THE TIMES, NEW BLOOMFIELD, YA AHllL 24, 1877.
DICK JONES' CONVERSION.
"I THICK WAY, STRANGER V"
YV
Mild a rough looking farmer, to a
man who was carrying a well filled va
lise. The latter was in the act of raUIng
the latch of a gate which opened from
the public road Into a narrow lane load-
ing to a small country-house of no very
Inviting aspect.
The person thus addressed turned and
llxed a pair of mild, yet steady and pen
etrating eyes on the speaker
"Which way, stranger?" was repeat-
ed, though In modified and more respect
ful tones.
" Who lives there V" said the stranger
pointing to the house Just in view from
the road.
" Dick Jones," was answe.d.
" What kind of a man is her" next
inquired the stranger,
"Rather a hard case. You'd better
not go there."
" Why 5"
" Ain't you the man that sells Bibles
and talks religion V"
" Suppose I am V"
" Take a friend's advice, then, and
keep away from Dlak Jones. He'll In-
suit you may be, do worse."
" I reckon not," replied the.colporteur,
for such he was.
" He will, as sure as fate. I've heard
him say, over and over again, that if one
of you Bible sellers dared to come in
side of his gate, he'd set his dogs on
you. And he's just the man to keep his
word. So, take a friend's advice, and
let him alone. No good will come of it."
" Has he a wife and children V" inquir
ed the colporteur.
A wife and two little boys."
" What kind of a woman is his wife?"
" O, she'll do well enough. But neigh
bors don't go there much on account of
her husband,who is a very imp of Satan,
if the truth must be spoken."
"Like the blessed Master," was replied
to this, " I come not to call the right
eous, but sinners, to repentance. Of all
things in the world, the Bible is most
needed at Dick Jones' ; and I am bound
to place one there."
" O, very well. Follow your own
bent," said the farmer, slightly annoyed
at the other's pertinacity. " You'll re
member that I warned you, when his
logs are at your heels, or his horsewhip
over your shoulders. So, good morning
to you." ,
" Good morning," returned the stran
ger, cheerfully, as he threw open the 111
hung gate, and entered the forbidden
grounds of Dick Jones.
Now, our brave friend, the colporteur,
was not a strong, robust man, able to
meet and resist physical violence. In
the use of carnal weapons he had no
skill. But he had a confident spirit, a
strong heart, and, above all, an unwa
vering confidence in the protecting pow
er of Him in whose service he was de
devoting his life. '
Even on the grounds of Dick Jones
the birds sung sweetly, the cool breezes
sported amid the leafy branches, and
the breaths of a thousand flowers min
gled their fragrance on the air; and,
oven as the colporteur trod these grounds
he felt and enjoyed the tranquil beauty
and peace of nature. There was no
shrinking in his heart. He was not in
terror of the lions that crouched on his
path. Soon he stood at the open door of
a house, around which was no air of
comfort, nor a single vestige of taste.
"Who's there? What's wanted?"
was the repulsive salutation of a woman
who hurriedly drew an old handkerchief
across her brown neck and half exposed
bosom, on seeing a stranger.
" May God's peace be on this house 1"
aid the colporteur, In a low, reverent
voice,as he stood, one foot on the ground
and the other across the threshold.
A change passed Instantly, over the
woman's face. Its whole expression
softened. But she did not invite the
Ktranger to enter.
" Go go," she said, in a hurried voice.
" Go away quickly I My husband will be
here directly, and he "
She paused, leaving the sentence un
finished, as if reluctant to speak what
was in her mind.
"Why should I go away quickly ?"
asked the stranger, as he stepped into
the room, taking off his hat respectfully
and setting himself in a chair. "I wish
to see and speak with your husband. Mr.
Jones, I believe is his name ?" "
" Yes sir, his name is Jones. But he
don't want to see you."
" Don't want to see met How do you
know? Who am I?"
" I don't know your name, sir?" an
swered the woman, timidly but I
know who you are. You go around
selling good books and talking religion
to the people."
" True enough, Mrs. Jones," said the
colporteur, seriously, yet with a pleasant
kmile on bis face as he spoke. " And I
have come to have a little talk with your
husband, and see If I can't get him to
lny some of my good books. Have you
a Bible?"
