it, or / shan't have
moments peace. No, no, don't
speak, you drunken brute, you'll
What can / dos What can I dol"
4Well, " he answered, desparingly,
sif I go to jail for it, I suppose
Godn see me there toe"
The heart Of Mrs. Burton al
ways echoed to that name, and her
conscience smote her. She looked
steadily at her strange guest, and
followed the direction of his ewes.
which were turned upon the text on
the wall.
ssThou, God, seest me, she read
half aloud and inyoluntarily.
is that true?" asked the man.
Yes, she answered;and her con-
science reproached her again.
lis the other trues" he asked,
pointing to the second text.
S'Oh, yes, that is true" she said
| warmly.
Il wish I could believe them Y
cried Marshall. care they both
true for met"
sGod is love. He sees and loves
us all. He sees and loves me; he
sees and loves you Yes, yes; I was
forgetting that. It's very hard, very
hard indeed, for me to see my best
room like thai, Yes. it is. He
knows it's very hard, very hard. +
can never fancy it again. But I
won't send for the police. You may
go away now.
With very abject look, Marshall
skunk down stairs, and out into the
street. He did not care to go home,
but he wandered off into the mead
ows, where the dew was Sparkling
on the grass. He could not get his
adventure out of his head though
NhaRazsr he, though Aizusef q
he appeared IN the large looking
glass, he felt a desire to creep away
from the miserable, grimy creature
he had become.
To think that Gods eye @welt
upon him was almost insupportable,
but whenever his thoughts grew
too terrible for him, the other
words came back to his burdened
mind. The calm, decent old lady,
whose house he had made SO vile,
had told him they were true. He
did not try to put them away from
hum, and the two verses passed
through and through his mind.
It was soon after midday that
Marshall presented himself at Mrs
Burtons door, with a paint pot in
his hand. a.4
Martha answered his hesitating
knock, and opened the door wider
for him to enter. -
you're the painter, I SUPPOSED"
she said.
'Ay!" he replied.
'.And sadly you're wanted" she |
continued, 'sThere are fnger-marks |
every where-door posts, chimney
pieces, and lots of places. To think |
of such a thing! Missis is almost
crazy
Marshall said nothing, but taking
off his boots at the foot of the stairs.
followed Martha meekly. Mrs. Bur
ton sat in the middle Of the room,
a picture of dismay and grief. She
uttered a little scream when she
saw him enter.
ssPlease ma'am,' said he, sI'm a
painter by trade, and I will do nv
very utmost to make it all sweet |
and clean again. I'm very misera,
BILE, ma'am. III do anything to make
you amends.
You cannot make me amends"
answered Mrs. Burton.
But you'll forgive me, W on't you
maam2 And you'll let me paint out
my markss" said Marshall, in an
earnest tone.
4 can hardly forgive you,' she
answered; "but I suppose I must
Yes; [ know I must. Forgive us
our trespasses as we forgive those
who trespass aginst us. Yes; Unjust.
1 forgive you.
{ "And you'll let me paint out my I
marks?" he pursued.
Mrs, Burton only NODDED her head
IN answer, and Marshall proceeded,
with a most careful touch, TO deface
all the marks of his grimmy fingers.
He felt very sad and humble, and
he often looked up to the verses
upon the wall.
I've finished ma am" /" he said at
last abnt ! shall never forget this.
And | shall never forget those
words, Thou, God seest me- God
is love-
He went home, and the words
went with him, in his heart and in
his mind
Poor Mrs. Burton, as soon as sha