Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-10-06

On Saturday evening Mary's father came
home from his work earlier than usual. lie
stepped quickly up the garden walk, and
looked hurried aud disturbed. A man who
had been his firm friend Tor years, and with
whom ho had been working for some days,
had fallen from scaitolding and was taken
up dead Mary aud her mother had been
sitting at their work, and heard the awful
news In silence. Aftera few moments Mary
looked earnestly into her fathers face, and
slowly asked Father where is he now p
Her question was unanswered, but it sank
deep into the goddess mans heart Where
is he 2" he repeated 10 himself. "Where is
he?" sounded in his ears as he strolled
through the fields IN the gray twilight
D." Where is he 2" be repeated aloud as he
stood alone in h. garden in the beautiful
starlight, and be gazed into the spangled
heavens with such au eamestnes, that You
might fancy he was searching for the lost
spiit among those radiant orb,. Where
j, heT" The question would not leave him.
Where should have been, bad been he -
Oh. the word of God is powerful, sharper
than a twoedged sword
For the first time 10 bis long life John
Elliot passed q slecpIess night lie was a
man of strong mind and he struggled hard
20 forget the tormeutiug inquiry. lie would
have given q fortune never 20 have heard
those word. but be- had heard them, and
God in Hi, mercy had determined that he
should never forget them.
Emly ou the still sabbath be rose, and
wandered he knew not whittier lie could
not forget the moment of hi. friends fatal
iall lie still saw his last look Of anguish,
aud an inward voice asked " Where Is he
now 70
The day passed at length, aud evening
came Mary Elliot wa, sitting alone iu her
pew turning over the leaves of her book.
when just before the service commenced She
was startled boy seeing the door open. She
looked it was her father For this she had
prayed for years. and now God had granted
her petition. Oh, how earnestly her heart
now besought that God that night would
open her father, heart that he might under
stand wondious things. God heard that
prayer too, and John Elliot left the place,
crying, What must | do 20 be saved -
3" Father, turned real queer" said young
John Elliot a few day. after. " lie stopped
me when was swearing and said he hoped
ia never be at that again. lie asked me If
ia let a man always be railing against my
best friend. told him no; aud he said
p" W Ell, We lDNNl NUl lldl ArNN j. UiN it0l
Friend, though I've lived all these wears and
never believed it,"
II is Just three years since these events
took place. aud a few day, ago again visited
Elsthorpe. the place of Mary- home. To
ms surprise aud very great joy ! found that
each one belonging 10 Mary's family had Ice
come a member OF the little church in the
village.
just before ! left Elsthorpe, ! was down
the sandy lane, and turning corner, saw
before me a young man ploughing in an al
journing field he was singing heartily
Determined te sa,e.
IT, watched Ger mg path
when, satan's blind slave,
.plftei Vith death.
"And can iie have Taught me
Go trust Boo Ills name.
Ans thus far have hrluglt me,
ln pot mc to shauff"
1 l. Immediately recognized my old friend
Young John Elliot. said, Wen. John,
am very glad 90 hear YOU singing that beau
tiful hymn When ! was here before,
/ think YOU did not care for hymns - No, to
/ be- sure / didn't, but ! should he very lone
/ some without them now" asked him how If
/ had come about that he and all of them seemed
SO much happier and better since knew
+ them before. "Oh." he said, g" IT,, an oui
/ May's doing You know, She got some OF
I Christ's light into her aud it shone so fairly
We couldn't but see it, and wish our heart
I were Ike hers"