. " No sir. My husbaud says he hates
the Bible. When we were flnt married
I had an old Testament, hut he never
could lcar to see me reading It. Home
hnw, it got lost; I always thought he
carried it awny, or threw It into the fire.
He won't talk to you, sir. He won't
have your books. He's a very bad tem
pered man, sometimes, and I'm afraid
he'll do you harm. O sir, I wish you
would go away.".
But, Instead of showing any alarm or
anxiety at Mrs. Jones' account Of "her
husband, the stranger commenced open
' ing his valise, from which he soon pro
duced a plainly bound copy of the Bible.
" How long since you were married?"
asked the colporteur, as he opened the
Bible, and commenced turning over the
leaves.
" Twelve years come next May, sir,"
was answered.
" How long is It since you lost the
Testament?"
" Most eleven years."
" Do you go to church?"
"To church 1" The woman looked
surprised at the question. "Dear sakes
no I I haven't been inside of a church
since I was married."
" Wouldn't you like to go ?"
"What'udbe the use? I wouldn't
say ' church' to Dick for the world."
" Then you haven't read the Bible
yourself, nor heard anybody else read it,
since you lost the Testament ?"
"No sir."
" You shall have that blessed privilege
once again in your life," said the stran
ger, raising the book towards his eyes,
and making preparation to read.
" Indeed, sir, I'm afraid. I'm looking
for my husband every minute," inter
posed the woman. "He's always said
he'd kick the first Bible seller out of his
house that dared to cross his door. And
he'll do it. He's very wicked and pas
sionate sometimes. Do sir, please go
away. If I had any money I'd take the
Bible and hide it from him ; but I have
not. riease don't stay Any longer. Don't
begin to read. If he comes in and finds
you reading, he'll be mad enough to kill
you."
But, for all this, the colporteur sat un
moved. As the woman ceased speaking
he commenced reading to her the beau
tiful chapter from our Lord's sermon on
the mount, beginning with" take heed
that ye do not your alms before men to
be seen of them ; otherwise ye have no
reward of your Father which is In heav
en." As he proceeded in a low, rever
ential voice.the woman's agitation grad
ually subsided, and she leaned forward,
listening more and more intently, until
all thoughts and feelings were absorbed
in the holy words that were filling her
ears. When the colporteur finished the
chapter, he raised his eyes to the face of
the woman, and saw that it was wet
with tears. At that instant a form
darkened the door. It was the form of
Dick Jones.
"Hal" he exclaimed, in a harsh
voice. " Who's this ? Who are you ?"
Comprehending, now, the scene before
him, Jones began swearing awfully, at
the same time ordering the stranger to
leave his house, threatening to kick him
from the door if he didn't move in
stantly. The tearful wife stepped be
tween her husband and the object of his
wrath ; but he swept her aside roughly,
and with curses.
" Go, before I fling you into the road!"
And the strong man, every iron muscle
ten Be with anger, stood towering above
the stranger's slender form, like an eagle
above its helpless prey.
How calm and fearless the stranger
sat, his mild, deep, almost spiritual eyes,
fixed on those of his mad assailant.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and for
get not all his benefits."
Low, yet thrilling was the voice in
which these words found almost sponta
neous utterance. He had taken no fore
thought as to what he should say. Hith
er he had come at the prompting of duty
and now, when a raging lion was in his
path, be shrunk not back in terror, but
resting in a divine power, moved steadi
ly onward.
" Clear out from here, I sayl" The
voice of Dick Jones was angry still ;
yet something of the evil purpose was
gone.
" The Lord is my light and my salva
tion ; whom shall I fear ? The Lord is
my strength and my life ; of whom shall
I be afraid?"
Neither loud nor in self-confidence
was this spoken ; else would it not have
fallen on the ears of that evll-mlndcd
man with such power.
" Why have you come here to trouble
me? Go now go, before I do you
harm," said Dick Jones, greatly subdued
in manner, and sinking into his chair as
he spoke.
The colporteur moved less by thought
than impulse, opened the Bible which
had been closed on the entrance of Jones
and commenced reading. All was still,
now, save the low, eloquent voice of the
stranger, as he read from the holy book.
