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

sn"S ~ m,kut enu hs ne says, III tue
feeling was right.
For a moment nothing was said.
The trapper stood looking steadfast-
ly at the young man on the moss as
he lay with his face turned up TO the
sky. to whose color had como the
tirst shade of awful whiteness.
Up the mountain rifle cracked.
Neither stirred. A red squirrel ran
out upon the limb, twenty feet above
the gamblers head, aud shook the
silence into fragments with his chat
tering then sat gazing with startled
eyes at the two men underneath.
"Can you pray, old man ?" asked
the gambler, quietly.
"Sartiuly," answered tho trap-
per.
Can you pray in words 7" asked
the gambler again.
For moment the trapper hesitat.
ed. then he said ~ cant say that
| can. No, sartiuly cant say that
l could undertake it with reasons
able chance Of getting through
leastwise it wouldn't be in O way to
help man any
as there any way, old man, in
which we can go partners 7" asked
the gambler the vocabulary Of whose
profession still clung to him in the
solemn counseling.
II was thinkin of that" answered
the trapper "yis, was thinkiu' ef
we couldn't sorter jine words, and
each help the other by doin' his own
part himself.-Yis,' continued the
old mau, after moments reflection,
"tbe plans good un-ye pray for
yerself, aud I'll pray for myself
and Of can get in anything that
seems likely to do 20 service, ye can
count on it as ye can ON a gr.oved
barrel"
"And now boy" said the trapper,
with solemn enthusiasm, such
faith might give to suppliant saint,
which lighted his features until
his couutonance fairly shone with
light which came out OF it, rather
than upon it from the sun ovel ED,
"now, boy, remember that the Lord
is Lord Of the woods as well as Of
the cities, and that he heareth the
prayin' Of the poor hunter under tho
pines, as well AS the great preachers
in the pulpits, aud that when sins be
heavy and death be nigh, His ear
and His heart be both Open"
The trapper knelt on the moss at
the gamblers feet. He clasped the
fingers of his great hands until they
interlaced, and lifted his wrinkled
face upward. lie said not word
but the strougly-chiseled lips, SEEM
ed with ago, moved aud tg itchsi
now and thon, as the silent prayer
went on, two great tears left tho
protection of the Of the closed lids
and rolled down the rugged cheek.
The gambler also closed his eyes
then his hands quietly stole into the
other, aud avoiding the bloody stain,
rested on his breast and thus the
old man who had lived beyond the
limit Of mans day, and the young
one, cut down at the threshold Of
mature life--the one kneeling on
the moss, with his faco lifted to
Heaven, the other lying on the
MOSES, with his face turned toward
the same sky, without word or utter
ed speech-prayed to the divine mer-
cy which beyond the heaven and the
sky saw the two men underneath the
pines, and met, we may MT doubt,
with needed answer the silent, up
going prayer.
The two opened their eyes nearly
at the same instant. They looked
for moment at each other, aud
then the gambler feebly lifted his
hand, and put it into the broad
palm Of the trapper. Not q word
said. No word was needed. Some-
times men understand each Other
better than by talking. Then the
gambler picked the diamond stud
from the spot where it rested, slip
ped the solitaire ring from his finger
and said as he handed them to the
trapper
There's girl in Montreal that
will like these. You will find hel
picture inside my vest, when you
bury me. Her address is inside tht
picture case. You will take them
TO her, John Norton ?"
"She shall have them fr ON my