Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-11-30
From tho American REPUBLICAN,.
THE PARSONS VACATION.
BY LOUIS HIsENBEIs.

The old man wont 10 u set,n', for the day
was bright and fair
III ugh his limos vera We totterin'. and
twas hard to travel thsfe;
bus ne hongered for the gotpe, 50 he trudged
tue weArS way,
On the road so rough and dusty, meath the
tuG mer's burning rsy.
BY and by he reached the buildin', to his
soul @ holy plice,
And he pausod. and wiped the sveat.drops,
oil hts thin and wrink eli fac;
Bat he lookcd around Devil tered for the old
bell didn't toll,
And tho doors were all unopened, and he
didn't ses soul.
So he leaned upon his crutches, AID ne said
What does 1t mean2
And he looked this way and that, iii 1t
seemed almos q dream.
He had walked the dusty highway, land he
Dreamed a hoAsy sigD),
Just To 90 once mo . 10 M sstln' ere the sum-
mems came to die
hut, no cav little notice, tackled up. n the
neetin' do r,
So he limpea along to read It, and he read it
Then he wiped his dusty glasses, and he
read 1t DER again,
'1ill his knees began TO tremDle, and his eyes
began TO p.in.
As the old man read the notice, how 1t made
mis- spirit burn
"Past9T absent ON vacation. church is closed
I'LL his ieturn.'-
Then no staggered slowly backv ard, and he
sat him aown TO tnink,
For Ifs soul Wa n stirred within him, till he
thought hi scat would siak.
50 he mused about end wondered, to him.
| self soItitquiseu,
81 have lived 10 almost 50, and was never 90
surprised:
As read mat oldest not .cs, stickin' on the
| mcotin' door"
Pastor Oh on a vacation" nsver heard the
AXE before.
When trst lined the meetin', very many
years aFO
Preachers travelled on the circuit la the ca
| and through lne snow;
| IL they got ihoir oi0thes and vittals, (t'wai
Bat ,iltle cash tnoy got),
Ihey said not1in 'Duut vacation, but wer,
nappy in thsir lot.
Would the farmer leave his CATTLE or tn,
shepherd leave his sheep?
Who would give them care and shelter, o.
II provide them food TO cat?
80 IL strikes me very singular, when nal
Of holy hands
i'rhtEka he needs to have vacation and for
| sakes tie tender lambs.
Did ST. Peul git such C nc ton; did wesle.
| or Kn0A2
DID they IN me heat OF sum ner, turn ava,
their hungry iUcgs?
Did they smut .h5ir NEE in houses. Just !,
go and lounge about?
| Why they knew that II Lhoy did, Satan cer
fanny would shout.
do the tayerns saul tleir bar.rooms Just t.
kit ait re rest?
Why, 'twJuld be the height OF nonsense, 10
.neir lrade would bo distressed.
Did yCu ey.r xno" ~ happen, Or hear any
body tell,
Satan ,akini a vacation. and close up tn
gates VI heil2
Il
And s1a1 preachers OF the gospel, pac
their trunks anu go awsy,
| Lsavin' saints and dyin' Sinners git alon,
/ AS besi they may?
arc the souls VI SAINTS and sinners, value
| les, than stliin' DeeI?
UE do pre- achers tiro quaker, than the res
vi mOrtais ero2
Why 1t is i cannot answer, but my .eelir
they are stirred;
Here iva dragged my totterin' footstess, 70
TO hear The gospel word;
But the preacher 10 q travellin', and tn
meetin' house Is closed;
declare, it's very tryin', hard, indeed, I
Il keep G. mpose.?
Tell me! whom tread the valley, and 20
the shinin' height,
Will hear no Angels singing, will l SEQ n
81 CLEAN 'ng lignlr
VIII the golden hsrps be Hen will me,
no welcome there?
Why the thought Is most distr actin ,'twoul
II DO more than could bear.
Tell mel whom l reach the City, ovsr on tt
golden shore,
: WIN hnd a little notice, task sd upon II
VIII 1 read mid dreadful silence, writ
words that Cut aod burn,
I, Jesus aosent on vacation, Z eaven close
TIL his return?"