Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-08-27
THE HOLY MAN.

ppOr one year, when the o-Ang-iio hah
broken over It, banks and had swept all
the rice and millet CROPS down toward
the sea lie had been very rich. and his
bcnefactions had saved many hundreds
Of pcople frOm starvation. but when
they blessed him and would have given
him hack his great possessions after one
OF two prosperous seasons, he would
not
"L.t H.. my children" he said. My
forefathers made me rich. and ] have no
.on 10 leave riches 10. Be you all my
sons and enjoy your heritage now"
80 he dwclt In little house he had
buildcd with his own hands on the
mountain side. and ate of the millet
which he grew on a little patch of
ground he had CLEARED, and wanted
nothing.
And lscause hewas wise he healed the
people when they were sick. and prayed
for them when they died. and taught
them many proverbs from the writings
of the poets. for his looks only hc had
not sold. And ~ they would have wcr.
shiIsd him. bat be forbade them. saying
Il ann man also. Pray not 10 Ine till !
am dead. for then !, may lo that ! can
hear and can help you.
Meantime be prayed always. 81 his
forciaihers and 10 Buddl,a. And he
buildcd him a little prayer wheel Tor
himself and sci u In the brook that ran
down the mountain sidc. - that night
and day his prayers were always rising
10 Buddha for his soul nut ho builded
n greater wheel for bis ncightors. and sct
IL where there was more water. Tor be
s.idi Il am pnly one. and they are
many"
And every year he made long pil.
gfimagc 20 the hanks ~ the great river
that mono can stc across bccau.c there
are misls and clouds and always the
farther hank u v,ilc'l In darkness where
Buddhs. and the pious dead who are
CHESTS. live forever And be- pnycl
always for the traimcn tO come to him
and ferry him acr,sss the grcat river
where ~ many wetc crossing every day:
bat be- came not
Yen Tsscc was very sad every year
When the luatman came not. and be-
went hack to his ht,lc hou-c on the
mountain side with heavy heart. bui
the I.oplc rvjoiccd when be returned.
for they loved him And be- would soc
that they wcrc glad and hc would forge,
his souoN. until the winter would come
again. when be- could not work In the
field nor visit the sick. and the days
we're dark. aud the nights long Then
he prayc,l. saying "ilvaus. | ana very
oil aud INV arms and my Les. arc weak.
and b-causc have no moro Joy In my
holy. l would cross the great river"
and again be- would make thc pilgrim.
agr and watch and wait for tho boat.
man. hut be- came not
Hut ~ last thcw came n winter when
IL was nine times colder than he had ever
known. and when the snow vas very
dep And be could no, 80 to his neigh.
l.nrs when they were sick. AMI thcy
could not come to him. for they wcrc
sick. and be- was oil and very feeble
And be- went agnin to the rivcr.
The way was lous. and his por. thin
lce. bcnt under him ~ be- toiled through
the snow and Ice. aud his heart failed
him bcau.e hc was sick with the cold
bat be- went on till b. came 90 the river.
and the loatman was thcrc. and the bat
was thvrr.
Then zen Tszoc said' Are you come
to take mc acrSs the rivery'
And the boainan. Who was old and
bent. aud who wore thick veil. said.
"Ycs. II you are rvady.
And Zen T-co said. II am ready
zen Ts1cc Was very glad. and be drew
near to the boai to step In thu, he might
cruss the river. but when be- came near.
be- stopped and shnnk back. Cor there
was NJ bottom to the boat. and there was
nothing but water Tor him to step on.
and the water Nas very black and colder
than ice. llc shuddcrcl. aud said n
am very cold and am ton old and weak.
cannot 40 In the water"
Then the Loatnan said, III YOU have
faith. the water will bc a. the bottom %
the boat. and you shall 80 across the
river. but N you have not faith Il will
not hold YOU up"
Then Yen Ts1ec said. II have faith.
and he stepped into the boat. aud TO- the
water bore him up even the same a. the
wooden bottom of n boat.
Then the boatman pushed oil from the
shore. and zen Tszee was very much
afraid. for thc river was yer ,wift and
the boat was old and rotten. and the va.
ter SEEMED 20 rise up on either side; and
he thought the boat and the boalman
and be would all sink. And he prayed
Ia Buddha.
The toatman rowcd hard and sIake
never word: bat he pulled up the
stream. and not straight across, and the
harder he pulled the slower the boat
went. for the water ragged terribly. Then
they floaied away from the shore. sothai
Yen Tszee could neither see bchind nor
before him. because the mist that IL al
WAYS over the river was very thick.
While they were In the middle of the
river zen Tsrce saw a man swimming
In the icy water. and he was almost
spent. 20 that he could swim no more
and was near sinking; and Yen Tszee
called 60 tl,e hoatman To stop ~ that
they should save the man. But the
boatnan said; "No. We cannot stop 20
save him, because II We do you cannot
20 across the river. for ! cannot carry
two across"
Then Yen Tszee wept sorely. for he
longed TO 20 across: but he said II can.
not see this man perish. We must help
him. Stop and will pull him into the
boat
And the boatman stopped and Yen
Tszee pulled the drowning man into the
boat. and when he locke, at his face he
saw that II was his own body that hc had
rescued. And he wondered greatly and
looked up at the boatman. and lol the
boatmans veil fell OF and Yen Tsree
saw that he was not old and bent, but
that he was beautiful angel.
Then the clouds and mist rolled away,
and they came TO the other side. where
Yen Tsree saw Buddha and many angela
And he dwelt there.-Fales-Curtis In
New York independent
wsntsd to Know About crops.
Genuine sympathy Is balm that heals
many wounds. but II Is a question u n