His wife, who had stood half paralysed
with terror in a distant part of the room
whither an impatient arm had flung her,
seeing the wonderful change that was
passing, stole quietly to his side, and,
bending her head, even as his was bent,
listened, with an almost charmed atten
tion to the Word of Life, as read by the
man of God, who had penetrated (hp
dense moral wilderness in which they
had so. long dwelt.
" Let us pray." ,
How strango these words sounded I
They seemed spoken as from thelieavens
above them, and by a voice that they
could not disregard.
Brief, yet earnest, and in fitting lan.
guage, was the prayer, then tearfully
made, and responded to with tears.
When the "amen" was said, and the
pious col perteur arose from his knees,
what a change had taken place ! The
raging Hon had become a lamb. The
strong, wicked contemner of the good,
was gentle and teachable as a little child.
Once more the colporteur read from
the holy Book, while the man and his
wife listened with bent heads, and ear
nest, thoughtful faces. .
" Shall I leave you this Bible?" said
he, rising at length ; and making a mo
tion to retire.
" If you will sell It to us," said Dick
Jones.
" It is yours on any terms you please.
The price is low. I have other good
books ; but this Is the best of all, for it
is God's own Book, in which he speaks
to his erring, unhappy children, saying
to them, ' Come unto me all ye that la
bor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.' Read this first, my friends ;
read it in the morning, as soon as you
rise, and in the evening before you re
tire. Read it together, and, If you feel
an impulse to pray, kneel down, and si
lently, if you cannot speak aloud, say
over the words of that beautiful prayer
the Saviour taught his dlclples, the
prayer your mothers taught you when
you were innocent children,' Our
Father who art In heaven.' In a few
weeks I will pass this way again. Shall
I call to see you ?"
"Oyes. Do call," said Jones, his
voice trembling; though it was plain
he struggled hard with the flood of new
emotions that was sweeping over him.
"May God's peace rest upon this
house I " The stranger stood with lifted
hands and head bent reverently for a
moment. Then, turning avfay, he pass
ed from the door, and, In a few moments,
was out out of sight.
A month later the colporteur came
again that way. How different was his
reception at the house of Dick Jones.
The moment the eyes of the latter rested
upon him, it seemed as if a sunbeam fell
suddenly upon his rugged features. -
"All is well, I see." The colporteur
spoke cheerfully, and with a radiant
smile. " A Bible in the house is a bless
ing to its inmates."
" It has been a blessing to us," said
the happy wife, her eyes full of tears.
" O, sir, We can never be done reading
the good Book. It seems, sometimes, as
if the words were just written for us.
And the children ask me, many times a
day, if I won't read to them about Jo
seph and his brethren, the three Hebrew
children, or Daniel in the den of lions.
Often, when they have been so ill-natured
and quarrelsome that I could do
nothing with them, have I stopped my
work, and sat down among them with
the Bible, and began to read one of its
beautiful stories. O, it acted like a
charm 1 All anger would die instantly ;
and when I closed the book, and they
went to their play again, I would not
hear an ugly word among them, maybe,
for hours. And Richard, too" Bhe
glanced towards her husband, who smil
ed, and she went on. "And RIchaid,
too, I haven't heard him swear an
oath since you were here; and ha isn't
angry with things that can't be helped
near as often as he used to be. O, yes,
Indeed, sir ; it is true. A Bible in the
house is a blessing to its inmates."
" If that were the only fruit of my
labor," said the colporteur,as he walked
slowly and thoughtfully away from the
house of Dick Jones, an hour later, " it
would be worth all the toll and sacrifice
I have given to the work. But this is
not the only good ground into which the
seed I am scattering broadcast, as it were
has fallen. God's rain, and dew, and
sunshine, are upon it, and it must spring
up, and grow, and ripen to the harvest.
Let me not grow faint or weary."
And with a stronger heart and more
earnest purpose, he went on his way.
ALL BADLY SCARED.
MR. COOLEY likes an early break
fast, but he has had a great deal of
difficulty to Induce his hired girl to wake
soon enough in the morning to get it for
him. One day last winter he bought an
alarm clock, and when he got home he
set it for four o'clock, and laid it down
upon the shelf in the girl's bed room.
