Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-21
SELECTED STORIES.
JOHNS FAITH.

He was stonemason by trade, tall and
dark, broad shouldered and lean, with a
dark, handsome face. but In looking at him
you particularly noticed his great, lustrous
blue eyes, and II you should speak of him
you would be sure to mention their wonder
full brightness. About quarter Of cen-
tury ago Rev. Mr.. Hazlem was holding his
evangelistic meetings In Cornwall, and the
description of the fervor and excitement of
them reads like romance, but all night
prayer meetings are a very usual thing
among the most earnest and excitable peo-
pie. John Tibbett, after his conversion,
was wonderful hand to pray (as they
called IL there) His words came like fire;
they blazed and burned into the very soul;
they would simply electrify you; they CON-
PEELED you to listen whether you would or
not
One October he undertook some work at
distance from his home and went to
board with a Mrs. Brown, who kept fine
house and was Of distant kin to him. Early
In the morning, shortly after Mr.. Tibbett's
arrival. Mrs. Brown was In her dining
room putting some finishing touches to her
pretty breakfast table-and lovely clean,
bright room 1t looked, with its large bay
window and its flowers and birds, open fire,
and last, but not least the breakfast table
with snowy damask and cleaning silver
and beautiful old china
Mrs. Brown took q pride in her home
and had inherited many things from her
mother, who kept the house before her.
AS she moved about her work the door
opened with bang and In rushed Mr.. Tib-
bett with huge carving knife In his hand
and his eyes cleaning even brighter than
usual. MRS Brown" be said, Father Che
always called God Father) has vouchsafed
me vision. Father tells me that you have
always been good servant Of his and that
he would have you with him, SO he has
chosen me as the instrument Of his divine
will. i am to cut your throat with this
knife and let your pure spirit free to go to
Eathevu
Mrs Brown looked up at the towering
form of her kinsman and could see the
blaze of insanity In his eyes Then she
calmly smiled, as she quietly faced death,
and said: IF your heavenly Father has
given you this work to do, you must do it,
and must submit to my fate, but we had
better think Of the best way Of doing 1t.
You were always counted q neat workman.
Look around at this pretty, bright clean
room. Would it not be q pity to spoil 1t
with my gorei have thought Of good
plan. Do you go up to your room and get
your basin to catch the blood in, and can
lay my head over II, and you oan do your
work neatly, and also It will give me time
to prepare to meet my Heavenly Father"
"Why. Mrs Brown" said Mr.. Tibbett,
"what good plant never thought of
that. 1t would be pity to spoil this love
ly room, now I think OF It, Do you wait
here, and will make all haste to do your
bidding"
It is needless to say when Mr.. Tibbett re-
turned he did not find his most accommo-
dating relative waiting for him, but several
strong men who secured him, and after
ward he was sent to the lunatic asylum till
he should think he had q adispensation from
Father" to keep the peace.
Months passed away, and spring was once
more gladdening the earth. John Tibbett
had long recovered, but 1t was feared II he
was allowed to go at large he might have y
relapse and do some one an injury. He
was always longing to see his dear friend
who had converted him, for Mr.. Hazlem,
he was sure, would see how perfectly re-
covered he was and let him 60 free. One
day he was in the yard with some of the
keepers; he looked up at the high, roughly
built old wall which surrounded the insti-
tuition and said; Father can do all things.
He could free me now II he would. Look at
the cobblestones in that WALL II he willed,
Father could give me power to climb over
Il, Q, 8, 4, s, Q, Z, 8, Q, and over" With
that he made q rush, counting as he ran,
few up the side Of the wall and disap-
peared over the top.
Then there was great commotion In the
institution. They sent people near and far
to look for John Tibbett He seemed sim
ply to have disappeared. All round the
outside of the asylum wall there grew a
hedge, thin except near the big gates, where
1t was very thick. AS soon as John lib
bett found himself over the wall, he crept
quickly round to the thick part Of the
hedge near the gates and lay down, per
fectly covered by the evergreens, and
though they searched carefully they never
thought of looking for him beside their
very portals.
He kept quiet till the pursuit was over
and the darkness of night had settled down
on the land At last, when he thought all
was safesvhe started out, making up his
mind to go to Mr.. Hazlem, who lived quite
a distance from there.
He walked on and on under the friendly
shelter of the night till he came to cot
tage where they were having an ali night
prayer meeting. They were on their knees
vict's dress. There being pause, he lifted
up his voice and gave them one of his won
derful prayers till they were completely
carried away. So when they got of their
knees one of them took him home and gave
him food and shelter and q change Of
clothes, and he went on his way after the
darkness had fallen over the land the next
night. And 80 from house to house he
walked. literally prayipu his way alono
There was an arm OF the sea between Mr..
Hazlem's house and the mainland, and rid
ing at anchor ON the waters was a British
ship of war. When John Tibbett got to
this water, there was no way of getting
across, 80 he said, Father can make me
swim as he helped me to climb the high
wall" He walked into the water, and al
though he never SWAN before his faith was
90 strong that he swan to the ship and
climbed up the sides. The sailors were
very much alarmed at first, but afterward
crowded round him, and he gave them an
address and one of his wonderful prayers
Then he quietly slipped over the other side
Of the ship and swan to the shore and ar
rived at Mr.. Hazlem's house all dripping
wet. Mr.. Hazlem kept him with him for
several years, but he finally went perma-
| nently mad and had to be shut UP, which
broke his heart, and he soon died.-Ex-
ehange.