Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-12-27
A Sketch from Life, for Sons and
Daughters.

A Sketch from Life, for Sons and
Daughters.
He was white-headed man, who
| had passed his four-score years, and
was only quietly waiting till he should
be summoned home; though to practi-
cal John, his son, or Martha, Johns
| energetic wife, he seldom of late had
| spoken concerning this, for he had
overheard them talking Of him to
each other, with compassionate pity,
Childish" they said he was growing,
land little troublesome wthal."
So he had got in the way of remaining
on the sunny piazza in fine weather;
sitting there with his open Bible till
the rays Of the setting sun threw their
fading CLEANS over the rim of the
western hill, when he quietly went to
| his own room.
Not that they were unkind to him
oh no. Only John said that "fath-
er's faculties are not what they used
to be- and Martha, who was orderly
to a painful degree, was worried"
when she found his cane or his spec
tacles misplaced then he often
forgot to bring the easy-chair in from
the portico, or omitted to hang his hat
on the customary nail in the entry.
81 do wish you would be more par
ticular, father" she had said, rather
sharply; "you left the west door open
twice to-day, and you always forget to
wipe your feet on the husk mat"
1t was not the words that touched
him so deeply. but the tone.
AS he took his accustomed place aft
er dinner on the pleasant portico, he
felt Il greater degree of languor steal
| over him than usual; so much 50 that
he said rather feebly to Martha, who
was vigorously sweeping the little en-
try:
Il guess, Marthy, if you'll give me
your arm, III lay down spell OH the
sofy in the dinin'-r room: ! don't feel as
though could get upstairs to bed"
" Nonsense, father" was Martha's
| careless answer, 1.-The dinin'-room' s
got to be swept and aired, the furni-
ture busted and the drugget put down:
you'd better sit still spell, and if YOU
| don't feel better III come out and help
| You upstairs
The afternoon waned; and, rs the old
man watched the shadows creep over
! the purple hills, a golden ray fingered
for moment on the open leaf of his
| Bible, by whose softened light his
/ dimmed eyes read:
He giveth power to the faint: and
to them that have no might. He in
creaseth strength. Even the youth
shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fail
The tide of years rolled back. and
! he saw himself, young, willful and
| pleasure-loving. casting behind him
all restraint, taking his own path, that
led now through tlowery meadows.
but ottenest over steep mountains and
( 10y the edge of terrible abysses, pluck
ing from overhanging boughs fair
/ fruits which nauseated. and, vainly
/ attempting to Stake his thirst with bit
! ter waters, always striving to reach a
/ gorgeous city whose palaced domes
appeared overhead-the city of cloud
/ land And then he saw hand out
! stretched. leading the wayward youth
! from the road he had chosen, and with
| n thrill of fullness of JOY he saw Him
crucitied. saying: Follow thou Me-"
and in spirit he again rose up and fol-
| lowed. leaving the past with its sins
/ in the hand that had first guided him :
no tears might avail to blot them out.
| no remorse could atone for them-only
/ in Gods keeping WAS the past lost 10
/ view
Oftentimes fainting, with feet weary
/ and sometimes bleeding, he followed
/ the divine footsteps through the years,
/ sometimes SO near HIM that he could
almost touch the hem OF His garments
sometimes al distance, when His
/ form seemed indiStinct and shadowy,
/ ne tainted 10y the wayside and fain
[ would rest; but ever did the prophecy
come true, and. asking, his strength
/ was increased.
/ His way. in the last years, had been
! through deep rivers: but when at
TIMES their waters had almost gone
over him. and yet had receded, even
I then had he seen the form of Him
( whom he followed still reckoning from
the other shore. and be had heard HIS
voice SAYING, 10, am with YOU a.
way, even unto the end.