Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1877-01-11

her knees beside the chair which sh'
had Just vacated with her eyes fxet
upon the table, she prayed fsrvently
Dear Heavenly Father, while 9th
ers are continual y Offering up prayer
for themselves, their families and the
rulers of the nation, | kneel tonight
to thank thee for having already
blessed me, in my children, HUSBAND
and home; and since thou hast left
nothing for the to ask for myself,
pray thee to grant my petition IN IA
vur of Il class who are most IN need o
thy redeelning power, but for whom
have never yet heard IL prayer Offered
from the lips OF any human being.
mean the robbers that infeSt our land
Thou kuowest, O! Father, that
often and often they have been driven
into these wicked ways through the
harshness and injustice Of heir fellow
men, and none but the Father above
will ever know by what trials and
temptations they have been led, step
by step, from the paths Of happiness
and virtue. And, Father, | beseech
thee to turn the thoughts Of every
one Of this class to night, back to the
lime when, in the innocence an! pu-
rty Of childhood, ttey rlayed with
the little brothers and sisters about
the old homestead, joyons as the birds
to whose songs they listened and hap.
py rs the lambs whose Gambols they
behe!d. Let their minds wander
back TO the pleasant schooIdays, when
their parents looked with joy aud
pride upon their boyish attalnments,
and talked together Of the happiness
which should be theirs. when with
the youthful mind expanded by
knowledge, and wisdom bestowed
with the wears Of maturity, ticN
should behold their sous hlIing high
and honorable 20 ltionS, Il credit TO
themselves and source Of Joy and
prlde to the parents who had SO ten
lerlv reared them But, Father. thou
knoWe5t Of the temptations which be-
set them thou knowes. that too OF
ten the grasplng aVarlce and unjust
exaclions OF employers Aave driven
them to the verge Of de%ualr and, in
a moment of dlscourageuent as fail
ing TO make comfortable living 10y
honest toll, they have yielded to the
temptation to obtain by foul means
what greed and craft prevented them
from acquiring by far means, and
when the first downward step WAS I'd
ken, and the strong arm Of the law
was raised against them, thy pItylnI
eve has beh.Ii the agony OF wives
and mothers whose pillows We're Wet
with tears shed for the erriny ones
.ho bad not been strong enough to
SEN he tide of temptation which set
against them.
"Fa,her, have mercy on them, for
sometimes the prisoner at tAe bar
really possesses more sterling 'mtn'
hood and redeemlng qualities OF the
heart than the Judge who passes SEN
,ence upon hlm onI Y circumstances
made one Judge and the ether IA
criminal.
"re4ch us all to remember that we
are only human, ami that the robber
is one Of thy children go"e es'ray.
only to be brought back IN thine OWE
good time it may be through the in.
tercesslon Of salnteI mothers, who
look down in love and pity upon them,
longing for the time " hen they Shall
abandon their evil Ways and return
to the path Of virtue. 0, Father. If
this nj sht any o. these ea'ins ones
are abroad, plotting evil against the
innocent and unprotected, lead them
to reflect upon the wrong they are
doing themselves, and add not another
crime to those which already stain
their souls but let them be led back
to the path of virtue, before another
crime Shall take Il em farther away,
and make it harder to return. Father
Of mercy protect my hel pless children;
and when they have arrived at years
OF maturity, teach them to be mercl-
full 10 the errlng
I She arose and carried her children
into an adjoining room, and lalu them
in the bed, and, snddenl Y remem ber~
ing that her husband had left his re-
volver at home, she took it from the
bureau drawer and placed it where
she could reach it in an instant.
Il think | will leave the lamp
"urning," she said, aIond some
homeless wanlerer may come for shell
ter before morning,
She stepped back into the bed room,
resolved to defend hers If ana child
iren desperately if the worst should
come, and with the door nearly closed
stood watching the table in breathless
suspense, with one hand grasping the
revolver. In few mon ents man
came from under the table and stood
looking toward the room in which she
stood.
The light shown full upon his face,
and she anx:ously scanned his feat
urps. He Was apparently not more
,b,n thirtv wears of age. and certain