Mr. James Nesmith [pp. 315-318]

MR. 74 iVfES VESAfITH.
and looked-up-to of men. He owned a there was a wail in it like the voice of the
pew in a highly respectable church- a widow, who-unreasonable creature!church attended only by the most select once raised her hands to the heavens,
of society, where the Rev. Dr. Bland, of and cried: "The God of the widow and
suave presence, read in the most mellif- the fatherless judge between me and
luous of tones the church service, and thee, James Nesmith!"
such choice portions of the Scripture as Conscience, long lulled to sleep under
were suited to the aristocratic ears of the soothing ministry of the Rev. Dr.
his highly respectable congregation. Mr. Bland, began to stir from its slumber,
James Nesmith sat in his richly cush- and asked numerous troublesome quesioned pew with a truly exemplary regu- tions. Mr. James Nesmith could not
larity; yet one day a very annoying oc- rest at night, and he walked to his office
currence disturbed the calm serenity of upon Front Street, with a cloud upon
his countenance. The Rev. Dr. Bland his before unruffled brow, and a look in
was absent, and a stern-spoken man, the eyes as of a man not at peace.
with grizzled hair and a face like John Another unusual thing happened to
Knox's, discoursed with a voice that rang Mr. James Nesmith. He fell asleep,
as the cry of one of the old prophets, one day, in his easy-chair at his office;
upon the curse of ill-gotten wealth; and and in his sleep he dreamed. This was
read certain harsh passages of Script- what he dreamed:
ure about "the poor who cry to God He had turned the combination lock
because of the oppression of the rich," of his massive safe, and swung back the
and about a certain rich man who said ponderous iron door. Then he opened
unto his soul:'Soul! thou hast much the drawers and hidden recesses of the
goods laid up for many years; take thine inner safe to examine, and count over,
ease! eat, drink, and be merry!' But and rejoice his eyes with the wealth
God said unto him:'Thou fool! this for which he had spent his life. But a
night thy soul shall be required of strange sight met his gaze. The yellow
thee."' gold, heaped in the drawers, was spotted
Mr. James Nesmith did not feel com- over in a most unusual manner; and
fortable. He wished the Rev. Dr. Bland upon the heavy coins was stamped this
would be more careful in selecting his legend: "The blood of widows and orofficiating ministers, when he was ab- phans, that crieth unto heaven alway."
sent. He thought hle must really speak He shut the drawers in disgust, and took
to him about it. After this, when Mr. out a bundle of deeds and mortgages.
James Nesmith looked inside the church Strange, still! Instead of the quaintly
door and saw a stranger in the pulpit, dallying verbiage of the men of law, the
he turned about and did not go in. He parchments only bore this terribly direct
did not like strange ministers. sentence: "The God of the widow and
Mr. James Nesmith prospered more the fatherless judge between me and
and more, and to his houses added yet thee, James Nesmith!"
other houses, and to his lands yet other Overcome with dread, he sunk back
lands, while his bank account mounted in his chair, when-there was a sudden
up column after column. Yet, in all this jar, and he awoke. It was only a clerk,
prosperity, came to Mr. James Nesmith coming to ask him about foreclosing a
a strange disquiet. He wished he had small mortgage upon the house of a
not heard that stern-browed man, with dying mechanic. Conscience, that for
a voice like the cry of an accusing an- years had slept, and then been partly
gel. It made him shiver slightly, too; aroused at the stern preaching of that
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