The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-04-03
DEFERRED MATTER
The Palace and the Howell.

DEFERRED MATTER
The Palace and the Howell
Riches do not always bring contentment.
The glttering shekels piled up ever so high,
have frequently concealed within them the
sting of remorse. che seeds of corrodinx
care, and sometimes debauchery, disgrace
ttnd death. When they do not take to them
SELVES wings and fly away, they entail dis
content. disease and misery, and impose
more OF pain than Of pleasure. The gaudy
trappings of outward show, the luxurious
appointments Of imposing palaces, the gilt
and tinsel which dazzle and captivate, are
but the evidences of the warnings for some
thing that is missing, and which gold can
not supply. The places of fashionable re-
sort, the ball room, the club house, the gid
dy whirl and debauchery Of ''society" life,
| simply testify that discomfort reigns within,
and that the eager pursuit Of butterfly pleas
ures, ever grasping for that which we can
not reach, leaves the s'aching void" more
painful, and supplants rosy hope with tanta
lizing disappointment. The indugences
of wealth, the busy strain after what is called
pleasure, is only the struggle of the dissat-
isfied spirit to part company with itself, com
pleting the circle of dissipation and ex-
haustirg the resources Of suggestion, in
| clutching after an ever fleeing phantom
The millions of Vanderbilt multiplied the
sorrows of his life and entailed nothing but
misery upon those who inherited his prince
| " possessions. The grave could rot give
rest to the mortal remains OF Stewart, be-
cause Of the sordd wealth that crowned the
efforts Of his existence; and throughout the
| long list of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who have strug-
gled and stinted and gathered, and could
carry nothing with them in their pocketless
shrouds-the same story is repeated OF the
false and delusive pleasures which riches
purchase.
| In beautiful contrast is an incident eX-
pressive of a life in a lonely rude hut in one
of the frontier States, related to us not long
since by wanderer, who had traversed
afoot State after State partaken OF every
| form of worldly enjoyment and found the
| first real soothing, comforting influence to
| steal over his heart under the shelter OF this
| abode of worldly poverty. Weary and hun
cry, he and companion approached the
| frontier hamlet, and entering the scantily
furnished yet neat and tidy apartment.
asked for a morsel to eat, for which they
we're willing to pay literally. The lady
was alone with her two little children, all
clearly attired. in homespun, evidencing
| industrious care and taste, the husband and
father being absent on an GRAND OF busl-
ness, probably to repenish their scanty
store. In response to the request, ,she in
formed them that she had buG quart OF
meal in the house, and did not know where
the next supply was ito come from. The
wanderers, impelled by hunger, persisted
in their importantly, and finally, with a
smile, she consented and cheerfully COM
menced the preparation Of the frugal re-
past After few minutes absence in an
adjoining shed, called kitchen. rich,
sweet, full voice broke forth
Jesus lover of my SOUL
Let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high
Hide me, o my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm Of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide,
| receive my soul at last !"
A few moments pause, as though arrang-
ing something in the cooking department,
and then again swelled forth in rapturous
notes,
"Other refuge have none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ali! leave me not alone,
| Still support and comfort me-
Allmy trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee bring,
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of Thy wing"
A brief interval interposed. and chen in
still richer, sweeter strains, as though
catching inspiration from the theme of con-
fding faith, she continued
Thou, Christ, art all I want,
More than all in Thee lind;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint.
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name;
I am all unrighteousness
False, and full of sin, am;
Thou art full of truth and grace"
Another pause ensued, and then again,
with more moving melody and touching pa
thos, she sang
"Plenteous grace in Thee is found
Grace to cover all my SIN;
Let the healing streams abound.
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art;
Freely let me take OF Thee:
Spring thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.
This was too much for even the hardened
sinners, whose wanderings lead them inte
this humble abode of happiness and power.
ty, and when the lady, with her counte-
nonce radiant with light and love and con-
tentment, presented the baked meal, the
tears were streaming down the cheeks of
both of them. They ate in silence, anc
then gratefully returning thanks for the
kindness which had given the last pound Of
i. flour in the house, they offered money, which
was refused, but which they left on the
table as they babe her hearty 'God bless
you and goodbye"
The simple faith of that lady and thu
melody of that voice, although twenty
years have passed, still exerts its influence
over one of the astonished listeners, WIFI
rested spell bound under its influence in tn
little log hut on the lonely frontier-tha
T beaming, radiant, joyous face still reflect
the peace and hope that cheered and sus
tanned the frontierman's wife. upon tn
: consciousness of that wanderer, and vii
" continue, no doubt, to do so, until "llfe'
fitful fever is DER"