The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-01-10
sILAs BARCLAYS pREFERMENr.

friend. ~
His was but a poor parish. We may
Judge something of the ability of his
flock when it is recorded that from his
curacy and the tuition of the few stu
dents who came to him for help in their
stQdies-he prepared young men for
college, and also gave instruction to
young students for the ministFy-frOm
all sources he gained an income Of not
more than e20 per annum. upon which
he went on, living the humble, useful
life, giving help and happiness to those
poorer than himself whenever the Op-
pOrtunity was.
One chill, rainy October evening our
good old cuTate was in trouble. He had
received letter from Scotland, where
he had an only son living, informing
him that dire misfortune had befallen
his boy, however, married, and with
family of his own, he had a great deal
Of sickness; his wife had been prOstrated
during the summer, and was not yet able
to be abroad; and altogether he was in
sore distress. Oil could not his good
old father help himp
"AlasP' the old man muTmured, lit
is very hard for poor George. Wife, Is
there not some way in which we can
give him help2 Can you think OF any
thing we can dOp"
The wife looked at him with an Omin-
Gus shake of the head.
"Helpl Ali who would help him more
quickly than wOuldlp where are we
to find it.
The clergyman's countenance fell.
He was obliged to acknowledge that he
had not the money, and further that he
knew not where to find 1t.
But, dear wife, let us not borrow
trouble. Never have L seen the right
eOus fOrsaken, nor his seed begging
bread Something will come to help
u.s."
Mrs. Barclay looked as though she
would like to give him severe lecture
for his Willingness to find anything hope
full in their present situation; but there
was something in the warm, loving, and
generous light of his really happy face
that withheld her from the harsh criti
cism which had been evidently upon her
tongue.
She had opened her lips and was up
on the point of speaking, when the
tramp of a horse was heard upon the
pavement at the gate; and ere long
thereafter, smart rap sounded upon
the door. The clergyman took up 3
lighted candle and answered the sum
mons.
The caller proved to be Frenchman,
on his way to Norwich, who had been
cold and hungry; and knew not where
to look for public house. He did not
feel that he could, with safety to his
health--tO say nothing of bodily COM
fOrt-traVel any further in the storm.
He was respectable looking man,
rather under-siZed, and dark of COM
plexiOn; and the good wife, when she
saw him was afraid Of him. AS soon as
she could gain an opportunity to speak
unit dhn nFuFnd
not, on any account, to ask the man to
stop over night. The curate's answer to
this was curious, aud, when considered
in the light of subsequent events, pro-
phetic. a|
"Wife," said he, half playfully, "we'Ve
been looking for our angel all these years
among our own cOuntrymen; may 1t not
be that the Good Father has sent him
from France%
The clergyman lighted lantern, and
went out and put the strangers horse
into his BARN. and gave him hay and
grain, and then cameaback to find the
dame in the act of bestOwing upon him,
the stranger, one of his own warm dress
ing gowns. The man dOnned the robe
cheerfully; then sat down by the fire,
while the hostess made ready refresh
ment for him. 1t was an humble meal
which the clergymAn's wife was able to
cooked and there was enough of it.
The visitor spoke English very we'll
very plainly; and the good clergyman at
length ventured upon his slight knOwl-
edge of French, as he called 1t, where
upon the visitor tried to be indignant.
My faithP he exclaimed, you speak
my language purely and with grace. II
you understand the grammar"
"O,-that is about all have dared to
4 nd ha hpu nm In
81 venture to assert that / can teach
French grammar"
"Aye,Sand you may hencefOrth claim
that you can teach your pupils how to
speak it"
In the course of the evening, after
the supper table had been cleared of,
the Frenchman discovered an old chess
board standing against the Wainscot;
and he asked his host II he played
chess. .'a-
"Yes," said the clergyman. az think
myself good player"
am gladl have found no man in
England who could beat me-" .4.9a
The board and a boz of very fine ivory
pieces-a present to the curate from q
former pupil-were brought forth, a
small stand set out, and they went at
the game. The Frenchman was an ex-
cellent cheSs-player; but the Rev. SiIas
odlCAdy was q OObupAs 4npJ PAhyOh AlOHl
eight o'clock until almost midnight, and
the guest did not win a game. One
game was given up as a draw, by false
move the clergyman lost his last piece;
he was telling his antagonist the story
of his life, which had been drawn from
him almost without his knowledge, and
in thoughtless moment, while telling
of his son in Scotland, he lost his victory;
the two kings were left alone In their
glory on the board. And that finished
the conflict. .. .-r ~.
Not once had the'guest lost his per-
feet good nature, and he was content,
In the end, to acknowledge that his host
was the most skillful chess-player he had
ever met. .-.'..-- slt
The board was set aside, after which
the curate led his guest to the one nice
chamber in his humble cottage and there
wished him sweet sleep and pleasant
dreams. ..
In the morning they were up early.
The storm had passed over; the sun had
arisen brightly; the guests garments
were all dry, and had been brushed
clean by the clergyman himself. His
wife ebanced to come upon him whilst
he was engaged at the work, and she
could not resiDt the impulse to scOld
him for his making Of himself q lackey
to a strolling Frenehman. And again,