News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-02-14

| He is Convinced of His WrOng-DOing and
Arrives in Time TO Make ReparatiOn.
The choir of the -- Street Church
gave a service of song on New Years
eve.
They began it with that beautiful and
comfortable prayer of the ages, whose
brief and simple petitions embody the
needs of all souls, "Our Father, who art
in Heaven"
They chanted it in a tender minor
key, each word distinctly articulated,
and falling like the dew of Heaven into
The hearts bowed there. At a certain
place in the melodious recitative, they
repeated
observation-disclosures
we forgive those who trespass-a against
u.s."
A man sat in prominent place there,
on whose silvered head the soft-blended
light from the stained glass of the chan
eel windows fell like rays of glory. As
the choir, in that sweet, soft monotone
of harmony, repeated the petition of the
prayer this mans proud head sank lower
and lower, until it touched his breast in
an abasement of anguish or humiliation,
for to him each simple word was an
arrow of conviction.
"Forgive-us - our - trespasses as
we forgive those who trespass-against
u.s." He called himself Christian, yet
at that very moment his own flesh and
blood was perishing for want of help,
which he could give. He called himself
a Christian, and gave literally to the
cause Of Christ, but here he failed to do
one of His first commands. He had
spurned from his door in this time of
peace and reconciliation his only child,
who few years ago had left him to
marry the man of her choice. He had
closed his door and his heart against
her, and when she humbled a pride as
strong and rebellious as his own, which
indeed she had inherited from him, with
her hair and eye, and begged for help
for her dying child, he had spurned her
from him with these cruel words:
$50 you have made your bed-now
lie in itp
He had said to himself that he was
right; he had recalled high-sounding ex-
amples to aid him-had written on the
fy-leaves of the books she had left:
''How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
To have thankless child I'
Poor Nellie as if she had not suffered,
tool
And now all other thoughts-all vim
dictive resolves-were overwhelmed in
that softly surging sea of melody.
us-our-trespasse
we - forgive - those-who oZ trespnas.
against-us y
1t was New Years eve. In squalid
part of great city, in the most miser-
able room of a most miserable tenement
house, lay little dying child. Its
white and wasted face shone among the
few dark rags of poverty, like the even
ing stars, and the dark eyes, soon to
close on earthly trouble, were fever
bright in the rays of the Pickering
candle. A woman, young, pallid, dis
hevelled, with sort of reckless resolve
dawning in her set face, knelt by the
baby sufferer, and now and then wet the
parched lips with all the nourishment
they had tasted for many hours, a drop
of cold water.
Mamma Mamma p rang out the
little voice strong and shrill with pain,
81 tan't see 'ou.''
''I'm right here, darling; no one shall
separate u.s.. With fierce shiver the
woman added "Not even IN death !'
A peal of bells rang out, it was mid
night. All the good church people were
getting up from their, knees, shaking
hands and wishing each other happy
New Year
''Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
Mamma p cried the little quivering
voice of the child, 81 amt to say my
payers befo' I die"
The mother took the waxen hand in
hers, and knelt by the miserable bed,
and soon the two voices blended in their
nightly recital of the loved petition.
They neither of them noticed when the
door opened, and they had reached the
clause, 'forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us"
when a loud firm voice responded,
"Amen /" and Nellie rose and was
clasped in her fathers arms.
I hope the - Street Church choir
will chant that prayer this New Years
eve. Indeed, I have good reason for
knowing that they have been privately
advised that it will be expected of them.
For Nellie and her father and that sweet
child will be there, the happiest trio in
the city, and when the wild bells ''ring
out the old, ring IN the new," they will
be on their knees, hand clasped in hand,
to welcome in their new year of peice,
forgiveness and prosperity, but above
all to join with thankful hearts in silent
response to that pathetic and remem-
bered petition to both
"For-give-us-our trespasses-as-
we-forgive those who trespass--
against u.s. M. QUAD.
An Independent Wife.