The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-07-27

Lay hand on my mother, and I'll
shoot you as there is a God in heaven
Ny gun is loaded, sir. | loaded it in the
hopes to shoot a duck for my mother
| Don't touch her! In Heavens name
don't. / would net have your blood or
my hands but do not lie!"
The boy was as pale as ashes, but not
a nervS in his body trembled His large
black eyes were burning with fearful
intensity, and his lips were compressed
until the prints of the teeth within were
plainly TO be seen.
OF course a man with such feelings as
| NOtwOrth has displayed could be nothing
but coward. His man Crow fell back
in a moment, for lie saw too plainly the
meaning of the boys face.
Put down that gun !" grasped the
landlord.
"Not until you have lefv the house,
SIR" replied Paul, in a hushed tone.
" Leave us now. and ] will make some
arrangements for a new home but place
your hands on my mother, and you die. "
OF course the wretch stormed, and
threatened, and swore; but he dared not
tempt the boy, who looked on him so
strangely.
"Well, Crow" said he, at length, after
he had found that his coarse threats had
no effect, "we will go now, and when we
come again we'll have them with us as
will have the law in their hands"
" oh, mother, you do not blame me ?''
cried Paul, springing to his parents side
after the men had gone.
" No, no, Paul" the widow returned,
gazing with pride on her noble boy,
cannot blame you; but fear they will
do something dreadful now"
Fear not on that account, mother.
When took down your fathers gun
had another resolution formed in my
soul Wait, for / will try one more
thing for aid. l will try the assembled
| Christianity of the town."
X
The Sabbath bells rang out clear upon
the frosty air, and people put on their
! best garments to go up to the house of
God and pray. The sleigh-bells jingled
over the smooth road as the more favored
one flew by, and every and anon a more
humble church-goer stepped out into the
deep snow to let the equipage pass. By
and-by a thin, pale face appeared in the
entry of the church.
=" Hain't you got no better clOthes'n
them to wear to meetin', boy" the sex
ton asked.
"No, sir; l have none Others"
Well, never mind. Here, I'll show
you seat"
Shortly after this Mr.. David Notworth
entered the church. He was habited in
black, and the deacons all bowed to him
as he passed them. He did not see the
poor boy under the gallery.
1t seemed a stronge coincidence that
morning that the minister should have
preached the sermon he did. He took
the whole of the thirteen chapter of
"Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians" !"
that chapter which is devoted to char
| ity. II was a noble theme, and the
speaker was a warm hearted, Jealous
man. On the present occasion he al
lowed his zeal to mount into the upper
fields of pathos and stirring appeal; and
he made it a plain case that all the
phases of charity are necessary to Chris
| tain life.
By-and-by the sermon was closed, and
| the last hymn was sung. Paul started
to his feet, and had moved step for
ward--but he came nigh fainting beneath
the task he had imposed upon himself.
! In moment more the benediction would
be pronounced, and then it would be too
!
of his mother--and his heart was strong
once more. The clergyman was on his
| fee twhen the boy sprang forward. On
! he went, up the aisle until he reached
the pulpit steps.
Zone word, sir Oh, one werd In
| the name of Him whom you serve, hear
me !"
The man of God dropped his hands
upon the cushion before him, and gazed
upon the boy in speechless astonishment; /;
regaining his cOmposure, he said,---.
"What is it, my son ?''
With one mighty effort Paul stilled
his wildly beating heart, and then raised
his head. He knew that then was the
time, if ever, for the people were anxious
! to hear him. He raised his hands, clasped
firmly together, toward the pulpit, and
| in a wild, frantic tone he muttered,--
ooh, sir, have heard you preach to-
day such truths as | know are of God,
and / hope they are not mere idle say
ings here. Oh, pardon me, and listen.
l mean no wrong--I only ask you, as you
| love your God, to hear me-" Here he
turned toward the astonished people, and
| his voice had now become more calm and
! clear. " You, many of you, knew my
father; you know he is dead. But blame
] him as YOU will, you can not blame my
mother or myself. We were not to blame
that he became low and degraded; we
were not to blame that he became a vic
| tim of the fell destroyer. My mother
prayed for him on her knees, and never,
never, in his most degraded moments,
was she cold or harsh. He died, and he
left us poor-~very poor. My mother has
been sick--sick even unto the shadow of
death. and / her only nurse. | would
work if | could leave my mother, but
can not. | can beg---I have begged---I
have begged the food that has sustained
us. Last night a man came to turn US
from the house we occupied he would
have turned my mother out into the
cold, chill, wintry air, had / not, boy as
am. made him afraid to do the deed.
J But we can not live there always so.
/ We owe our landlord twelve dollars for
rent. and he has sworn with An oath that
he would turn us out of doors by force
of arms if we do not leave. 'Twould kill
nv mother to be moved now. Do this,
and so may God bless you !"
This had not been spoken connectedly,
as we have written it, but at spasmodic
intervals, broken by sobs and weeping.
| The effect was electrical. Never before
| had such thing Deen nedfd o. anu yeI
few seemed to think it out of place. Most
of them were too much moved TO think
ofanything but the story they had heard.
That same boy might have told them his
simple story in the street, and they
would have passed him idly by but now
it came home to their hearts II seemed
almost test sent by God to try their
faith in tie doctrine they had that day
heard. Only Mr.. NotwOrth seemed
angry; but though every eye had been
turned upon him, yet he dared not speak.
Ere long the minister came down, and
placed his hand upon the boys head ;
and then. in a clear, impressive tone. he
said,---
- Inasmuch as ye have done it until
the least ofene of sc, have We done it
unto me- My friends, let us all take
counsel together after we are dismissed. VI
He then pronounced the benedictiOn
but only David Notworth left the house
What was done in that meeting can be