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violoncello； I can compare to nothing for its strong calm
melancholy but the rush and cadence of the wind among the
autumn boughs。 This may seem a strange mode of speaking about
the reading of a parish clerk—a man in rusty spectacles； with
stubbly hair； a large occiput； and a prominent crown。 But that is
Nature’s way： she will allow a gentleman of splendid physiognomy
and poetic aspirations to sing woefully out of tune； and not give
him the slightest hint of it； and takes care that some narrow…
browed fellow； trolling a ballad in the corner of a pot…house； shall
be as true to his intervals as a bird。
Joshua himself was less proud of his reading than of his
singing； and it was always with a sense of heightened importance
that he passed from the desk to the choir。 Still more to…day： it was
a special occasion； for an old man； familiar to all the parish； had
died a sad death—not in his bed； a circumstance the most painful
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to the mind of the peasant—and now the funeral psalm was to be
sung in memory of his sudden departure。 Moreover； Bartle
Massey was not at church； and Joshua’s importance in the choir
suffered no eclipse。 It was a solemn minor strain they sang。 The
old psalm…tunes have many a wail among them； and the words—
Thou sweep’st us off as with a flood；
We vanish hence like dreams—
seemed to have a closer application than usual in the death of poor
Thias。 The mother and sons listened； each with peculiar feelings。
Lisbeth had a vague belief that the psalm was doing her husband
good； it was part of that decent burial which she would have
thought it a greater wrong to withhold from him than to have
caused him many unhappy days while he was living。 The more
there was said about her husband； the more there was done for
him； surely the safer he would be。 It was poor Lisbeth’s blind way
of feeling that human love and pity are a ground of faith in some
other love。 Seth； who was easily touched； shed tears； and tried to
recall； as he had done continually since his father’s death； all that
he had heard of the possibility that a single moment of
consciousness at the last might be a moment of pardon and
reconcilement； for was it not written in the very psalm they were
singing that the Divine dealings were not measured and
circumscribed by time？ Adam had never been unable to join in a
psalm before。 He had known plenty of trouble and vexation since
he had been a lad； but this was the first sorrow that had hemmed
in his voice； and strangely enough it was sorrow because the chief
source of his past trouble and vexation was for ever gone out of his
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reach。 He had not been able to press his father’s hand before their
parting； and say； “Father； you know it was all right between us； I
never forgot what I owed you when I was a lad； you forgive me if I
have been too hot and hasty now and then！” Adam thought but
little to…day of the hard work and the earnings he had spent on his
father： his thoughts ran constantly on what the old man’s feelings
had been in moments of humiliation； when he had held down his
head before the rebukes of his son。 When our indignation is borne
in submissive silence； we are apt to feel twinges of doubt
afterwards as to our own generosity； if not justice； how much more
when the object of our anger has gone into everlasting silence； and
we have seen his face for the last time in the meekness of death！
“Ah！ I was always too hard；” Adam said to himself。 “It’s a sore
fault in me as I’m so hot and out o’ patience with people when they
do wrong； and my heart gets shut up against ’em； so as I can’t
bring myself to forgive ’em。 I see clear enough there’s more pride
nor love in my soul； for I could sooner make a thousand strokes
with th’ hammer for my father than bring myself to say a kind
word to him。 And there went plenty o’ pride and temper to the
strokes； as the devil will be having his finger in what we call our
duties as well as our sins。 Mayhap the best thing I ever did in my
life was only doing what was easiest for myself。 It’s allays been
easier for me to work nor to sit still； but the real tough job for me
’ud be to master my own will and temper and go right against my
own pride。 It seems to me now； if I was to find Father at home to…
night； I should behave different； but there’s no knowing—perhaps
nothing ’ud be a lesson to us if it didn’t come too late。 It’s well we
should feel as life’s a reckoning we can’t make twice over； there’s
no real making amends in this world； any more nor you can mend
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a wrong subtraction by doing your addition right。”
This was the key…note to which Adam’s thoughts had
perpetually returned since his father’s death； and the solemn wail
of the funeral psalm was only an influence that brought back the
old thoughts with stronger emphasis。 So was the sermon； which
Mr。 Irwine had chosen with reference to Thias’s funeral。 It spoke
briefly and simply of the words； “In the midst of life we are in
death”—how the present moment is all we can call our own for
works of mercy； of righteous dealing； and of family tenderness。 All
very old truths—but what we thought the oldest truth becomes the
most startling to us in the week when we have looked on the dead
face of one who has made a part of our own lives。 For when men
want to impress us with the effect of a new and wonderfully vivid
light； do they not let it fall on the most familiar objects； that we
may measure its intensity by remembering the former dimness？
Then came the moment of the final blessing； when the forever
sublime words； “The peace