Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-28

l spoke kind of feelin' to her. l went
out and fetched in the pail of water
he'd always drawed herself, and then
[ MIXED the COW. When / came
in Philury was up fryin' the potatoes, and
the tears shinin' on her white face. She
didn't say nothin', she's kinder still, but
she hadn't no need to. l felt leetle
meaner'n I did the day before. But
'twan't nothing to my condition when l
was agoin' towards night, down the sullar
stairs for some apples, SOS the children
could have a roast, when l herd Joe up
in the kitchen say to Emmy Il do BE-
lieve, En-, pas going to die why,
Josiar Emmons, how you do talk = Well,
l do; he's 80 everlastin' pleasant and good
natered | can but think he's struck with
death.
81 tell ye, brethren, sat right down on
them sullar stairs and cried. did, RELY.
Seemed as though the Lord had turned and
looked at me jest as He did at Peter.
Why, there was my own children never
see me act real fatherly aud pretty in all
their lives. I'd growled and scolded and
prayed at em, and tried to fetch 'em up
just as the twig ia bent the trees inclined,
We know, but hadn't never thought that
they'd got right an reason to expect I'd do
my part as well as their'n. Seemed as
though l was findin out more about
Josiah Emmons' shortcomings than was
real agreeable.
sCome around Friday l got back to the
store. I'd kind of left it to the boys the
early part of the week, and things was a
little entering, but did have sense not to
tear round and use sharp words so much
I - ..l-
easy to practice after five days, when in
come Judge Herrick's wife after some cur
tin calico. l had handsome piece, all
done off with roses an things, but there
was fault in the weavin', every now an
then thin streak. Size didn't notice it,
but she was pleased with the figures ont,
and said she'd take the whole piece. Well,
just as l was wrappin' of it up, what MIR.
Parkes here said about tryin' to act just as
the Lord would in our place come acrost
me. Why, I turned as red as a beet,
1 know l did. 1t made me all Of
! a tremble. There was l, door
keeper in the tents of my God, as
David says, really cheatin', and cheatin' a
woman. 1 tell ye, brethren, l was all of a
! sweat. Mis- Herrick, says /, L don't be.
lieve you've looked real close at this
goods; faint thorough wove, says l. So
she didn't take it; but What fetched me
was to think how many times before I'd
done such mean, unreliable little things to
turn a penny, and all the time sayin' and
prayin' that / wanted to be like Christ. l
KEEP trippin' of myself up all day jest in
the ordinary business, and | was a peg
lower down when night come than was
| Thursday. I'd ruther, as far as the hard
work is concerned, lay a mile of four-foot
stone-wall than undertake to do mans
Twin Christian duty for twelve workin'
hours; and the heft of that is, it's because
| | amt used to it and | ought TO be.
$50 this mornin' came around, and felt
mite moro cherk. Twas missionary
mornin', and seemed as if twas a sight
easier to preach than to practice. 1 thought
I'd begin to old Mis- Vedder's. So l put
Testament in my pocket and knocked to
her door. Says 1: Good morning,
ma'am, and then stopped Words seemed
to hang, somehow. l didn't want to pop
right out that I'd come to try'n convert
the folks. hemmed and swallered lit.
tie. and fin'lly said, says L: I'VE don't
see you to meetin' very frequent, Mis-
Vedder.'
"'No, you don'tl' ses she, as quick as
wink. / stay at home and mind my
business
"'Well, we should like to hev you
come along with US and do we good, says
l, sort of conciliatin.
"' Look a here, Deacon = she snapped,
I've lived alongside of you fifteen years,
and you knowed | never went to meetin';
we ain pious lot, and you knowed it
we're poorer n death and uglieI n sin. Jim
he drinks and swears, and Malviny dono
her letters. She knows heap she hadn't
ought to, besides. Now what are you
| comm here to-day for, I'd like to
know, and talkin' SO glib about
meetin Go to meetin' I'll go or come
jest as darn please, for all you. Now get
out O. this 7 Why, she come at me with q
broomstick. There wasn't no need ont;
what she said was enough. I hadn't
never asked her nor her'n to so much as
think of goodness before. Then l went
to another place jest like that
won't call no more names and sure
enough there was ten children in rags, the
hull on 'enl, and the man half drunk. He
Civ it to me, too and don't wonder. I'd
never lift hand to serve or save 'em be-
fore in all these years. I'd said considerable
about the heather in foreign parts, and give
some little for to convert EN-, and l had
looked right over the heads of them
that was next door. Seemed as if l could
hear Him say These ought We to
have done, and not have left the other
undone. l couldn't face another soul
to-day, brethren. come home, and here
l be. I've been searched through and
through and found wantin'. God be
merciful to me a sinner %
He dropped into his seat, and bowed his
head and many another bent, too. 1t
was plain that the deacon's experience was
not the only one among the brethren.
Mr.. Payson rose, and prayed as he had
never prayed before the week of practice
had fired his heart, too. And it began a
memorable year for the church in Sugar
Hollow not a year of excitement or
enthusiasm, but one when they heard
their Lord saying, as to Israel of old
$50 forw ard, and they obeyed His voice.
The Sunday.school hourished, the church
services were fully attended, every good
thing was helped on its way, and peace
reigned in their homes and hearts, imper.
feet perhaps, as new growths are, but still
an offshoot of the peace past understand
ing
And another year they will keep an
other week of practice, by common con-
sent Rose Terry Cooke. in Congrega-
tionalist.
L.