The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-05-19


did, but the best use Of life be "a
learn how to live, and Ifeel sartin
ye'd have got better as ye got older,
and made the last half Of yer life
wipe out the fust, so that the figures
for and agiu' ye would have balanced
in the Judgment"
you aren't fool enough to be-
lieve what the hypocritical church
members talk, are you, John Nor.
ton You don't believe that there's
any judgment day, do you !"
81 don't know much about church
MEMBERS" answered the trspper,
for ivo never beeu 10 tue settle
ments leastways, never studied
the habits of the creatures, and
dare say they differ, beiu' good ono
bad, I've seed somo that was certain
ly vagabonds. No, 1 don't know
much about church members, but
certainly believe yes, know
there'll be day when the Lord shal
ljodge the livin' aud the dead /: AM
the honest trappor shall stand on
one side and the vagabond that pill.
fers his skins aud steals his traps
shall stand on the othor. This is
what the Book says. and il sartinly
seems reasonable for the two
deeds that he did on the earth be o.
two sorts, and the folks that dozen
bo Of two kinds, and atweer, mus
make o dividin' line"
"And when do you think this
judgment is, John Norton T. asked
tho gambler, as il he was enjoying
the crude but honest idea of his
companion. The tr,ppcr hesitated
moment before he spoke, then
said
II conceit that the Judgment be
always goin on. It's court that
never adjourns, and the deserters
and the knaves aud the disobedient
in the regiment be always on trial
But 4 conceit that there comes Q
day to every man, good and bad
when the record of his deeds be
looked over from the start, and tL,
good and the bad counted up, and
in that day gifts tho final jedgmen,
whether il be for or agin him. And
now, boy" continued the old man
solemnly, with q touch OF infinite
tenderness in the vibration of his
voice, ''ye be nigh jedgment day
yerself, and the deeds ye have did,
both the good and the bad, will be
passed in review"
IL reckon there isn't much chance
for me, if your view is sound, John
Norton And for the first time his
tone lost its cheerful reckless.
ness.
"The court be a court OF mercy /;
and the judge looks upon 'em thai
come up for trial as Of he was their
father"
THAT ends it, old man." answer.
ed the gambler. My father never
showed me any mercy when ! was Q
boy. Ifhe had, I shouldn't have
been here now. III did wrong
deed, got it to the last inch of the
lash" and the words were more in.
tensly bitter because spoken 30
quietly.
"The fathers Of the 'arth, boy, be
not like the father Of heaven, for
seed them correct their children be
yond reason, aud without mercy.
They whipped in their rage, aud
not in their wisdom they whipped
because they were strong, and no
because of their life ; they whipped
when they should have forgiven
aud got what they earnt--the hat
red Of their children. But the faith
or OF heaven be different, boy. H.
knows that men be weak, as we'll a
wicked. He knows half OF 'eu
haven't had fair chance, and 80 b.
overlooks much and VIII en- he can
overlook it oonceit he sorter for
gives 10 lump. Yis, he subtract
all he can from the evil we have did
boy. and Of that isn't enough to sat
isfy bis feelings toward q man tba
might have been different Of het
had fair start, he just wipes the
whole row of figures at the ask.
ing"
"At the asking ?" said the gamb
Ter "that's a mighty quick game
Did you ever pray, John Nor
ton 7"
"Sartin. sartin. I be o praying
man, said the trampper, sturdily.