Litchfield enquirer., 1878-05-16

to him the reason of Sann's banishment. Per- haps, too, the reason why this was so difficult to explain, began to wrestle with his con- | science.
 ''Well, Pm dretful sorryi" said Jim missing 1 ly. My daddy, now, was a poor cretur, drunk mostly; but he was real good to me. Pm glad he want no better, mebbe shouldn't ha ben good enough for him to speak to, too. 7" The Deacon could have struck Jim, who went on brushing the shoes as seriously as if they were an algebraic problem. Well, Jim the fact is he didn't believe in the Bible Sam didn't"
 ''Poor cretnr poor cretur ]" said Jim, warming into sympathy at once. ''Well, Dea- | con, ye know what you was readin' about to me last Sabba' day; a tryin' to drive inter my head ye know ?-takes lot O time to drive | anythin' into fools head but I can't disre- member that, twas so kinder marciful lke | bout how the good Lord forgive them fellers | that killed him, cause he said they did't know what they wasa doin'. Mebbe your Sam don't; what ef ye was to take him to Sabba' school, | an larn him better? You tell me where he stays, an I'll go fetch him."
 Jim was in eager earnest his eyes were, lit with unusual rays, and one hand held awk- 1 wardly out toward the Deacon; but the old man could not answer: he stumbled away to the bedroom and felI on his knees by the bed side. What he said to God is not for us to know l; what he did, was to write letter that very night to Samuel. and beg him to come home to his old father and his loving mother
 AS for Jim, the matter passed clear out of his oddly made up mind; he had satisfied him. self the Deacon had son, the immediate cu- riosity was at rest. He did not see Annie Pal mer the next day in fact so inconsequent were his mental processes when under the ex farna1 axcfanoanf ho did af what she said to him but only missed her as he would miss sunshine, or fire, or food; for Annie had become necessity to the largest share of nature, his heart.
 A week after Mrs. Eliery came out into the garden where Jim was wedding.
 70 Jim," said she. My dear son, my Sam, is coming home to-morrer and goin' to be married"
 aWell, Pm glad ont" cheerfully answered Jim.
 ''Yes, he's a comin home to-morrer. hain't sot eyes on him this five year an more and Thursday he's a goin' to be married to Annie Palmer" @
 70 Lord !' said Jim. with gasp; but the good woman did not hear him j.; heart and head were full of Sam, and she turned and went in-
 Jim did not come in after Ahilking that night; the Deacon found him curled down in a corner of the barn.
 'I guess Pm sick" was all he said but somehow he reminded the Deacon of an old dog he once had, that was mortally wounded by accident, and stole in that very corner to die. There was the same hurt, protesting look in both pairs of eyes.
 They took Jim into his own room, and in day or two he was better, but never we'll again he lived few months, feeble, patient, smiling, and doing all he could. The only queer thing about him was that he never ask ed to see Annie Palmer, or even spoke her name again. Sam went upstairs to see him, but Jim was asleep he said, and he wouldn't wake him. Perhaps Deacon, Ellery, being a reticent man, never told his son how much he owed to the poor fool. Annie forgot him, too, probably but what can you expect of a happy young bride ? When winter came Jim went. Dr. Green said the cold was too great for such a state of vitality perhaps it was. However that might be, one starry and splen- did night, quick flash sprang into the lan- guid eyes. ''Mother :" he said with an ac- cent of rapture, and Jericho Jim was gone to the Jerusalem above.-Swnday Atterm00n.