Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-08-09
BUTLER, PA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 9. 1873!

turned over and give me soch look;why it
struck right in, There was my wife that
had worked for an waited on NE twenty
odd year most scarf because spoke kind
of ieelin' To her. I went out and fetched
iu the pail o water she'd always draw her
self. and then | MIXED the COW. When |
came in Philury was up fryin' the potatoes,
and the tears a-shinin' on her white face.
She didn't say nothin', she's kinder still;
but she hadn't no need to. felt q leetlc
meaner'n I did the day before. But 'twan't
nothin' to my condition when l was goin.
toward night. down the sullur stairs for
some apples. SOS the children could have
roast and / heerd Joe up in the kitchen
say to Emmy, 4 do blieve, En-, pas goin'
to die. Why, Josiah EmmonS how you
talkr'-'Well, do, he's so everastin
pleasant an good -natered I can't but think
she struck with death tell We, breth-
ren. set right down on them Suller stairs
and cried. | did, reely. Seemed as though
the Lord had looked at me jest as he did at
L tAt. W ny tntlt W dN III wv II NIli4u4tlA
never see me act real fatherly and prettily
in all their lives. I'd growled and Scolded
and prayed at em, and tried to fetch 'em
up-iust as the twig is bent the trees in
clined, yc know - but | hadn't never
thought that they'd got right and reason to
expect I'd do my part as well as they
therein. Seemed as though | was fndin'
out more about Josiah Emmon's Shortcom-
ms than was real agreeable.
Come around Friday got back to the
store. I'd kind o left it to the boys the
early part of the week, and things was
little cuterin, but | did have sense not to
tear round and use sharp words so much
as common. | began to think twas get
tin easy to practice after five days, when
in come Judge Herrick's wife after some
curt calico. | had handsome piece all
done off with roses and things, but there
was fault in the weavin'-every now and
then thin streak. She didn't notice it,
but she was pleased with the figures ont,
and said she'd take the whole piece. Well,
just as | wrappin' of it up, what Mr.. Parkes
here said about tryin' to act Just as the
Lord would in om place came acrost me.
Why, | turned as red as beet, | know |
did. 1t made me all of tremble. There
was /, door Keeper in the tents of my
God, as David SAYS, really cheatin', and
cheatin' woman. | tell We, brethren,
was all Of a sweat Miss Herrick,' says l.
Il l.f1;v-o vn,,',, Innl..l ,ao1 aln OF
this good, 'taint thorough wove.' says |.
So she didn't take it; but what fetched me
was to think how many times I'd done
such mean, unreliable little things to turn
penny, and all The time sayin' and pray
that | wanted to be like Christ. | KEEP a
trippin of myself up all lay jest in the or
dinary business, and | was peg lower down
| when night come than | was a Thursday.
I'd ruther, as far as the hard work is con
cerned, lay mile of four-foot stone wall
than undertake to do mans livin' Chris
| tian duty for twelve workin' hours: and
the heft of that is, it's because amt used
to it and | ought to be.
so this mornin' come around, and felt
/ IL lllIIt ulOIC WAS lDlsSlOldIl
mornin', and seemed as it twas a sight
easier to preach than to practice. | thought
! I'd begin to old Mis- Vedder's. So put
Testament in my pocket and knocked to
her door Says |, Good mornin', ma'am,
and then | stopped. Words seemed to hang,
somehow. | didn't want to pop right out
that I'd come over to try'n convert her
folks. hemmed and swallowed little,
and fin'lly said, says |, we don't see
you to meetin' very frequent, Mis- vedder."
d" NO you don't!' says she, as quick as a
wink, 4 stay at home and mind my bust
ness
We'll, we should like to have you come
along with us and do We good says l, sort
of conciliatin'.
'LOok here, deacon~ she snapped, I've
lived along side of you fifteen years, an you
knowed | never went to meetin'; we amt
pious lot and you knowed it; we're poor'n
death and uglier than sin. Jim he drinks
and swcars, and Malviny dono her letters.
She knows heap she hadn't ought to, be-
sides. Now what are you a comm here
to-day for, I'd like to know, and talkin' so
glib about meetin2 Go to meetin'! I'll 20
and come jest as | darn please, for all you.
Now get out o this" Why, she came at
me with broomstick. There wasn't no
need ont; what she said was enough. |
hadn't never asked her or hern to so much
as think of goodness before. Then ! went
to another place Jest like that wouldn't
call any more names-and sure enough
there was ten children in rags, the hull of
'em, and the man half drunk. He give it
to me, too; and don't wonder. I'd never
lifted hand to serve nor save 'em before
in all these years. I'd said considerable
about the heather in foreign parts, and
give some little to convert 'em, and | had
looked right over the heads of them that
was next door. Seemed as if | could hear
Him say. These ought'ye to have done,
and not left the other undone.' | couldn't
face another soul to-day, brethren. ] come
home and here be. I've been searched
through and through and found wantin'.
God be merciful to me sinner"
lie dropped INTO his seat ana bowed ms
head; and many another bent also. 1t was
plain that the deacon's experience was not
the only one among the brethren. Mr..
Payson rose and prayed as he had never
prayed before. The week of practice had
fired his heart, too And it began a mem
orable year for the church in Sugar Hol-
low. Not a year Of excitement or enthusi-
aSm, but one when they heard the Lord say
ing, as to Israel of old, go forward" and
they obeyed His voice The Sunday school
flourish ed, the church services We're fully
attended, every good thing was helped on
its way, and peace reigned in their homes
and hearts-imperfect perhaps, as new
growths are, but still an offshoot of the
peace past understanding.
And another year they will keep anoth-
er week of practice, by common consent
Rose Terry Cooke.
A Good Man Panied.
1t was on the San Jose train, and two