have been took to the workhouse to die. No, no, maister. If she has lived too long, and had a wretched life of it too, worse by half than a dog's life, give her room to die in peace where she has lived. Let her have that, maister." "So 'Old Granny' is out of the way at last,” said a labouring man, over the churchyard wall, to the sexton, who was filling up a newly-tenanted grave. "Yes, she was buried this morning,” replied the sexton, with a sigh, as he leaned on his shovel. "What a time of it she had, surely!" said the man. "God forgive them that made it so !" responded the old gravedigger. "She was a queer one, by all accounts, in time," observed the lounger. “I can't say but she was,” returned_the sexton. "I've known her and hers five and thirty years, John, and there isn't much good to be remembered of them any way." "I've heard as much," said John. "I'll tell you a story, as I have read of, John; I can't say of my knowledge that it is true; but there's nothing more likely. Once upon a time a man-he must have been a wicked 'un-was illusing his own father, and had got him down, and was dragging him by his gray hairs along a passage, I think it was." "A brute !" exclaimed John. "Yes, a brute he was. Well, when he had dragged the old man half way along the passage, if a passage it was, for I don't exactly mind that, but when he came to a certain part of it, the poor old man cried out, 'Stop, stop here; don't drag me any further; for it was to here I dragged my father by his gray hairs.' That's the story, John." "I understand," said John; "and 'Old Granny's' story is a fellow to it." "Much the same. When she was only a girl, as I was told by them that knew her, she was the wickedest girl to her mother, ay, and her father too, in the whole country round. And when she grew up to a young woman, and her father was dead and gone, I have heard her many a time abusing her poor mother enough to make one's blood run cold to hear. And, as if that wasn't bad enough, instead of being a deal too bad, it often came to blows with her, till at last the old woman was in terror for her life." "Ah,” said John, "it came home to the girl then in her old age." "Yes, but there was more than I have told you. When the girl married-and there were young men enough after her, for all her treatment to her mother, for she was good looking—well, when she married, and had a young family, she was the hardest-hearted mother I ever knew. Slap, slap, scold, scold, it was, all day long, pretty nigh. There wasn't such another house in the parish for downright cruelty. It was a dreadful scene, it was." "Heigh! no wonder then-” "She used to say," continued the old sexton, "that she'd tame down her children, she would. They shouldn't get the upper hand of her, as she had done of her mother, they shouldn't. But they did though; and one went off here, and another there, and cared no more for her than if she had never been-all but this son. He was the youngest, and her favourite, though he came in for ill-usage enough at times. By-and-by he got married, and got on in the world, and his mother got poorer, till she was forced to go and live with him; and then wern't the tables turned upon her!" "You may say that! So, 'Old Granny' wasn't used worse than she deserved, and her son isn't so bad, after all, as is made out." "Stop, John! as to deserts, that's neither here nor there; we won't talk about that now; only if we all had our deserts-oh, John! But about 'Old Granny's' son; I tell you what, John; if you would make a young man of me, and give me his property, told ten times over, to be him—there! I would'nt; no !" "No," responded John. No, I wouldn't. I tell you what, John, I've lived nigh upon seventy-three years. As David said in the Psalms, 'I have been young, and now I am old; but this I have never seen, John, nor known, nor heard of—and that is, a bad, ungrateful, hardened son or daughter-that kept so, mind you, from beginning to end-to be happy and prosperous. There's a curse- God's curse, John, on all they do and all they have. I know there is. I have seen it again and again; and, what's more, 'tis Scripture truth; it is John. 'Cursed be he,' says the Bible, 'that setteth light by father and mother."" And the old sexton turned to his work, while the man, after looking wonderingly at him, walked slowly away. Years a quarter of a century or more-have passed away since the old sexton uttered this denunciation over the grave of "Old Granny." Is it chancè, think you, reader, that furnishes a sequel to point the moral of our sketch? Or is it the hand of God Himself which is daily seen, if we would but watch the operations of His providence, setting His stamp of deep displeasure on those and theirs who trample upon His commandment-"The first commandment with promise"-" Honour thy father and thy mother." Here is the sequel : A very few years passed away, and with them vanished the prosperity of the unnatural son as a morning dream. In his turn, he had first to bear the neglect and insolence, and then to suffer from the desertion of his children. His wife turned against him, as poverty enclosed the wretched family in its meshes, a poverty unsanctified and unbrightened by heaven's grace. That wretched son of a wretched parent at length died, a drivelling sot. His wife lived to be the very counterpart of the "Old Granny" whom she had often wished in the workhouse, and found a pauper's grave. Their children-but enough; their history is not yet wrought out. Dear children, shun disobedience and unkindness to parents as two deadly serpents that may wrap you in their folds, to your unspeakable misery. VISITOR. A HAPPY ONE. READER, this is what you would like to be. It is quite natural. All people want to be happy. But remember my words this day: The true Christian, the believer in Christ, the converted man, he is the only happy man. Such a one is in the ark. When the last fiery deluge is sweeping over all things on the surface of the earth, it shall not come nigh him. He shall be caught up, and borne securely above it all. He is in Christ. Such a one is in a hiding-place. When God arises to judge terribly the earth, and men are calling to rocks and mountains to fall upon them and cover them, the everlasting arms shall be thrown around him, and the storm shall pass over his head. He shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He is in Christ. Such a one is in a city of refuge. The accuser of the brethren can lay no charge against him. The law cannot condemn him. There is a wall between him and the avenger of blood. The enemies of his soul cannot hurt him. He is in a secure sanctuary. He is in Christ. Such a one is rich. He has treasure in heaven which cannot be affected by worldly changes. He need not envy the richest merchants and bankers. He has a portion that will endure when bank-notes and sovereigns are worthless. He has Christ. Such a one is insured. He is ready for anything that may happen. Nothing can harm him. Banks may break, and Governments may be overturned. Famine and pestilence may rage around him. Sickness and sorrow may visit his own fireside. But still he is ready for all-ready for health, ready for disease, ready for tears, ready for joy, ready for poverty, ready for plenty, ready for life, ready for death. He has Christ. Young friend, have you Christ? Oh, remember, you must either have Jesus here by faith, or wrath hereafter for your sins! TIME AND ETERNITY. 'TIS a solemn thing to live. Lord, do Thou Thy grace bestow ! 'Tis a solemn thing to die. Oh, may Thine eternal love W. W. |