The May Flower, and Miscellaneous WritingsStowe, Harriet Beecher
General
The May Flower, and Miscellaneous Writings
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
But the sayings and doings of this good old man, as reported in the
legends of the neighborhood, are more than can be gathered or reported.
He lived far beyond the common age of man, and continued, when age had
impaired his powers, to tell over and over again the same Bible stories
that he had told so often before.
I recollect hearing of the joy that almost broke the old man's heart,
when, after many years' diligent watching and nurture of the good seed
in his parish, it began to spring into vegetation, sudden and beautiful
as that which answers the patient watching of the husbandman. Many a
hard, worldly-hearted man--many a sleepy, inattentive hearer--many a
listless, idle young person, began to give ear to words that had long
fallen unheeded. A neighboring minister, who had been sent for to see
and rejoice in these results, describes the scene, when, on entering the
little church, he found an anxious, crowded auditory assembled around
their venerable teacher, waiting for direction and instruction. The old
man was sitting in his pulpit, almost choking with fulness of emotion as
he gazed around. "Father," said the youthful minister, "I suppose you
are ready to say with old Simeon, 'Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation.'" "_Sartin,
sartin_," said the old man, while the tears streamed down his cheeks,
and his whole frame shook with emotion.
It was not many years after that this simple and loving servant of
Christ was gathered in peace unto Him whom he loved. His name is fast
passing from remembrance, and in a few years, his memory, like his
humble grave, will be entirely grown over and forgotten among men,
though it will be had in everlasting remembrance by Him who "forgetteth
not his servants," and in whose sight the death of his saints is
precious.
THE TWO ALTARS,
OR TWO PICTURES IN ONE.
I. THE ALTAR OF LIBERTY, OR 1776.
The wellsweep of the old house on the hill was relieved, dark and clear,
against the reddening sky, as the early winter sun was going down in the
west. It was a brisk, clear, metallic evening; the long drifts of snow
blushed crimson red on their tops, and lay in shades of purple and lilac
in the hollows; and the old wintry wind brushed shrewdly along the
plain, tingling people's noses, blowing open their cloaks, puffing in
the back of their necks, and showing other unmistakable indications that
he was getting up steam for a real roistering night.
"Hurrah! How it blows!" said little Dick Ward, from the top of the mossy
wood pile.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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