Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-08-09
Written for ne American.
THE AWAKENING
OF
ROGER TEN PIE.

BY fLOS>lE.


BY FLOsSIE.
Slowly, softly, like the first faint
melodious notes OF bird, then swelling
louder, fuller, clearer pouring forth
rapturous strains of praise and thanks
giving. the sweet tones of the organ
swept from arch to arch of the church,
now solemn, now tender, then jubilant,
exulting. sWayin@ the hearts of the PEG
pie until every thought and feeling was
merged into that glorious sound. filling
them with an exquisite pleasure so
intense a. to be akin TO pain.
The choir was singing now, their we'll
trained throats giving forth such Won
drou5 melody. and the pastor, waiting,
his eyes lingering on the brilliant con-
gregat ion IN the luxurious peWs below,
felt his heart throb with passionate glad
ness. His face shone with eXultation
when he arose, ana his voice thrilled with
emotion as he read the morning lesson
and bowed his head in prayer, and it still
wore that same rapt look when, after
brief interval, he arose again 10 announce
his text.
1T is Il good thing t. give thanks I'M
to the Lord and to sing praises unto Thy
name, O, Most High. "
He repeated the familiar words almost
mechanically. Like u flash of binding
light came the remembrance that. years
ago, he had chosen that text for his first
sermon. and with the thought, the church
Will which he stood vanished, and in
its place was the little, whte-Walied
school-raom OF his boyhood days. Again
he ST God upon its rude platform, looking
into he faces that filled those hard seats.
What dear faces they were then; how
lovingly they gazed upon him, anxious
for him. proud of him.
There was his gray haired father, whose
every hope centered in his boy; his
sisters smiling with pleasure, aunts and
uncles and cousins whose hearts We're
never closed to him. How they all hung
upon his first words, hope and fear for
the result of his maiden effort plainly
written in their faces, and what JOY 1t
had then been to him to see all merged
into thankfulness and pride.
How, when he had dismissed them, they
crow utu iiili Nlth iiN'i ~ WV '7
and warm hand-clasps that flushed his
brow with delight. His fathers eyes had
been full OF tears, and his lips had trem-
blingly uttered fervent blessing on his
son.
at is a good thing to give thanks unto
the Lord and to sing praises unto Thy
name, O, Most High.
The pause after the words was long, and
the pastors eyes, gazing afar off,
noticed not the eXpectant, now wondering
congregation. There was faint hum of
anxiety that forced itself upon his con-
seriousness, and with strong will power
he thrust down those memories of other
days, becoming again the eloquent, pol
ished, speaker
The service WAS over, the people were
thronging out into he street, many lin
gering for a word with the minister
Courteous, dignitied, gracious as always
he received them, having for each just
the right word-a model Clergyman. But
all the while he saw only those old faces
of his youth, and they followed him tc
his home into his coy study, where he
shut himself in. Sitting there, motion
less figure in great armchair, he went
over in thought the years of his life.
Like panorama they spread out before
him, and he saw himself boy, setting
day after day in that little old schoo
ROOM doing home tasks at morning ano
night to aid his toil-worn parent. He
was always grave, steady boy, and when
he seriously bent himself to the attain
ment of knowledge, how ready his friends
were to encourage him. They were nearly
all relatives of some degree, and how
proud they were when he returned from
his first term at school in distant city
They sympathized with him, loved him
aided him all their poor means woulc
allow. They gladly welcomed every
advance in his studies, eagerly listened te
his tales of school life, and they all shared
in his fathers happiness; for he was 6
child of the people, and they nourishec
his growing ambition to make something
of his life.
But he had goal ahead that they knew
not Off He realized now, as never before
what hopes had rested upon him; he saw
how they had said to themselves
ale will be son of our old age; he viii
uphold our faltering footsteps, will re
fresh our hearts with words of wisdom