The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-06-24
JOSIAH REDBusH.
ny "a COUNTRY raKsos."

tics, aud be never suspected himself ihs
heIwAs not pattern member Of the soci'
iy. He had been brought up In har
school. thai New England university Q
aarersisy which had graduated such ssu'
iy scholars. His mother. early left
widow with large family, be Vas ''boun'
OUT at . years Of age, and had the usus
experience. perhaps. Of his class; at least
Il wS severe snough--it toushened hi
fiber, and be early learned What hsrt
thing Is life to tho poor,
A New England town ten miles from th'
railroad, entirely rural in its surroundings
has not many suggestions TO Hre the sm
b,tions Of poor boy engaged in the dul
round Of tho farm. David Lawton. Jo-
siah's employer. vas good farmer. HI
mixed bis soil with bis brains. and the 70
suit was surprise to his neighbors With
his Yankee faculty be joined keen saga
city that vas ready to improve every hin,
Of modern suggestion. Agricultural
chemistry became more than theory q
him. and while his neighbors turned up
their noses at "book farming" he har-
vested double their crops, and smiled d
their ignorance.
Thus Josiah had . chance to learn
something every day. Most boys would
never have cared, but Redbush secretly
determined TO know as much about farm.
ing ~ David Lswton, and what little be
said Was questioning as to the why and
wherefore Of every process Of farm life.
He had slow mind. His mother had
thought him trife dull. He certainly
was not quickwitted. bat when he saw
through subject, no boy Of his age could
surpass him in resource or ability.
Thus. although Josiah started in life
hampered by circum stances for "bound
boy" must exercise many self denials, =
yet at 81 he was we'll able to grapple with
life as any boy Of his region. He had
been at it for years, and he had got the
under holt more than once.
At the time Of our sketch. Josiah was 40
years old; 10 years had made him rich
man, the richest in oil that region. He
was strictly honest. as he understood hon.
esty. always did as he agreed, but Was
particularly careful how he accepted Of
terms. usual debating them himself; his
terms we're always profitable to himself;
those dealing with him must look out for
themselves. People said Josiah Redbush
was hard man; that he always had his
pound OF flesh, il IL was 10 the bond. He
never went to church: ho was not relig-
ious; he laid up his treasures here. where
they paid good interest. as be believed; !;
be pulled down his barns and built great.
er, not once thinking that his soul would
be required Of him some day. He paid .
little toward the ministers salary, and
thought his duty done; he was moral
man.
Yet Josiah Redbush was heathen; the
gospel Of gracious living be knew nothing
about; his name was good for hundred
thousand at any bank; he carried weight
with him into business circles. he was
sharp, sagacious, keen; his calculations
lad concerned but one world; he had new
n lent to the lord by giving to the poor.
It came about that among Josiah Red
,ush's debtors was poor widow. poor
rom the fact that she had lost . most er-
,ellent husband. but having 6ne farm,
Josiah held the mortgage; he had looked
nth envious eyes on the goodly acres for
>years; indeed. be had proffsred mon
n> Hanson ..ss sick. with the hope
when =. se Nigh. odd the valuable
! some :. seolc Of home 'Saa' w.
'p "a = . .;m,,., Wy. His offer :
!. :. .....sa = .',.A no expectation that
\ ,.h 1,s wop,S ,e.u,n m .na the scIsil, might
met. But alasl death ca. 'e' sna Aiice 9
nson fonnd herself at the / 's''y u > d
b landholder.
,ut there was one element in this NOD v
that even Josiah had not regaru 10 u
b his sharp vision, the Divine. There q
God in Heavenl Alice Hanson was
qusinted" with him. She knew there !.
mercy with him; and often she cried =,
deliverance. asking that He who turn II
the heart Of man, as the rivers Of wa ~
are turned. would move the heart OF an 4.
urate soul.
me summer evening in the early bar.
/. Josiah was vending his way toward -
70 Hauson's home he had been think q,
OF bis past life; how be left his moth
roof At 0 years OF ago 10 battle with r.,
. and the success be bad; the hard
~ he received. and the lessons be 6ad -
Iht fate. His heart swelled with pride n.
is bank account, his real estate. his ~
renee we're presented TO his mind. But ~
srrand tonight did not please him al I.
ther. The widows face - he last saw u,
Iuntsd him. and her words Josiah \
bush your mother WAS widow; have
no mercy on rs who are like her. -.
OF" He remembered il tonight. End NJ
'ished the business settled. The farm :,
Just What be wanted: be had Gus
n for 1t; he could make number OF sio
sands on tho operation. .s;,
be approached the house having fss. I
4 bis horse to the post beyond the Ne
. psssing up the trinity kept II
|. he heard avoics: and ~ be listened .ra
card the words Of prayer. II was . lss
time since be he'd heard any one !,
away back in his boy hood. bis moth !
lnd shs . widow had taken him 80,
che other children 10 the bedroom. -,
n be Isit home, and prayed. II was 49,,
lge. but be remembered some Of the ~,