The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-06-23
THE DEACON,s vow.

THE DEACON's vow.
TIL. sword of terrible suspense wa
quiverlng over the household Of Deaco
Cameron and his wife. In thcsmall white
curtaincd chamber over the sitting-rOor
their only daughter, Agnes, lay between
life and death. The doctor gave them lit
tie reason to hope that the feeble sparl
which was Pickering, and nearly ready t.
expire, could he again rekindled. For day
and weeks all that love and skill and ten
der nursing could do had been done, t.
win back health to the tcver-stricken girl
but so far it seemed in vain. Her mother
aud brothers were tireless in their watch
ing and devotion, and an arrest, in the last
few days, had been laid on everything ex.
cept the most necessary work, while they
waited, in that solemn hush which is less
Of hope than of despair, for what the next
hour might bring to pass House, fields,
business, life were all Overhung and cloud
ed by the mystery which always hovers
about tho bedsides of the departing, even
when the prospect is bright with trust in
Him who says: Il am He that liveth and
was dead, and behold! am alive forever
more"
Agnes was the Deacon's darling. Stern
and grim to Others he had invariably been
gentle and indulgent to her. In her baby
hood it had been his delight to have her
nestle against her fathers broad breast and
play with his long beard, or fall asleep in
his arms. AS child, her seat at the table
had been next to his, and her place in the
pew by his side. As she grew into fair
womanhood, she had become his companion
aud friend and almost his second sell. Now
that his eyes were beginning to fail and his
ears to grow deaf-infrmities of advanc-
ing age which he resented, yet was COM
PEELED to acknowledge was Agnes who
read to him, and talked to him, in her clear
voice, never loud, but distinct and pure in
its uttera:,ce, SO that every syllable was like
silver coin for finish. The Deacon loved
his daughter US he loved no one else in the
world. Even her mother knew that her
own was the second place in her husbands
heart. Yet she was contented; for hers
was sweet aud easily resigned nature,
and, she, too, idolized her Agnes.
Did he love her best? He supposed 10 |;
and still there was q doubt Of it in the
minds Of his friend. Deacon Cameron had
another idol, and that was money. He hug
ged it closely and worshipped it slayishly.
II cost him bitter pain to part with it, nm
less II were in some way which he knew
would return it in kind and increased.
Honest, just, defrauding none, he was
scrimping and niggnrilly in expenditure for
his family; nor could he bring himself to
part with an acre of ground, nor the price
Of portion Of his crops, to MD the poor,
70 assist the church, or to further mission
( work. His children had been stinteil in
their education, deprived of opportunities
and privileges for which they longed, and
forced to live narrow, contracted lives i'm
der the old root, where ragged many q
storm Of passion that only God and niothe,
knew any thing about.
Il WAS q winters morning, b,iU soft AMI
mild as spring, with blue skies, undimmetl
by cloud, and gentle south winds stirrin,
the leatless branches The physician had
told the father that there was little proba
bilty that Agnes could recover, and tina,
the issue would ere long be decided. Will
pale face and haggarl eyes, he left til,
house, aud wandered on past his ample
harms, through the great apple orchard ant
the vineyard. aud over the wide meadows
that were his pride. The mans soul wa
Jles0Iate. He felt as though q hurrican
had gone over him, sweeping him hare Of
what the good years had given. The cr,
of his heart was Lord, take the rest
Take all, hut leave me Agnesw For tn
first time in his experience his wealth wa
q matter Of utter Indifference to him. H
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