He intended to tell her about it, but be
fore he had a chance to mention it even
to Mrs. Cooley, a boy came with a tele
graplo message demanding his presence
in another city, and be had to hurry off
to catch the train. He was compelled
to stay all night, and Mrs. Cooley, the
children and the girl were the only peo
ple in the house.
About midnight Mrs. Cooley was
awakened by piercing screams from the
girl's room. A minute later, she heard
Mary Jane, the girl, coming down stairs
four steps at a time, and screeching for
Mrs. Cooley to let her come into her
apartment. When she was admitted,
Mrs. Cooley locked the door quickly ,aud
Mary Jane Informed her that there was
something in her room making the most
awful noise she had ever heard, and she
was positively certain It was either a
tiger from the roologleal garden or a
lunatic that had escaped from the asy
lum. Mrs. Cooley went to the door and
listened, and she heard H distinctly.
Then she was scared, and she put up the
window and sprang the rattle. That
brought out Judge Brown with his shot
gun and Peter Lamb with a revolver.
When the situation was explained to
them they broke open a back shutter
and entered the house, the Judge bring
ing his dog with him.
They sent the dog on ahead up stairs,
and the two men followed. When they
got near to the room the Judge proposed
that Teter should go in with the light
so that he could see where to shoot, but
Peter said that it seemed to him it would
be better for the Judge to go in and stir
the thing up in the dark, and he would
stand outside and shoot as the intruder
ran out and tried to escape. This view
didn't strike the Judge, and while they
were arguing about it the dog ran in un-'
perceived by either of them. They
finally concluded that both of them had
better remain where they were, and fire
three or four volleys Into the room at
random. Just as they resolved on this
policy Peter caught a glimpse of some
thing moving about in the room, and he
fired two barrels of his revolver at it.
This excited the Judge so much that
he emptied his gun wildly in the same
direction. They heard something moan
and they knew then that they had
wounded the intruder anyhow, so they
pushed cautiously into the apartment
where they saw the dog lying in the
agonies of death, while the alarm clock
gave out a few final and scarcely audible
clicks.
Then the Judge became angry.
"You confounded idiot I Whatdidyou
shoot at my dog for I " he said.
"Who shot at your dog?" demanded
Peter, with newly acquired courage.
" You did," said the J udge.
" The mischief I did ! Didn't you fire
at him too?"
' But I thought you saw something
else, and I fired because you did," said
the Judge. '
" I believe you killed him and not
me," said Peter.
" I know well enough," remarked the
Judge, sarcastically, "that you'd never
have hit him but by accident. You
must have been aiming at something
else when you Btruck him. But you've
got to pay for him anyhow 1"
' If I do you may shoot me," replied
Peter.
They were in the midst of the contro
versy when Mrs. Cooley came up with
the girl and children.
" What is it ?" she demanded.
" Madam," said the Judge bringing
his gun to a " parade rest ;" " madam, I
have no idea what it was that caused all
this disturbance, but I do know that this
lunatlo here has killed my dog."
" Why, there's an alarm clock I Cooley
must have put it there. I do believe
that's what scared Mary Jane," said
Mrs. Cooley.
" Likely enough," replied the Judge;
" and Just on account of Mary Jane's
infernal foolishness I'm dragged out of
bed in the middle of the night and my
dog is assassinated."
" I'm very sorry," said Mrs. Cooley.
" Very well, madam, I'm glad you
are. But I want you to understand that
this is the last time I turn out with my
weapons, if burglars gut your house
from cellar to garret, and butcher your
family in cold blood. I'll move first;
blame me if I don't."
And the Judge shouldered arms, then
brought his gun to a" right-shoulder-
shift," seized his dog by the near hind
leg, and marched down stairs, followed
by Mr. Lamb.
Cooley now wakes Mary Jane by call
ing her.
An Astonished Father.
A funny story regarding a Mr. S. and
an acquisition is told in the Amsterdam
Recorder, 8., who was traveling in
Kansas, received the following telegram:
"Return Immediately. You are a
father." . .
