The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-06-20

IL.
The Sabbath. with its peculiar hush
and peace, had dawned upon the Pu-
ritan village, wherein every man and
beast had laid asid all work; and now
the sun was dropping low in the west,
and faint purple shadows were spread
ing their filmy mantles over the eastern
hills. Deiverance Southwicke came
lightly across the fields, with her Bible
in her hands. She hummed a good old
hymn tune softly as she walked, and
now and then stopped to draw a long
deep breath of the fragrant air. She
had come from a gathering Of the
Friends, and her thoughts were busy
with the subject of the meeting. She
coming to a low stone wall. she sat down
and opened her Bible to the theme in
the af ernoon service.
1t was that beautiful passage in Isaiah
beginning, "All we like sheep have gone
astray." This one clause she read, and
then, with one finger marking the place,
sat gazing off into infinite distance. She
was in one of those rarely happy moods
which come only on an autumn after
noon, when everything is hushed for the
very fulIness of It's content, when the
year has reached that rounded perfec-
ton which is rbinger of its swift de.
cline. Some sheep were feeding near
by, and Deliverance watched them in a
tender reverted thought which like an
undertone, ran the words, "All we like
sheep have gone astray."
There was sudden fuUts'ep IN the
grass, and the silly sheep scurried away
across the field like summer cloud.
Deliverance looked up and saw Christie
pber Burden before her.
"What is it that 30 fixes your
thoughts !" he asked, throwing himself
down at her feet. She pointed silently
to the sacred text, and following the in
dex of her finger, he read aloud, "All
we like sheep have gone astray."
There was deep silence for several
moments. Then Christopher said low
voice
"Some who wander long come safely
to the fold AT last
1t was rather the tone than his words
that made the gill look at him with a
sudden and breathles, intentness, Then
she laid small, trembling hand on his
arm.
"Is it true Christopher" she said.
Yea, verify" said he, adopting her
fashion of speech; ".he Lord has discov-
cred my error to me, Deliverance. |
have thought long and with great heavi-
ness, but now / see the light. Verify
II ou and thy people have the words of
eternal life. As for these churchmen,
their zeal hath made them forget the
vital part of their religion. The form
and outward show they have indeed pre-
served, but Of the spirit of the Saviour |
am fain 10 confess they have very little.
Henceforth my lot is cast with the de-
spised Quakers. That shall be perse-
Gu ed full well believe, but the fact
that this is 30 is the best defense that
can offer for having left the creed Of my
prosecutors"
Deliverance's eyes were full 0f happy
tears. The pallor which had come into
her face at the young mans first words
suddenly gave place to burning car
mine. The hand on Christophers sleeve
trembled visibly. He covered It with
his own big palm, and said softly:
There is no stumbling block now,
Deliverance, between thee and me-"
He held out his arms and she crept
shyly into them and LAID her head on
his strong young shoulder. They were
all alone, save for the silly sheep which
had drawn nearer and nearer as they
grszad, until their low champing could
be heard. They sat so, drinking IN that
pure bliss which comes but once in a
| lifetime, until the sun had left them
with parting benediction Of glory, and
the sheep had wandered beyond the slope
of the meadow.