The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-01-17
KEZIAH'S PRIDE.
A Romance Of New York in the
Time of the Revolution.

In the year 1910, when the country was
In the heat and turmoil of unique and ex-
citing canvass for the election of a Pres
ident, gentleman withdrew from business
in New York city to his farm in a quiet
nook in upper Westchester County. Po-
sessed not only of the tastes of q literateur
and antiquary, but of the means of graf
flying them, it was his delight to spend his
days in delving into the traditions with
which that country so richly abounds
Here the boisterous energy of the politicians
did not reach and the hustle of the world
seemed never to have penetrated
Among other tales OF older times that he
gathered was one that so greatly interested
him that he caused permanent and visible
remembrance of it to be set up. This was
a plain marble shaft, placed in the village
burylng ground, at the head of two mounds
that wind and rain and snow had almost
leveled to the natural contour of the EARTH
On 1t was inscribed these words:
Nathan-kCZiah
Separated in life.
United in death.
The story which was thus commemora-
Ted was written out by the gentleman as
follows:
On one sweet-scented Sunday morning in
June. IN the year 1774, Pastor Matthews
preached to the congregation assembled in
The old brick church on Salem Hill a SER
mon than which none of his was more ter
rIble. The patriarch knew his people well,
and 1t was his way when there were temp
eSts without TO urge upon his children the
graces and the comforts of religion but if
the sun shone and the air was waited into
the church then fragrant with poisoning
clover or the perfume of the flow
ers on the fruit trees, the awful truths
OF CALVIN were in arguments of fifthlies and
6lXthlles driven home with prodigious and
dramatic force.
On this day Pastor Matthews discoursed
on the slniulness of pride, and to such eff
fect that the farmers sat upright against
the straightforward pews, nor did one of
them sleep, while the matrons hushed the
children with bits of dried and aromatic
herbs, and with stern frowns, and pursuing
up of the lips that suggested the word
flush" 1t was observed that now and
then the eyes Of the preacher would rest
for some moments on a pew just beneath
The hlgh-perched pulpit, and that it was
Ghen In his most powerful tones, echoed
down from the massive sounding board,
that he would deliver awful warnings for
those who lived in pride.
So, before the sermon was finished the
congregation, casting about to find that one
to whom the sermon had special applica-
ton, and being somewhat instructed by the
glances from the pulpit, fixed upon the
young man who sat within this pew as the
sinner.
Yet the farmers could not feel that
Nathan Foster was without provocation for
his sin. They remembered his splendid
meadow land, that his cattle were many
and profitable, that none of them had fields
80 promising of rich harvests in the weeks
near at hand, and many of them had reason
to know that Nathan was ready to help a
neighbor who was in distress.
Nor could the matrons find it in their
hearts greatly to accuse him of such sin.
He was well favored; none Of the farmers
thereabout were so courteous and kind: he
did not patronize nor cause annoyance by
Condescending manners, and without fiat
terry, ne yet was used to pay those compli-
ments to each that pleased her most
Therefore, though the matrons know
Nathan to be man of pride, yet they were
disposed to feel annoyed at the preacher
for reminding them Oft, more than dis
pleasure with Nathan for yielding to such
Bnares of the evil one.
AS for the maids, Nathan had offended
none of them, for he had been most cautious
and impartial in such attentions as hand
some fellow of twenty-five or six is bound
to show to maidens of his neighborhood.
so they, too, were indignant, more or less
according to the nature of each of them, at
the pastor, and they coquetted with their
thoughts as they cast furtive glances at this
young man, who sat so straight, with up
lifted eyes on the pulpit,
No wonder was il that he found favor in
their eyes. He had a forehead smooth and
white as a child's. His checks, smooth
shaven, were ruddy brown, and the con-
tour Of his face was as sharply defined as
though cut by the keenest chisel. His Jet
black hair was gathered, after the manner
of that day, into a queue. SO tell was he
that his buff waistcoab was visible over the
pew-top, and everybody knew that. his
sinewy legs were encased in black silk
knee breeches, with polished buttons at the
knees, and that he wore black silk stockings
and silver buckles on his shoes.
Nathan, if he was conscious of the fur
tive glances that were sent his way,
seemed not so to be. He was, in fact, like
men Of keen intellect, holding silent dispu-
tation with the minister He had not the
slightest suspicion that he was the chief
sinner among Them. His thought was that
in all that gloomy church thcre was no one
who dwclt more in pride and was less con-
sciOus OF il than the preacher himself.
There came to NothGns car a cry as of
cattle in distress, and he turned toward the
window that he might look beyond. But
his glance did not stray so far. He en-
countcred that which stayed further wan
dering Of his cyes-the dark and handsome
eyes Of Mistress kc2iah Hustled. This
maid sat with her father in one Of the
square boxes which the architects Of that
Gay placed at the extremity OF churches,
and from which profile view of
the preacher was obtained. 1T was