The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-08-08

the best nee OF life DO to learn now 10
live, and I feel sartin yea shsve got
better a. ye got older, and made the
last half of yer life wipe out the fust,
so that the figures for and agin ye
would have balanced in the judg.
ment.' th "
You ain fool enough to believe
what the hypocrstical church mem
bers talk. are you, John Norton3 You
don't believe that there's any judg-'
ment day, do your
Il don't know much about church
mem bers,' answered the. trapper, tor
I've never been in the settlements; !;
leastwfse, I've never studied the hab
its of the creturs, and 1 dare say they
differ, bein' good and bad, and I've
seen some that was sartainly vaga-
bonds. No, don't know much about
church members, but l sartainly be-
lieve; yis, know there be day when
the Lord shall jedge the Twin aud the
dead; aud the honest trapper shall
stand on one side, aud the yagaboad
that pliers his skins and steals his
traps shall stand on the other. This
is what the book says, and 1t sartainly
seems reasonable for the deeds that
he did on the earth be of two sorts.
and the folks that do 'em be of two
kind. and atween the two, the Lord,
eff he notes anything, must make di-
viding line. b.- as
sAnd when do you thihk this judg-
,ment Is, John Norton 2 asked the gam
bier, as if he was actually enjoying the
crude hut honest ideas of his compan-
ion. The trspper hesitated q moment,
before he spoke, then he said:
Il conceit that the jedgment be al
way going on. It's court that never
adjonrns, aud the deserters aud the
knaves and the disobedient in the reg
iment be always on trial. But con-
ceit that there comes day to every
man, good and bad, when the record
of his deeds be looked over from the
start, and the good and bad counted
up; and In that day he gits the final
Judgment whether it be for or agin
him. And now, boy,s continued the
old man solemnly, with tOach of his
infinite tenderness in the vibrations
of his voice, 'ye be nigh the jedgment
day, yerself, and the deeds ye have
did, both the good and the. bad, will
be passed in review
Il reckon there isn't much chance
for me if your view is eound, John
Norton.s And for the first time -hie
tone lost its cheerful recklessness.
sThe court be a court of marcy aud
the ledge looks upon them that comes
up for trial as ef he was their father.
THAT ends it old. man. answered
the gambler. My father never chow
ed me any mercy when 1 was boy
If he had, L shouldn't have been here
now. If did a wrong deed I got it to
the last inch of the lash. and the words
were more instensely bitter because
spoken 60 quietly. -i'sl5 '.it
| The fathers of the earth, boy, be
not like the Father of Heaven, for
have seed 'em correct their children
beyond all. reason, and without mar
cy. They whipped in their rage, ani
not in their wisdom; they whippet
because they was strong, and not be
cause of their love; they whippet
| when they should have forgiven, ant
got what they 'srnt-the hatred o
their children. But the Father o
Heaven be different, boy. He know
that men be weak, as we'll as wicked
He knows that half of 'em haven't hst
a fair chance. and so he overlook
much; and when he can't overlook
II, conceit he sorter forgives in
lump. Vie, he snbstracts all he cal
from the evil We have did, boy. an
of that isn't enough to satisfy his feel
in's toward man that might hav
been different eff figures clean out a
the askin'.'
AT the asking?' said the gambler
that's q mighty quick game. Did yo
eyer pray, John Norton 2 ea
sSartin, sartin, be prayin man
said the trapper sturdily. -
| sAt the asking! murmured tn
gambler, softly.
| tSartin, boy answered the trappe
sthat's the line the trail takes, you ca
depend on It; and it will bring ye {
the end of the great clearin' in peace
sIt's a quick DEAL said the gamble
speaking to himself, utterly uncon
scious of the incongruity of his speec
to his thought. sIt's a quick deal, ,br
can see that it might end as he say
if the feeling was right
For a moment nothing was salt
The trapper stood looking steadfastl
at the young man on the mOss, as h
lay with his quiet face turned up
, the sky, to whose color had alread
come the first shade of the awi'
whitcness:
Up the mountain q rifle cracked
Neither stirred. A red squirrel ra
out upon the limb. twenty feet abov
. the gamblers head, and shook the q
, lence into fragments with his chatte
ing !; then sat gazing with startlt
eyes at the two men underneath
l Gan you pray; old man p ask.
{ the gambler quietly. 9
'Ssrtinly, answered the trapper.
o 'Can You pray in words 2 ssked Il
Q gambler again. Ea
S For q moment the trapper hesitate
! Then he said:
e 'Csn't say that can. No, / sarti
l ly can't say that could undertake
!, with . reasonable chance Of getti
f through; leastwfse, it wouldn't be
Q q way to help 2 man any. s8i,f