Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-10
The Dead Raven.

II The subject of our story was only poor
weaver, living in the little German town of
Wupperthal; poor man in his outward
circumstances but rich toward God and
well-known in his neighborhood as one who
trusted in the Lord at all times. His con-
stant faith expressed itself in what became
his habitual utterance under all circum-
stances of trouble and perplexity. "The
Lord helps," he was wont to say; and he
said it undauntedly, even when it looked as
if the Lord had forsaken him. Such time
it was when, in season of scarcity, work
ran short, many hands were discharged,
and the master by whom our weaver was
employed gave him his dismissal. After
much fruitless entreaty that he might be
kept on, he said at last Well, the Lord
helps" and so returned home. His wife,
when she heard the bad news bewailed it
terribly; but her husband, strove to cheer
her with his accustomed assurance. "Tbe
Lord helps" he said and even although as
the days went on poverty pinched them
sorely, nothing could shake his firm reli-
ance on him in whom he trusted. At last
came the day when not penny was left,
no bread, no fuel in the house, only starva-
ton stared them in the face. Sadly his
wife tidied and swept the little room on the
BlOuuu IOOI III WUlCu IUty lNtu. ne
window was open, and possibly the words
were heard outside with which the weaver
strove to keep up their courage: a. The
Lord helps" Presently street boy looked
saucily in, and threw dead raven at the
feet of the pious man "There saint
there is something for you to eat l' he cried.
The weaver picked up the dead raven,
and STICKING its feathers down said com
passionately, "Poor creature thou must
have died of hunger" When, however, he
felt its crop to see whether it was empty, he
noticed something hard, and, wishing to
know what had caused the birds DEATH he
began to examine it. What was his sur
prise when, on opening the gullet, gold
necklace fell into his hand. The wife looked
at it confounded the weaver exclaimed,
"The Lord helps" and in haste took the
chain to the nearest goldsmith, told him how
he had found it, and received with gladness
two dollars, which the goldsmith offered to
lend him for his present need. The gold
smith soon cleaned the trinket, and recog-
nized it as one he had seen before. "Shall
tell you the owner ?" he asked, when the
weaver called again. "Yes," was the ioy-
full answer for would gladly give it back
into the right hands" But what cause had
he to admire the wonderful ways of God
when the goldsmith pronounced the name
of his master at the factory. Quickly he
took the necklace and went with it to his
former employer. In his family, too, there
was much JOY at the discovery, for suspicion
was removed from aservant. But the mer-
chant was ashamed and touched he had
not forgotten the words uttered by the poor
man when he was dismissed. "Yes," he
said, thoushtfully and kindly; " the Lord
helps; and now you shall not only go home
richly rewarded, but will no longer leave
without work so faithful and pious work.
man, whom the Lord so evidently stands by
and helps; you shall henceforth be no more
in need" Thus he who fed Elijah by living
ravens proves himself equally able to supply
the needs Of his tired servant by the same
bird when dead.-.Sword and Tro,oel.