Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-02-19
The Last Dollar.
BY ]. L. HERsEY.

provide The Reverend James Heath
was a minister in the little mountain
village Of Canaan. He was peor and
his congregation was poor; often before
he had been near his last dollar, but to-
day the last dollar was to be taken to
buy the necessaries Of life.
80 you've been always saying sob
bed his wife, but what ls 10 become Of
us when this is gone? They will not
trustus any more at the store, and your
salary wont be due these three weeks,
even ifyou get It then. Why do you
stay here. james, when the people are
so poor?
'Ihave no other place to- 90 10, nor
money to travel to it, even if the Lord
opened the way. Mywork for the pre-
sent is here. lie leedcth the young
ravens, and He will surely feed US
/ wish had more faith, but I harnit
and it won't come 10 me. o! what
shall we do what shall we do = And
she wrung her hands despairingly. My
poor Children
''Once l was young, but now / am
eld,' solemrly said her husband, IN
the words of the Psalmist, yet
have I never seen the righteous forsak-
en-, nor His seed begging bread.D
As ifin answer 10 this pious cjacuia
ton, there came sudden knock at the
door. All the while the minister and
his wife had been talking the storm had
been ralslng outside. On, opening the
door a traveller, r,wet through, entered.
The minister and his wife were timid
about entertaining a perfect stranger,
when so many tramps were about.
4 was coming through the forest
from Moultonborough, he said, and
ventured to stop at the first house that
offered shelter. Ny horse IS in your
she'd. Dc Itake 100 great liberty:'
Not at all, ans Tered the master oil
the house; we have bat poor shelter
as you see, but such as it is you are well
como to it,
The was a good FIRE at any rate, Tor il
was in the Kitchen that this consultation
WAS held. Iudend, the hnmble home
boasted no parlor, aud the kitchen was
dining rsom, drawing room living 70 ON,
and all. The stranger proved to be a
man of education aud intelligence, and
in conversation with him the minister
for,ot his trouble and was re minded ol
early days, when trouble had not come,
The cloud seemed to haYe siycr lin
ing. and the stranger Joined heartily
with him and most earnestly did he
invoke the great Head Of the Churel
not to forget this branch, to water ano
feed Il. The minister and his wife ielt,
as they retired for the night removed
confidence to trust Him for His grace,
for the providence seemed to lrown now
the dark cloud might soon break away
aud tie smiling face of a Friend b(
seen. The morning davned bright anC
beautiful, and the stranger prepared to
90. James went with HIM TO the gate
and watched TIL turn in the road biz
HIM from view.
see here, Games" cried his wife
eagerly. when he returned to the house
L found this on the table where th'
gentleman sat- .s.
II was ffty-dollar sreenback. wrapeC
hasllylin a bit ofpaper that looked a
if had been torn from q apocket book
and on the inside Of the paper wa
written the verse Of the Psaimist, which
it was now apparent that the traveller ha'
overheard. t H'
L thought he was writing the direc-
tons he asked for, said the minister
He means it for us-thanks be to th'
Lord. Did l not say, my dear. HI
would provide If we only trusted i'm
pl.ciiy in His almighty arm:'
His wife burst into tears. God for
give me- she said;'I will not doubt Hin
again. The Lord surely sent this slran
ger TO our aid.' So -.
And he will still provide, replied he
husband. Whatever my lot may be
here or elsewhere, IN Him thrust. w
DAYS flew away on noiseless pinions
until one month from the time tn
stranger tarried over the night a lette
came directed to the Rev. James
Heath, Pastor Of the Church N Canaan
and while his wife and lovely daugh;e
stood by his side, he broke the seal an'
read aloud its contents, which were a
follows:
"REv. AND DEAR SIR The Churcl
~ Hrorltonhorouoh has unanimously
called you to its pastoratc. The salar.
IS fifteen hundred dollars and a goo'
parsonage house, quite a contrast t
that in Canaan .'
The letter concluded BY saying; 'Th
writer of this FIRST came to know you By
your hospitality to him during a storm
a few weeek ago. He overheard yo'
in moment Of great distress speakini
with such full faith that he feels you ar
lust the person for this charge and a
nv recommendation this call has beel
made s
Moultonborough was q rich, thrlvinl
town. nestled away among the breez
hills o, the Granite State. 1t was afa
better sphere oflabor for man of tn
minister's abilities than the little WI
lagc up in the mountains. saa4I 2
So a young man without family too
A., oI,,cob h, tho vallov among tlre Os