The Path of Duty, and Other StoriesCaswell, Harriet S. (Harriet Sophia)
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The Path of Duty, and Other Stories
Caswell, Harriet S. (Harriet Sophia)
Country life -- Fiction; Family -- Fiction; Friendship -- Fiction; Pastoral fiction; Short stories
My mind has never been at rest, and, for that reason,
I have been a lonely wanderer all these years. But my dissipated habits
have done their work, and I feel that my earthly course is well nigh
ended. I have dragged my feeble body to your dwelling, with the hope of
obtaining your forgiveness 'ere I am summoned into eternity.'
"While listening to him, I had seated myself at my father's side. As
he concluded, I said to my father, in a low voice,--'If we forgive not
our fellow-mortal, how can we expect the forgiveness of our Heavenly
Father for our many sins?' I rose from my seat and extending to him
hand, said,--'You have, Mr. Almont, my entire forgiveness for all the
sorrow you have caused me, and I hope you will also obtain the
forgiveness of God.' My father also came forward, and, taking his hand,
granted him his forgiveness. When he finished speaking he seemed
entirely exhausted. My father led him into the adjoining room, and
assisted him to lie down upon his own bed. He also gave him a little
wine, which seemed somewhat to revive him. Observing that he rapidly
grew worse, my father summoned our physician, who was an old friend, and
knew all the circumstances connected with our former acquaintance with
Mr. Almont. When the physician arrived, he expressed the opinion that
death was fast approaching; said he,--'I do not think he will see
another sun rise,'--and he did not. He said but little, and suffered but
little pain; but he sank rapidly. His mind was clear to the last. A
short time before his death, he turned his eyes, over which the film of
death was gathering, to my father, and, with much difficulty,
said,--'Pray--for--me.' My father knelt and implored the mercy of heaven
on the soul that was departing. I could not bear that he should leave
the world without one word in regard to what were his feelings in the
near prospect of death. Going near, I said,--'Do you feel willing to
trust yourself to the Saviour's mercy to penitent sinners?' He gave a
sign of assent, and a more peaceful expression settled on his
countenance. 'I know,' said he in a whisper, 'that I have been a
grievous sinner for many long years, yet the forgiveness guaranteed by
you, whom I have so deeply injured, gives me a hope that God will also
forgive the sins, for which I now trust I feel deeply penitent.' After
this, he lay for a short time in a kind of stupor. Suddenly, he opened
his eyes, and they rested upon my father, who stood by his bed-side. His
lips moved slightly, and my father distinguished the words,--'Pray for
me.' He again knelt and prayed earnestly, in a subdued voice, for the
spirit that was then entering the unknown future. A few moments after,
and the soul of George Almont was summoned to leave its earthly
tenement. When the small procession that had followed his remains to
their last resting-place turned from the new-made grave, the two
following lines from Gray's Elegy came unbidden to my mind:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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