The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-03-16

whole being seemed absorbed in anx-
iety and tenderness. He held out his
hands, which trembled, but it seemed
to me with eagerness, not fear. He
went on speaking all the time. "Wil-
lie, if it is you-and it's you, if it is
not deluslon Of satan,-Willie, lad
why come We here frighting that know
you not? Why came ye not to me?''
He seemed to wait for an answer.
When his voice ceased, his counten-
ance, every line moving, continued to
speak. Slmson gave me another ter
rible shock, stealing into the open
doorway with his light, as much awe
stricken, as wildly curious, as |. But
the minister resumed, without seeing
Simson, speaking to some one else.
His voice took tone of expostula-
ton.
rs this right to come here? Your
mothers gone with your name on her
lips. Do you think she would close
her door on her own lad? DO ye
think the Lord will close the door, ye
faint-hearted creature? Mol for
bid yer' cried the old man. The Sob
bing voice had begun to resume its
cries. He made step forward, call
ing out the last words in voice Of
command. II forbid ye! Cry out no
more to man. Go home, We wander
ing spirit! go home! Do you hear
me?-me that christened We, that have
struggled with We, that have wrestled
for ye with the Lordr' Here the loud
tones of his voice sank into tender
ness. ''And, her, too, poor woman!
her you are calling upon. She's no
here You'll find her with the Lord.
Go there and seek her, not here. Do
you hear me, lad? go after her there.
He'll let you in, though it's la e.
Man, take heart! if you will lie and
sob and greet, let it be at heavens
gate, and no your poor mothers
ruined door,
He stopped to get his breath; and
the voice had stopped, not as it had
done before. when its time was ex-
hausted and all its repetitions said,
but with a sobbing catch in the breath
as if overruled. Then the minister
spoke again. ''Are you hearing me.
Will? Oh. laddie, you've liked the
bpggerly elements all your days. Be
done with them now. Go home to
the Father-the Father! Are you
hearing me? Here the old man sank
down upon his knees, his face raised
upwards, his hands held up with
tremble in them, all white in the light
in the midst Of the darkness. | re-
sisted as long as | could, though
cannot tell why, then [, too. dropped
upon my knees. Simson all the time
stood in the doorway, with an express
sion in his face such as words could
not tell his under lip dropped, his
eyes wild, staring. 1t seemed to be
to him, that image of blank ignorance
and wonder, that we are praying. All
the time the voice. with low. ar
rested sobbing, lay just where he was
standing, as thought.
Lord the minister said. "Lord,
take him into thy everlasting habita-
tions. The mother he cries to is with
thee. Who can open to him but thee?
Lord. let that woman there draw him
mower! Let him draw him inower!m
[ sprang forward to catch some
thing in my arms that flung itself
wildly within the door The illusion
was so strong. that | never paused
till | felt my forehead Craze against
the wall and my hands clutch the
there was nobody there
to save from falling. as in my foolish
ness I thought. 'Simson held ont his
hand to me to help me- up. He was
trembling and cold, his lower lip
hanging his speech almost inarticu-
late. Its gone" he said, stammering
Its gomez We lpant upon each
other for moment. trembling so much
both of us that the whole scene trem-
hled as if it were going to dissolve and
disappear; and yet as long as live [
will never forget 1.-THE shining of
the strange lights, the blackness all
ronnd, the kneeling figure with all the
whiteness Of the light concentrated
on its white, venerable head and mp
lifted hands. A strange, solemn still
ness seemed to close all ronnd US. Bv
intervals a single SYLLABLE. Lord!
came from the old minister's lips
l4e SdW Htut VI us, 1litT bfIouStlb vi |
rs. never knew how long we stood.
like sentinels guarding him in his
prayers holding our lights in con-
fused dazAd way. not knowing what
we did But at last he rose from his
knees. and standing up at his full
height. raised his arms. as the Scotch
is at the end of a religions
service, and snlemnly gave the apos-
tolical benediction-to what? to the
silent earth, the dark woods. the wide
breathing atmosphere-for we were
but spectators gasping an Amen!
IT seemed to me- that it must be the
middle IF the night. as we all walked
hack. Tt was in reality very late. DR.
Moncrieff put his arm into mine He
walked slowly. with an air of .exhaus-
tion. 1t was as if we were coming
from a dpathbpd. Something hnshpd
and solemnizAd the very air. There
was that sense Of relief in it which
there always is at the end of death
struggle. And nature, persistent.
never daunted. came hack in all of MS.
"a we returned into the ways of life.
We said nothing to each other, in
deed, for time; but when we got
clear of the trees and reached the
opening near the house, where he
could see the sky. DR. Moncrief him
self was'thp first to speak. II mnst
be going" he said; ''it's very late, Tn
afraid I will go down the glen, as I
camp.''
'But not alone. I am going with
you. doctor"