The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-10-08
Presentments.

One of the most striking of these
stories of presentment. or how fact
existing was borne in on the mind Of one
able to act on it for good uses, was told
us many years ago by sweet. mild.
loving and pious Quaker lady, who had
all the virtues, if this one special weak
ness, of her sect. She said that her
mother was a woman who had these
mysterious provisions, and to whom was
vouchsafed precognition of facts greater
than that given to most. In olden DAYS
she would have been seeress: and in
the days which believed witchcraft. how
great soever her pietY, she would have
been in danger of the stake. Living in
more enlightened times, she was re-
spected for the faculty which once
would have been her condemnation.
About two miles across the fields from
her house lived a Quaker couple, of
slender means and painful history Al
ways in poverty, they were often as
sisted by the Friends who lived round
about, and they were kept from starya-
ton mainly through extraneous aid.
One winter night, about twelve O. clock.
the mother of our friend was in her own
room preparing to go to bed. Suddenly
it was borne in on her that her two poor
co-religionlsts two miles off across the
fields were in dire want and distress.
This conviction was so strong that she
packed up basket of provisions, took
lantern, and, late as it was, set off to
the house in question. Arrived there
in due course, she saw light &der.
the door. They had not yet gone to
bed. She knocked, and it was opened
to her. She found the couple sitting
on two chairs in the middle of the
room, without food or fire, with only
the light of their one candle to illumine
their utter wretchedness. They had been
for two days without food, but they ex-
pressed no surprise wher they saw her.
They simply said, eve we're waiting to
see what the Lord would send us in an
swer to our prayers Forever alter
this dear woman and her daughter, our
friend, believed in the divine inspiration
of that thought, that fear, which sent
delicate lady, then no longer young,
two miles across the fields on bleak
winters night. But we were ungodly
enough to say, eff this were really
divine inspiration, why not have come
in the daylight? Or, better still, why
did not the man 60 up to the house
himself, make his wants known
and having them relieved without ex-
posing his benefactress to the risk of
losing her life as the result of her char
typ When we analyze these stories
we always come on some such lapse of
common sense as this. To have gone
out and sought practically and actively
tor help would have been a more
righteous and manly way of seeking the
Lord than to remain quietly and supine-
ly in the house, letting others have all
the trouble and the risk.
Another less touching and far more
CHASTITY story was told us not long since.
Some few years ago there was a spe-
cially horrible and revolving murder in
Russia. The details were too fearful to
be even alluded to here; but we re-
member the story quite well, as it was
given in the correspondence of the
daily press. The friend who told us
the following story of presentment-a
German-Russian-a us if we re-
answered in the affirmative. Then he
said: 81 had a strange piece of present.
ment connected with that man. He
was my Russian MASTER Count,
our friend, was German Russian from
Courland-" man whom never liked,
yet of whose private life knew nothing
evil; indeed, there was nothing then to
know. One day, when he came to give
me my usual lesson, had the strangest
and the most overpowering feeling.
Someone seemed to touch my shoulder
and someone seemed to whisper in my
ear, Get rid of him. When the lesson
was over paid him all | owed him and
dismissed him from further attendance,
He made no remark and left in peace.
Two days after this friend of mine,
who wanted to take lessons in the Rus
sian language, asked me for the address
of this man. | said we should pass by
his house, when we should call, and my
friend could arrange terms and hours.
We reached the house and knocked at
the door-knocked hard and often
but received no answer. Then we left,
with the intention of calling again
few hours later. We went to the pub
lie gardens and sat there for some time,
then set out again for our second visit.
As we walked along the street a police
man stopped us and spoke to me. He
asked if knew anything of this man.
l said yes, did, and that l was now on
my way to see him. No. he answered,
do not go; he's dead" He had COM
mitted suicide after having committed
the murder, attended by the most re-
voting, the most awful details of which
we have alluded; and the very moment
when the Count and his friend knocked
at the door of his apartment he must
have been in the death agony. Il al
ways thought" said the Count in con-
clusion, THAT this was true present
ment. do not pretend to say how it
mn t.rl., l. "a