The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-12-20

: . But he, when at last he understood
"hl' friend you had been, how exceeding
TO my poor orphans" she went on.
~ "a 10 ieI9r the sake Of him that is gone
declared you had acted noble part,
ana oppressed sincere repentance
But your cxamBIeE y9 Fx 81 TllL nov Vow
MIS- brown, snarls ElkaRah but somehow
. lie couldn't complete the sentence.
Your Christian example!'' the widow orie
Who wants proof of il, there it lies -
WIN glance OF pride at the great squas
And the goose superbIy basted.
The deacon was here at haIf-past one.
And al halfplst two the pr0Of had begun.
kh 1,e, goose was brought by the dcacons son,
Must do as the deacon and you had DONE"
. Yes, sir" says Jamie: and wasn't it finn
| " was ring, ring, ring! it was rum run, rum
such apples you never tasted n
- It came TO Us in our SOrest need"
me WIDOW resumed; " and all are agreed
Twas Il harvest of which you sowed the seed
You see your charity was, indeed
An example that wasn't wasted.
MY charityr' Elkanah groaned. "woII
we'll! "
g FsaS more ne Of blessing than can tell
| she choked Il little and wiped a tear
/ ~ or we have bCen drcadfully Door this wear
FdS u, na 4o h itf1a struggie to provide
raithiuliy, every day meant
o et 5lHe a INT, mite a to pay my rent;
As oIten as saturday night came round,
H"l spared when they were patched ant
Hardly enough for Sundays bread.
| Such constant WEAKNESS, want and care
Seemed often more than life could bear
| which an of n sudden seemed to lift
The burden which weighed me to the ground
| And all these other good friends came round,
And so in our joy and thankfuIncss,
| IL seemed TO me / could do no less
/ Ihan make feast she said with a smile
or oil p
] The hungry children clamored.
! And climbed the chairs, and .peeped at the
And oglcd the goose with wistful eyes.
lis a favor, said she, i should greatly
| Il you would sit by, and not despfse
me bounty which Heaven through you sup
Hem! waal! ye take me by surprise.
Don't know" the old man stammered
| She smlingly reached for his coat and hat
| Ana me goose was fragrant the goose was
! Il think you will stay" ''Wa'al, as to that.
don't dine out very often:
Fe ectlf iS n %t eNR Plain, never mind
| And if you insiSt-sence You air so kind"
He was rather surprised himself to find
Ills hcart beginning TO soften.
Don't care + I du.'' And down he sat.
The goose iCdS fragrant, the goose IrGS fat
The old man did the carving;
The sauce was diShed, the gravy DOurpd
ma .qI pIt T., all round that little board
M
The slightest mint of starving.
Not in all that drcary year
Had her cottage known such cheer.
WIN nope and her happy children near,
Even old ElCanah ceased to be
Greatly scan3ulzed to sec
Cheerful faces ana childish glCe
In the home Of the late lamcntcd
Natures ways are wise and kind:
Clouds pass, dawn breaks and ever behind
Each dark sea hollow swclls a wave:
ana fresh grass grows on the new-made
And softly over the broken henri
,,, ana It's sorrowful rccollcctions,
The leaves of another hope will start
Ana tender new affections.
The widow talked and told her mans.
What dutiful child was Nance!
Inc parson had got her boys Il chance
70 blow the organ the coming year:
so there Will bC twenty dollars pIpgr1
The girls will help me more and more:
i, II sew and often, as heretofore,
tarn bread for the morrow while they slccD
ana SO nave hopes that yet may keep
My little flock together
with Heaven so kind and friends so good
send them TO school and provide them food
ana sh'l'cr them from the weather.
But Oh, what change for them and me!
low di, l now 1t All would be,
HeEe' for some reason, quite broke down:
Ana even Cd Elkanah's sight grew weak;
1 on might nave observed in his withered
Some unaccustomed witches,
And M his voice, when he tried to speak,
Some very unusual bitches;
For, seeing how long she yet must strain
Her utmost energies. Just to gain
He had some tNinges of Shame and pain
And curious feeling / can't explain
AT the thought of his boarded riches.
Hem! wa'al, Mis- Brown it's a poorly tough
He made motion as if to place
His hand in his pocket, but drew it back
1- = n9ugn ! must say, you've got g knack!
No more, no, than<'ce ma'am! l hain't had
SIGH dinner this, don't know whenri
Your children are well, an CROWN;
Few years, your boys II be rich men
Mabhy they will, no KNOWN"
He merely pushed back his empty plate
Then tuggod at his watch SHa! is it 50 late
l'd no fdee ont, train %on't wait;
Guess I'll har ter be gOn'!'
" Must you, indeed! How the time has
The lonely old man had never known
SO grateful soul, Il look and tone
And while she handed his hat and coat,
Arranged the collar about Ills throat
Smoothcd the crcascs, and brushed his arm
He felt a strange. bcwilderfng charm '
The very touch of her hand shed such
Unconscious love and blessing!
e thought thore was something he came to
To exp aim" cries Jamie. All. yes! blythe
way"
Says Elkanah, slightly Hurried;
' A lcetlC miStAkC-but that nr rivbt1
The pan son, he didn't take in, not quite
My nun intent rcgardiu the rent;
Don hc the least mite worried
Bout that for sartiu another year
Bless me. b Eevc it's the train hear!
Good-day. And of he hurried
He seemed surrounded and pursued
by spirits of 10Y and ErautudeI
And he said to himself: ss I must copcludo
Although the OF parsOn wa MT very shreVd
Twas lucky mistake o his'n!"
And he felt some most surprising things
strange perturbatiOnS and hutterings
As of something within him spreading
wings
The angel within ucw-riscn!
. Tn beat if there amt the parson now,
WITH Eager stride and radiant brow
rho minister crossed a steep hy-street
Through ridges of snow lCg-deep. to greet
Lhc friend OF the widow and IathcrlCsS
Who grOwled to himself: Good thing !
EICSS.
Tor some Of the ratherlcsS folks we know.
ic and him didn't meet an hour ago
Good thing all round, shouldn't wondcr."
The parSon came painting up the hill,
lands out with a greeting of warm good
will:
III sni cS; screncly unconscious still
OF his most amazing bluuder.
soul as simple as rills that run ]
OyouS and clear in the summer SUM- I
lot one who had chosen his work but one
The Lord Himself had chosen:
child of faith, ana shepherd, indeed,
lot one of those whose formal creed
las the tnkitug sound aud the hollow look
u ice left over a saruukcn brook I
drunken away from the living day,
Leaving its surface frozen.
-nder the ieafess village elms
he parsOn wavlays and overwhclms
With more felCitatiOn
II the late cpistolary sort