The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-04-12

\ hHN utAih Atetat ih tat atFtsutSs s"e
| psralyzed With fear and dread.
} Far sod near. MP hill aud down dal
men were searching for her. Almost vii
with excitement Pelstish Northworth DIRE
in his horse to take breath moment whcl
lonely wood path crossed the ra,lroa
track. What WAS that dark object there
II was shel She was going TO commit su
eide! He would preveui il He heard
distant whistle. He left bis horse an
rushed 10 her. and found how she We
held. He had but moment 70 think II
fastened some papers on his horscwhiI
and took out his matches. The headligl
Of the engine appeared round the cury,
He lighted his papers and waved them
A puff Of wind blew out the light II
heard the thunder OF the wheels comm
nearer Death seemed sure. He trie,
another match aud waved the signal again
The train came glaring and laundering on
As II was almost upon them 1t stopped
The engineer got Of the train, prisd vi
the rail and rescued the poor, unconsciou
woman. The danger Was over, the raj
put back. and the train went on; but th,
poor husband, pale and trembling, knel
BY her side nom snt, and thanked Coo
for the escape. The first words she said
as they we're bending over her bedside Al
home were HE is all right; have seer
the governor And shortly after she told
the whole story, explaining her whole
conduct
Pelatiah and Patience Northworth
were sitting by the fire in the twilight.
The lonely Christmas dinner. was Iover.
The freight shone upon Patience's white
hair and cap, and the tall shadows danced
upon the parlor wall. Only one was mis-
sing to complete the old group Of three.
Nothing had been heard from the COVER
nor since Patience had seen him.
"Motherl The door opened. Josh
nal" "Fa,herl" The young man knelt at
his mothers feet. Rover came bounding
in, barking and jumping, rough aud joy
ous. The little picture clock on the wall
struck five silvery notes. pine knot fell
into the Goals, and the whole room was
suddenly illumined. All the sad past was
forgotten. There was present and fu-
ture. The son was nearer to them in his
humiliation than he had ever been in his
false pride.
1t was in the early morning, in the fol-
lowing spring. Joshua with his dog stood
by the bars looking over the field Of
young grass.
As the young man looked out upon the
scene he. thought: "The river is out of
prison. The earth too is released from win
ter's iron fetters. God has made me free.
Mother Nature smiles upon me when all
else is dark. Ny hands, by my fathers
care and training, were made to labor. A
New England farm! ! bless God for the
heritage j have sinned. God is merci
fnl He is with me in paradise here, and
there is better paradise hereafter" A
little bird flew out from the hedge near by,
and perching on bough over his head
sang sang as il all its little heart would
pour itself out in gladness.
Six years passed Nature had bounti-
fully repaid the young mans devotion to
her. He was fast getting the position
which he once despised but now most
longed for.
II don't see. said old Mrs. Brewster as
she looked over her glasses at the people
going to church, "heow it is that folks
give such countenance to that Northworth
feller. When I was young, Of young
man had ever ben in prison we gals
wouldn't a.seen him II he had been right
under our noses, and there's the minister
himself shakin' hands with Joshuway, and
the minister's daughter, Temperance look
in up an bowin as il he was a respectable
citizcnl"
swell now, ma. squeaked q little thin
voice from dried-up form on gray -cov-
cred bed in the corner, "hev yeou forgot
The parable Of the proddygal's son? I've
never ben to meetin' so much as yeou, but
| remember that"
"An' then" she continued. "his hevin
all that nice farm his father took so much
care onl' and she groaned as she took a
pinch OF snuff.
"Guess his fatber'd sight rutber he'd
lev it than any other feller," responded
ler husband.
II think it's temptin Providence to al.
ow snch doin's. s'pose now he'll marry
hat galr'
And old Shadrach. leaning his head on
lis thin hand, was as aegravating as ever
IS he said: "Well. he s'posed it would be
es' so.
q -