The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-14
think God would take msf' And Mus.

think God would take me7' And Mus.
grave said.
"Don't talk nonsense, Thomas; come along
with me. When God wants TO take you, ne
will take you; but you must not be trying
to put you opinions in place OF Gods. Turn
back my man, and look at the Point there
where the Cobbler's Stone stands. Now
forget that you are looking at the calm
stream. and think what you would feel like
one dark night, with northerly gale. if
you had to Aght your way round the Cob
bier, and expected the sea TO double over
your boat every minute. You are not in
danger now, and your business is to wor-
ship. Try to think, my lad, what you
would feel if you expected that every sea
would be the last one. Now come away,
and speak no more nonsense tonight"
So Hobs Tommy did not 60 troutirg on
that Sunday evening.
TIL. next day when he woke up, he had a
sense of strangeness, and it suddenly flashed
upon him that he ought to pray. He did
not exactly know how to begin, but he
managed to produce curious imitation Of
the prayer he had had heard Musgrave de-
liver the day before. He then put on his
sea-boots and SOU -wester and strolled INFO
the kitchen. When his mother heard his
foot in the passage she trembled little, be-
cause Tom was not over civil as rule. To
her utter establishment the rufian whom
she loved said, "Good morning, mother. Is
the coffee ready7" He then stepped up to
her and placed his arm round her shoulders.
He had never kissed anybody in his life; 80
that form of endearment did not occur to
him; but he bent his bearded face and lsid
his cheek clumsily against his mothers.
The poor draggled woman was so utterly
startled that she was unable to form any
idea ssssto the possible cause of this transfer
nation. Sit down my bonny man and
| your bacon will be ready Cor you in two
minutes have never seen you look 80
well in my life. VIII 1 be sending TO town
for some bottled beer for you by the time
you get backf"
mo mother; / am going to try and do
/ without the drink for bit. 1 hit you last
Saturday night, didn't II"
"Well. don't speak about that, my bonDy
man."
'Show US the mark, mother"
She barred her arm TO the shoulder, and
| there, sure enough, was dull black 'bruise.
Tommy patted the spot lightly and said.
keep the mark on as long as you can,
mother. Show it to me now and then, and
If ever you see me with drink in me again,
just touch your arm So"
He ate his breakfast and went out, leav-
ing his mother in a condition of exaltation
which the poor creature had not known for
many years. All the day, while the lines
were over the side, Tommy sat with his
face in his hand. His two mates joked with
him, swore at him, tried all kinds of clumsy
inducements to mske him revert to his or
binary ssturine and entertaining mode OF
conversation; but he would not be tempted
from hisNilence. Towards evening chill
blast struck off from the shore, and Mary'E
! Jem who was Tommy's mate, said,
"My man, we'll have the white horses in
} half minutel"
A short, jumping sea sprang up as il By
magic, the men hauled in their lines, tool
} three reefs in the coble's main-sail before
hosting, and then laid the boats head fol-
the land. Minute by minute the blast grew
heavier; quick gusts shook the bents OF
the sandy hills and screamed away over the
TO beat very near the wind, and with bel
: three reefs in the lug, she made at least foul
knots, and the water roared under her rud.
der. Jenny lit his pipe, and said,
"We1l lave ID run North, my man."
Tommy said theoretically,
mo, I'll not. The old woman is going
to make my supper for me, and III not die.
appoint her, if Pm drowned in trying"
SO the boat raced towards the bay, bows
under Nearing the Carr, where narrow
passage opens into smooth water, strong
back-wash came from the jagged rocks. One
curling black sea came fosming back and
met the green ses that was plunging on to
the rect A mountain of water rose and
fell with heavy crash over the sail, and
the boat turned slowly over. All three
men were encountered with their heavy
sea- boots, but they managed to struggle out
and fasten themselves onto the high keel.
-Four or five came in quick succession
the beat reached shallow water; the mast
snapped with loud crash, and within few
seconds Tommy said.
Jump now, men, for il"
Up to their waists in water, the men
clamored onto the sand and looked round
only to see the wreck of their coble beating
herself to pieces with heavy lunges twenty
yards from the shore.
Tommy spat the salt water out of his
mouth and fell upon his knees. he said
} 80 Lord, don't know you and you don'i
know me. and we have had very little to dc
with one another, but know that you have
spoken to me, and if you want a servant
that doesn't know his business
very well. I'll promise to be your servant
to the end of my days"
A part of his new religion was that he
must be at chapel twice every Sunday, and
at prayer-meetings as often through the
week as Musgrsve chose to take him. To
this he held. The squire's pheasants suffered
no longer, and Tommy's big lurcher dis.
played tendency towards virtue which
earned him the warmest admiration of al
the gsmekeepers on the estate. Efforts were
made to get the big man to pray at the or.
binary love fessts that were held in con-
nection with the chapel, but he always said
"No; my father and me has all our CONVEX.
sstions to ourselves, and when God saw
anything particular always speak to Mr.
Mrsgrsve, and he tells me that he prays fol
me and tells God what / said. It is not al
if God didn't know; but l don't think q
blsckgusrd like me should be so rude as Il
address him face to face after the life have
led"
The years went by, and Tommy's shaggy
beard showed signs of grizzling. His huge
limbs were more deliberate in their move
ment, and his low forehead had somehow OF
other acquired certain spiritual aspec
that no words of mine can describe. HI
wrought at his trade, saved money, anC
spent great deal in deliberately decorating