Part 25 (2/2)
”Why, bless me soul, Piggy Morris! You're t' last man i' t' wolld 'at ah sud expect te say that. Ah didn't think 'at you'd neea mair sense then te lissen te sitch an aud wife's teeale as that.”
”Why, I thought so myself,” said Morris, in a tone of discontent at having to succ.u.mb to the general belief. ”But it isn't 'listenin',' as you say. It's _seein'_; and 'seein's believin',' all the world round.
I tell you that I saw it last night about twelve o'clock, and I've not got over it yet, and never shall, I doubt, for I was frightened out of my seven senses.”
”Ha, ha! Ah fancy you must ha'e left all seven on 'em at yam. Ah's of opinion 'at it's only fooaks 'at's letten their wits gan wool-getherin' 'at sees that sooart o' cattle. Ah've been up an' doon this neighbourhood for weel-nigh seventy year, an' aud Balaam there's been wi' ma' meeast o' t' tahme; an' ah've niwer seen nowt na wa.r.s.e then him, an' he's niwer seen nowt mair awful then me. Balaam! hez thoo ivver seen a boggle?”
Whatever may have been the cause of the coincidence, it is true that, at that moment, Balaam was taken with one of those odd cantrips peculiar to his tribe. He c.o.c.ked his ears, set his tail on end, and giving vent to a loud and continuous hee-ho that made the welkin ring, he galloped round and round, as if in vigorous protest against the sweeping scepticism of his matter-of-fact proprietor.
”There,” said Piggy Morris, with a sarcastic grin, ”even your donkey rebukes your unreasonable want of faith, and looks for all the world as though he saw a ghost this minute.”
”Why,” said Adam laughing, ”he _diz_ seeam te differ fre' ma' in his judgment; but what can yo' expect frev a donkey? Mebbe,” and this with a humorous twinkle in his eye, ”it's gi'en te ha.s.ses te see ghausts an' te donkeys te beleeave in 'em; but I isn't gannin' te pin mah faith te what they can testify, you may depend on't.”
Piggy Morris was very irate at the uncomplimentary imputation.
”Donkeys here or donkeys there,” said he, ”I tell you that I went o'
purpose to see for myself, because I would not believe what folks said.”
”Why, if yo went te leeak for it, it isn't mitch wunder 'at yo' fun'
it. It was i' ye'r fancy an' ye'r een afoore yo' went. An' as yo'
teeak it wi' yo', it wad ha'e been a wunder if yo' hadn't catch'd a glint on't. Maister Morris! if yo' wad n.o.bbut gi'e ye'r heart te G.o.d, that'll lay all t' ghausts i' t' wolld i' t' Rid Sea!”
”Nonsense,” said Piggy Morris, who did not mind the practical turn the conversation was taking. Mounting his cart, he drove off to Kesterton Market to dispose of his porkers, and to tell his nocturnal adventures to more credulous hearers in the infragrant bar-room of the Cowley Arms.
Adam Olliver picked up his slas.h.i.+ng-knife and hedging-gloves, and mounting that disciple of spiritualism, his four-footed retainer, he cantered homeward, saying,--
”Balaam! If there is a ghaust, as thoo seeams te think, thoo an' me mun see it, an' ah promise tha' 'at if thoo dizn't run away, ah weean't, an' we'll hev a crack o' talk wi' Sister Agatha's ghaust.”
O, Adam Olliver! are you not aware that there are things between heaven and earth not dreamt of in your philosophy? Both you and Balaam will see the ”sight horrific,” before many days are over, and when that great event transpires, then, as the immortaliser of John Gilpin says, ”May I be there to see!”
CHAPTER x.x.xII
PIGGY MORRIS HEARS A ”KNOCK AT THE DOOR.”
”The specious sermons of a learned man Are little else but flashes in the pan; The mere haranguing upon (what they call) Morality is powder without ball; But he who preaches with a Christian grace, Fires at our vices, and the shot takes place.”
_John Byrom._
The service at the malt-kiln in Midden Harbour continued to be attended with results most gratifying to the little band who had made so bold a raid on territory long held by the devil in undisputed peace. One Sunday evening the rude platform-pulpit was occupied by Nathan Blyth, who, as my readers know, was a very effective local preacher. The place was well filled by an eager but decorous crowd.
Few of the residents in Midden Harbour were absent from the service, and a goodly number of people from the higher part of the village, and even from other places, had a.s.sembled to hear ”the word of the Lord.”
There were many there who, a little while ago, were little better, either in habits or appearance, than the Gadarene demoniac, who were now, thanks to the Great Miracle-worker, ”sitting clothed, and in their right mind.” