The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-06-06

ships were loaded, and were about to
sail for the holy motherland. Then
men fiOcked around the vessel and de.
sired to embark. But the Seer stood
upon the sands and bade them stand
back. To one he said: You forgot
wife and parent in search of pleasures
here; you are no more worthy to
speak the hallowed name of home,
nor to kiss the lips which are pure
ITO another he said: You have
body is filled with diseases which you
brought upon yourself you are among
the unclean and have no right to go
back to become a burden and expense
to yonr friends
tTo another he said: you haye de-
based your mind here; you can no
longer see the beauties upon the earth
or in the heaven: how could You fifty
approach the splendors of the temple
of our mighty Solomon
And as austerc and pitiless, the
Seer read the sentences one after an
other; the ship cast off their lines,
hoisted their sails, land put to sea carry
ing back but a chosen few of all who
had come in them.
'And those who remained never
saw the glorious temple which was
their peoples pride never looked up
on the white walls, the sculptured COL
umns, the lofty arches; the beautiful
gates, nor saw the sunlight as it fash
ed back from the roof of FURNISHED
gold. They witnessed none of the
magnificence of its dedication inhal-
ed no breath of its rare incense; look
ed not upon its marvellous interior
decorations heard no burst of en-
chanting music, and caught no tone
of Solomons incompatible prayer.
But rather. they grew more and more
sordid and depraved, until they were
SO lost in utter debasement that the
watching angel filled with sediment
the waters of the streams, which set
Ting filled the harbors Of the Ophir
haven there, and finally the country
wherein Solomon dug his gold was
no more known to the children of
men,
With this the youth ceased reading,
and nothing tor moment was heard
save here and there a labored breath
of some strong men. and the soft pat
ter of the rain upon the roof.
This lasted for brief interval, and
then, with a voice sweet and full and
clear as lafk's song, the boy pro-
ceeded
'Oh, men of the w est they are thinking of you
On another shore to night;
They are thinking of you their real and true
AS the innocent ones they in childhood knew,
When you and your homes were the light.
'They are thinking and waiting and counting
the days,
Till you cDme to them once more;
Each morn they strain to the west their gaze
Each eve in fond voices they sound your praise,
Recoanting your virtues all o'er.
BE true to your manhood he true to zach trust
Where're in life's battle You stand;
Cleanse the heart from its stain, the soul from
its rust.
Lift your eyes from the ground. your minds
Trom the dust,
BE true to your race and your land''
The harp-like voice ceased, and it
was plain that the reading had made a
deep impression on all who heard it.
The wife of the landlord was the first
who spake. Approaching the youth,
she asked him it he was preacher.
He modestly answered that he was
not, but was a clergyman's son; that
he had tried mining in Plumas county,
but failed, and was then finding his
way on foot to San Jose, where his
sister, clergyman's wife, was living
that he hoped there to obtain situa-
ton as teacher, as he was not strongh
enorgh to work in the mines.
AT this, Curly. the stage driver
aroused himself
'Pardners, said he, you hear the
boy. I'm sorry for him so much = and
he laid a ten dollar piece upon the ta-
bic.
I'm sorrier than you,' said Posey
and he covered the ten with twenty,
"A miner present said: L have no
coin, but'-here he drew out q buck
skin purse-I will go little dust on
the boy for the sermon he has preach
ed > and he empiied half an ounce on
the table.
The rest contributed, making the
landlord treasurer, and when the coin
was counted, and the dust weighed
and calculated, two hundred and thir-
teen dollars were handed over to the
boy.
The youth seemed perfectly over
come with the unexpected bounty,and
tried in vain to coherently thank his
benefactors.
By this time it was ten O'Clock at
night, and just then the overdue stage
from Quincy, Plumas county, drove
up to the door. There was the usual
excitement; all hands rushed out to
see the new arrivals; the hostlers took
the team; The passengers crawled out
from the mule wagon and entered the |
house, aud at last the driver followed, |
his bearskln coat and ha: shining with
the rain caught in the shower.
Curly, Of course, knew his brother |
Jehu, and SO sauntering up to him, |
said: How are you, pard? What's
the news?'
'All right, Curly was the response,
and no news much, except the boys |
up above are cussing awful about
fellow that opened game on them
and cleaned out overy sport in Quincy
in one night. 1t was dead open and |