Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-09-25


suitable or unbecoming in her giving il
Before, however, he had time to collect
his thought or explain to himself what he
really felt about it all, the door was open.
ed by stout, comfortable. respectable
servant, who seemed rather astonished ut
his appearance. Il have been summoned
to dying bed" he said; pray take me
at once to the room"
The woman looked perplexed and an
>wered There amt no dying beds here,
nor hasn't been this long time. Thanks be
10 heaven. were all we'll in this house,
sir
" here must he some mistake" replied
FIR. Warren, for was conducted here
by lady who fetched me herself to the
very door, and was in much anxiety and
haste.
There's no lady got no right to fetch
any one here. and mistake there surely is"
said the woman, rather testify; but. look
ing al the priest, and recognizing his holy
character, she went on But YOU had bet
ter come in and explain it to the young
master-for sure am he wouldn't like a
/ bcggar turned from the door on a cruel
| night ike this. let alone a holy man like
you, as is well known TO the poor and
needy So saying, she led the priest into
| most comfortable room, where was seat
-,
for his dinner, preparation, for which
were pn the table before him.
This reverend gentleman have been led
astray, sir, by some inviting lady. and
! brought out Of u ONE, where better he
would have been on a night like this, a.
| rampaging the streets TO come To a uu>e
| where dying beds there is none, and moth
| ing but health and comfort, the Lord be
/ praised. But | knew YOU would not
wish him seat away, sir. for the sake OF
| her as Is gone, and perhaps you can put
him in the way 20 find the right 'ou>e."
The Young man smiled, evidently wei
accustomed to the ways Of his faithful old
servant, and, rising courteou-ly, led Faith
er Warren TO a seat by the blazing fire
why YOU are wet through and through"
/ he said. 'At least let me take on vour
| cloak. and rest a little, while You tell me
/ how | came to the honor of this visit"
The father could not withstand the re-
/ NAL greeting, and. sitting down told the
4 Young man how he came there As he
1 tried 10 do this. however, he found him
self quite at loss 70 explain the impress
| sion the lady had made on him and how
powerc>s he felt "a resist her importantly,
4 or even 10 question her as 10 where She
was leading him
His host was gricycd and concerned at
the useless fatigue and exposure he had
gone through aud said II fear YOU have.
IN Your ready ~elt-~acrilcc, given way too
easily to some charitable lady, more zeal
ou- than judlcioue who In her desire 20
do much. has. tong -ht n least. done too
much, and mad" mistake in an addrr>, /
winch We can neither Of us now rectify /.
fr W arrcn shoes his head sadly. for he I
felt how completely he had failed to rcur.. .
sent truly his calm and dgniiicd visitor /
and he sighed As he thought how after all (
her mission had failed.
Il shall not let Won 90 out again till YOU /
arc thoroughly warmed and fed. p" said the
Young man and Won must just console
Yourself hy the thought OF the kiudne-.
Hnn are doing in sharing my lonely dinner .
and IN giving me the pleasure of Your com
psny on >t'o h n dismal night As this
The woru-out, hungry man yielded To
the cotdlality and heartine-s of the bright .
youths manner and soon they were talking
together a. though they We're old friends
They seemed drawn toward each Other in
some mysterious way. aud their hearts
were opened and they spoke n neither had
dom tor years.
II once belonged to Your Church" snid
the host in rather sad rcgretfal tones;
but belong 10 no Church now. Since
my dear mother died, nothing seems pf
real interest. and feel that If she were
indeed living ID any state, she would find
some way to communicate with me. for :
heaven it>.lf Cnnld BRING no ioy 10 her ( .
were shut outside And, indeed it j.
much the sam" with me-. for have tried
every kind of life TO forget my loneliness
but everything becomes dreariucss without
her, and | have found no one tn Ill her
place"
Nay, not 50 dear boy" said Fr War
ren very gently, you have not tried
everything faith and patience and
perfect submission, with forgettiines~ of
self. the only thing that can bring you
peace and content"
II do not want p"ace, replied 'he boy
for he wa, little more in his impetuous.
loving heart-''l want happiness, | want
my mother. | wsnt my old full life back /
again. 1t cannot be true that she is living
anywhere. in any condition, and has for |
gotten her only child. her boy. her com
panion and her friend. Nv father died
suddenly Of heart-diSea-e before | was
born, and my mother and ! were AL in all 7
to each other: we had not a thought apart .
No Shc j. dead indeed gone forever I
Dust and ashes aud the sooner am the /
same the sooner viii the aching OF nv
heart be stopped. and useless life be
over!
Fr. Warren WAS deeply moved bv the |
passionate outcry and evident sincerity OF |
the lads grief His mother had been dead |
for three wears, aud he had not allowed /
anything to he touched or altered in the /
old house. He could not bear any change I
in her arrangements, and her books and |
work lay about as if She were still a living |
presence there.
As they talked together it became eyi- |
dent that the young man had drifted into |
disbelief of all kinds, and was tossed |
about on that dreary sea, forlorn and hope 1
less.
Il would not become me To try and re-
peat the powerful arguments and loving /
peadings used by the faithful servant OF
his Master to win back this lost soul.
The life of the priest was well known to /
the lad, and he remembered in what terms /
his mother had always spoken of him;
how she had told of rank and wealth put !
aside by him that he might the better
bring comfort and hope to the poor neglect |
ed people among whom he lived and his |
heart burned within him as the holy man |
pleaded with him more and more strongly |
to return to the fold he had left, but where
his place was always kept resdy for him.
Come back, come back" he said, ito
| the faith and the Church which made your
mother what she was-what she is. II is
| you who, by unbelief and waywardness
| have raised the barrier between YOU. 1t is
| you who have closed the door so that her
/ holy angel cannot come to you. Return to
| the Church of God. Confess your sins
| and receive absolution, remembering that
there is more JOY in heaven over one sin
ner that repenteth than over ninety and
nine just men that need no repentance.
Open your ears and your heart now. so
that, through my poor lips, you may hear
your angel mother pleading with you for
your souls salvation-for another triumph
for the blessed's Saviours cross.
| know not what further words he used,
nor dare venture to describe the feelings
of the youth as he listened but after awhile
his better nature conquered entirely, and
kneeling before the priest he cried RE
ceive me back again, | pray you, and bless
me. even me, also. oh, my Father.''
FIR Warren, however, replied thought
fully; Il think 1t wiser and better, my
son, that you should take this step when
you are calmer and have fully considered
it with PRAYER, for surely a second back
sliding would be far more grievous than
first. | will leave you and return again
tomorrow.
Now, beseech you, dear Father, do
not leave me so, unabsolved; but if in your
| wisdom you think it well that should re-
feet further alone, then go into my library