Sharp County record., 1880-04-15

heavily on the Deacon ana maue MN
very sad. AS he sat in his armenian OF
followed the plow, he felt that the war
fare of the Almighty had assumed
tangible form, and that His arrows were
being aimed for his destruction.
One sorrowful day there came a
oreater loss. The hand of paralysis
gas laid upon the meek and ever-su6-
missiye wife, and she lay for hours IN
that death-in-life which is so horrible
and so inscrutable. Now was the cup
of calamity full and running over.
Never a demonstrative nor very loving
husband. the Deacon had felt true re-
snect and complacant proprietary al
faction for the woman who had given
him herself in the radiant bloom OF her
oirlhood, when she had chosen MN
from many suitors. Always had she
been a faithful wife, diligent, frugal
and obedient to his wishes. When she
passed softly away, amid the sobs OF her
children, he shed no tear; but uou 5
lightning had, nevertheless, smitten MS
sonl, When she lay, queenly, IN silent
state. in the house where she had been
rather chief servant than mistress, ne sat
for hours in the room, living over the long
wears, and suffering poignant remorse,
which none knowing the man Woulu
have imagined possible. When ne 1ol-
lowed the hearse to the family lot where
the Camerons had been buried for gen
o,,o+iono ba was bowed under an an
gllish as deep as it was unspeaIkaoie'
AGNES slid her hand into his; but ne
scarcely felt the pressure, though ne
suffered her to lead him home like lit
tie child, after the earth had been
packed upon the coffin. .
A few days crept on-intermlnaoly
lono in the abode of mourning-and one
night the family were gathered for wor
ship. The Deacon took the Blble' and
slowly turned the leaves until he came
to the slxty-sixth psalm. In a voice
low and full of emotion he read these
words:
"For thou, o God, hast proved us.
Thou hast tried us as silver IS tried
Thou broughtest us into the net. Thou
laidest afliction upon our loins.
Thou hast, caused men to rlde
over our heads. We Went
through fire and through water; but
thou broughtest us out unto a wealthy
place. will 90 into thy house with
burnt offerings. l will pay thee my
vows, which my lips have uttered and
,,,,, mouth hath snoken when | was in
trouble. " , =,
The Deacon paused. "Children, "
he said, 81 have had controversy
with the Lord. I have made vows; ;
but 1 have not paid them. The Lord
is too much for for Alexander Cameron.
shall resist him no longer. l have
been vain, conceited, and stubborn;
fond of my own way and careful! Tor my
own interest. But now I shall begin
again, if may, and seek, if haply he let
me find him, my wife's God. Your moth
er was nearer him than [. Hugh, ask
the p.sssorko corezsither tomorrow. |
want to help him in his work with my
substance. Agnes, daughter, Edgar
Murray may come as you list, and VIII
give him my child and my blessing.
Let us pray"
AS his way was, the Deacon, having
begun, paid his vows to the uttermost.
The evening of his life was sweet with
thankfulness; and when the sturdy
babes of Edgar and Agnes clambered
on his knees and held fast to his hand,
they thought in the wide world there
was nobody so kind and good as grand
acknowledgement &. SangSter, IN the
! IndependeN.