The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1877-01-20

ASxsrca rAon L1rl, voR soxs AND pAuoH.
rERG.

passed his four score years. and was on.
y quietly waiting till he should be sum.
IS nsnsd home; though to practical John
his son or Martha, Johns energetic
wife, he seldom of late had spoken con.
corning this, for he had overheard them
talking of him to each other, with com
passionate pity. "Childish,' they said
he was growing, "and little trouble.
! some withal." 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 "father' 8
RI fseulties are not what they used to be"
and Martha, who was orderly to pain
full degree, Was "worried" when she
found his cane OK his spectacles mis-
placed-and then he often forgot to
bring The easy chair in from the portico,
or omitted to hang his hat on the GUS
tom.ry nail in the entry:
= : ~ do wish you would be more part;c-
ular, father" she said rather sharply;
"you left the west door open twice TO-
day, and you always forget to wipe your
feet on the husk mat"
It was not the words that touched
him 20 deeply but the tone.
Az he took his accustomed place after
dinner on the pleasant portico, he felt
greater degree of lauguor steal over him
than usual; 90 much 80 that he said
rather fssbiy to Martha who was vigor-
ously sweeping the little entry:
3. !. II guess, Martha, if yoa'il give me
your arm, I'll lay down spell on the
sofa in the dinin room; don't feel as
though could get up stairs to bed"
sNonsense, father" was Martha's
careless answer, 1.-THE dinin' rooms got
to be swept and aired, the furniture
busted aud the drugeet put down; you'd
better sit still spell, and if you don't
feel better I'll come out and help you up
stairs" ..... .....
;, The afternoon waned and, as the old
j man watched the shadows creep over
the purple hills, golden ray fingered
for u moment on the open leaf of his Ri.
bic, by whose softensd light his dimmed
eyes read: afG.#.
"Hs giveth power to the faint. and
to them that have no might. He in
creaseth strength. Even the youth
shall be faint and weary, aud the young
men shall utterly fail"
sea, The tide of years rolled back, and he
saw himself, young, wiilfull and pleas
ure-loving, casting behind all restraint,
taking his, own path, that led now
through lowery meadows, but oftenest
over steep mountains and by the edge of
terrible abysses, plueking from over
hanging boNghs fair fruits which nause-
ated, and vainly attempting to slak' his
thirst with bitter waters, always striving
TO reach gorgeous city whose placid
domes appeared ever ahead-the city of
cloudland. And when he saw hand
outstsetched, leading the hayward youth
from tho road he had chosen, and With
thrill Of fainess of joy he saw Him
cruci6ed 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 coul Il atone for them-only in
Gods keeping was the past lost to view.
Oftentimes fsinting, with feet weary
and sometimes bleediag, be followed the
divine footsteps through the years;
sometimes 80 nigh him that he could al
most touch the hem Of his garments
sometimes at distance, when bis form
.eemed indistinct and shadowy, he
tainted by the wayside and fam would
rest; but ever did the prophecy come