The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01
SPIRITUAL BATTLES WON
 AND LOST BY JEAN VALJEAN
By MRS. DORA c. FELL

medium stature. thckset, robust and in
 the prime of life, being not yet 50. -A cap partly concealed his face, which was tanned and furrowed by exposure to sun
 and wind, and dripping at the neck with precipitation. Ills shirt of coarse yellow l linen fastened at the neck by a small si- yer anchor permitted a view of his hairy
 breast. Trousers of blue drilling. an old grey tattered blouse, every garment worn
 and fantastically patched; tightly pack ed knapsack an enormous knotty stick Tn
 his hand, iron shod shoes. without stock ings a shaven head and long beard
 After being expelled from the inns, driven from the homes, even deuied en- trance into the dog kennel and prison. tortured by fatigue, hunger and thirst, he
 shook his fist at the church and flung himself desperately al a stone bench, aim less and angry. His utter isolation was
 melancholy fact, and the grey clouds
 above him made most oppressive the al- ready dreary world.
 It remained for a woman to direct him towards a haven for the dark night. lt had been almost % years since he had received any tenderness at the hands of femininity; the melody of that most ex- cellent thing In woman was sweet sound foreign to his ears, yet there were three good woman destined to play important
 parts in the crises of his life; the one who had just passed his way and later Sister Simplice and Gosette.
 So, like a natural man. he confidently | obeyed the woman. knocked boldly at the
 bishops door and found himself enjoying
 the first genuine hospitality of his life.
 Now this benghted traveller had a poor conception of the offices of bishop, never
 having felt the warm hand-clasp of loving and beloved pastor. but the ever ready bishop soon delivered a wholesome sermon telling of joy in heaven over the tear-bathed face of a repentant sim
 ner and the worthiness of the thoughts
 of good will and peace: of the sadness issuing from the thoughts of hatred and wrath against mankind.
 Jean knew not that the home of a true pastor is the home of Jesus Christ. which opens it's portals to the man who needs a refuge, and where all things are his. but his obduracy forbade an acceptance of good service and the novelty of the situation prevented sleep-consequently nc fell to thinking.
 It was night and all the wicked plans of vengeance and thoughts of murder and theft returned. His knife was ready to cut asunder the peace of the nousehold, but the radiant face of the sleeping psh-
 op, so lovely. so pure, deeply touched hm. The first offering of human love
 had somewhat softened him, and the
 first degree towards regeneration had been passed, but love was not speedy in removing temptation. Human society which had so outraged him in earlier years must render some tribute. so the sole ornament of the sweet home, the resplendent silver, was stolen and carried away.
 Having unquestionably felt gratitude towards the bishop, for his counsel and cheerful hospitality. and as the silver only impeded his progress, it could not have heen avarlce, hut only the force of habit, and the limitations of his soul which prompted this grave offense. The walls of fate had eneompassed him and the ameni- ties between guest and host were to him A closed book We readily sec that ths | leaven of human sympathy had to some degree expanded his contracted soul, had pierced his conscience and after his forced l return to the bishop as robber, nis being
 was shaken and he gave his thoughts to
 lis inner conseiousness-"th sole bliss of | solitude
 | 1t was also the force of habit. which | does not respond to reason, that thing which so surely forms the character, | uioulds the life and fixed the destiny,
 which impelled him to take cowardly ad- vantage of little Ceryals. His resolve had been to wound every human heart that ronded with gladness, to rob each maa happy in his possessions However, the spjrit of God which illuminated the lifs of the bishop was dimly reflected m leans soul and he became conscious of | the irreparable offense against childhood.