On the eve of his return, his lady
friends determined to play a joke on him,
procured from the neighborhood three
other babies, placed all four in a row,
on a bed in an adjoining apartment, and
covered them up. S. arrived, embraced
his wife in great delight, and was then
led forth to behold his first born. When
the cover was raised, an indescribable
look of surprise overspread his coiinte
nance, as he1 exclaimed, "Great God!
Did any of them get away ?"
DIU SCIIEXCK'S STANDARD EEMEDIEH
The Rtfinilant ..m.!)!.. all ill . .1..
'tings are Hchenck's Pulmonic Hynip, Hchenck'a
Be WeedTouln. and Hclieiiisk'h Mandrake Pills,
and II taken, before the lung are destroyed, a
speedy cure Ik effected.
jo tnese inree medicines Ttt. J. IT. Bchenck, of
Philadelphia, owes his unrivalled success In the
treatment ol pulmonary diseases.
The Pulmonic Hyrup ripens the morbid matter
In the lungs i nature throws It oil by an easy ex
pectoration, for when the phlegm or matter Is
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has rest and the lungs begin to heal.
To enable the pulmonic syrup to do this, I)r
Scheuck'i Mandrake Pills mid Hchenck'a tea
Weed Tonlo must be freely used to cleanse the
stomach and liver. Hehenck's Mandrake Pills
acton the liver, removing all obsti unt.lons, relax
the gall bladder, the bile starts freely, and the
liver Is soon relieved. .
Hchenck'a Pea Weed Tonic Is gentle stimulant
and alterative; the alkali of which It Is composed
mixes with the food and prevents souring. It as
sists thedlgestlon by toning up the stomach to a
healthy condition, so that the food and the Pul
monic. Ryrup wilt make good blood: then the
lung heal, and the patient will surely get well II
care Is taken to prevent fresh cold.
All who wish o consult Dr. Bchenek, elthe?
personally or by letter, can do so at his principal
office, corner or Hfxth and Arch (its.. Philadel
phia, every Monday. , .
Rchenck'i medicines are (old by all druggist!
throughout the country. (mchAapr.
VEGETINE
rty.f'i?11"""." BTr " to effect! cure.
S by disease st"",g"1 th "J debilltat
SI1JK 11E8T8 WBLL.
, - South Poland, Me., Oct., 11, 1876.
Mr. H. R. Rrevens: Dear 8lr-l have been sick
two years with the liver complaint, and during
that t ime have taken a great many different med
icines but none of them did me any good. I was
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Can recommend the Vegetlne for what It baa
done for me. Yoursrespectfully,
W.tneofth0bovr8-ALfiEBTRICKEB-Mr.
Oeo.M. Vaughn, Medford, Mass.
VEGETINE.
Thousands will bear testimony (and do It vol
untarily) that Vegetlne Is the best medical com
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and purifying tne Wood, eradicating all humors,
impurities or poisonous secretions Irom the ays-
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Safe ami Sure.
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Vegetlne Is the only medicine I use. and as long
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lours truly, w. H. CLARK,
120 Monterey Street, Allegheny, Pa.
VEQETINE.
VHOETINE thoroughly eradicates every kind
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The following letter from Rev. O. W. Mansfield, v
formerly pastor of the Methodist Kpiscopal
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Lowell, must convince every one who reads this
letter of the wonderful curative powers of Vege
tlne as a thorough cleanser and purifier of the
blood:
Hydo Park, Mass., Feb. 15, (78.
Mr. H. R. Btevens: Dear Sir About ten years
ago my health failed through the depleting effects
of dyspepsia; nearly a year later I was attacked
by tvphold fever In its worst form.lt settled In
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I took Vegetlne faithfully and It removed It ler- '
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Let your patrons troubled with scrofula or kid
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them. With great obligations f am.
You 1 8 very truly,
O. W. M AASFTELI),
U-lmJ raetor of the M. . Church.
Prepared by H.R. Stevens, Boston,Mass.
Vegetlne U Sold by All Drorgists.
JEATHER AC.
THE subscriber bas now on hand at
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N
OW IS THE TIME TO PLANT.
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V Circulars Fre.
GEO. tf. McFAKLAND, Proprietor. , 14