Year: 1865

like ashes on the bed, while the old man 8
palsied right hand had just strength to lay
itself upon his head. "Blessed be thou,
my little Jamie, even for his own name
sake, who died for US on the tree!" The
mother, without terror, but with an avert
ed face, lifted up her loving-hearted boy,
now in dead fainting fit, and carried him
into an adjoining room, where he soon re-
vived; but that child and that old man
were not to be separated; in vain was he
asked to go to his brothers and sisters /;
pale, breathless and shivering, he took his
place as before, with eyes fixed on his
grandfather's face, but neither weeping nor
uttering word. Terror had frozen up
the blood of his heart but his were now
the only dry eyes in the room and the
pastor himself wept, albeit the grief OF
fourscore is seldom vented in tears.


"God has been gracious to me, a sim
ner," said the dying man. "During thirty
years that I have been an elder in your
kirk, never have I missed sitting there
one Sabbath. When the mother OF my
my children was taken from met was
on Tuesday she died-and on Saturday
she was buried. We stood together when
my Alice was let down into the narrow
house made for all living. On the Sab
bath joined in the public worship of God
she commanded me to do so the night
before she went away. 1 could not join
In the psalm that Sabbath, for her voice
was not in the throng. Her grave was
covered up, and grass and flowers grew
there; so was my heart; but thou, whom,
through the blood of Christ, I hope to see
this night In Paradise, knowest, that from
that hour to this day never have forgot
ten thee!"


The old man ceased speaking-and his
grandchild, now able to endure the scene,
for strong passion is its own support, gil
ded softly to little table, and bringing a
cup in which cordial had been mixed,
held it in his small soft hands to his grand
fathers lips. He drank, and then said,
"Come closer to me, jamie, and kiss me
for thine own and thy fathers sake :" and
as the child fondly pressed his rosy lips on
those OF his grandfather, 30 white and
withered, the tears fell over all the old
mans face, and then trickled down on the
golden head of the child at last sobbinR In
his bosom. 49, -.


"Jamie, thy own father has forgotten
thee in thy infancy, and me In my old
age; but, Jamie, forget not thou thy
father nor thy mother, for that thou know
est and feelest u the commandment of
God" 80 -.. a.s T


The broken hearted boy could give no
reply. He had gradually stolen closer and
closer unto the old loving man, and now
was lying. worn out with sorrow, drenched
and dissolved in tears, in his grandfather b
bosom. His mother had sunk down on
her knees, and hid. her face with her hands.
ooh! If my husband knew but of this
he would never, never desert his dying
father" and I now knew that the elder
was praying on his death bed for disobe-
dent and wicked son.


At this affecting time the minister took
the family Bible on his knees, and said,
"Let US sing to the praise and glory Of
God, part vi the fifteenth Psalm, and he
read, with tremulous and broken voice.
those beautiful verses,


Wtnln tny nOolnAcl0, Lord.


Who shall abide with thee!


And In thy high and holy hill


Who shall dweller be?


The man that walketh uprighty,


And worketh Righteousness,


And q he thinketh In his heart.


So doth he truth express.


The small congregation sung the noble
hymn Of the Psalmist, to "Plaintive mar
tyrs, worthy of the name" Tho diving
man himself, ever and anon, Joined in the
holy music-and when it feebly died away
on bis quivering lips, he continued still to
follow the tune with the motion of his
withered hand, and eyes devoutly and hum
bly, lifted to heaven. Nor was the sweet
voice of his loving grandchild unheard !;
as if the strong fit of deadly passion had
dissolved in the music, he sang with 9
sweet and silvery voice that to passer-by
had seemed that of perfect happiness
hymn sung in joy upon its knees by glad
some childhood before it flew out among
the green hills, to quiet labor or gleesome
play. As that sweetest voice came from
the bosom of the old man, where the
singer lay in affection, and blended with
his owl so tremulous, never had felt 30
affectingly brought before me the begin
ming and the end of life, the cradle and
the grave.


Ere the psalm was yet over, the door
was opened, and tall, 6ne-looking man
entered, but with lowering and dark
countenance, but seemingly in sorrow, in
misery. and remorse. Agitated, confound-
ed. and awe-st, uck by the melancholy and
diree like music, he sat down On chair
and looked with q ghastly face towards his
fathers death-bed. When the psalm
ceased, the elder said with solemn voice,
"My son-thou art come in time to re-
ceiye thy fathers blessing. Nav the re-
membrance of what will happen in this
room, before the morning again shine over
the Hazel Glen, win thee from the error of
thy ways Thou art here to witness the
mercy Of thy God aRd thy Saviour, whom
thou hast forgotten"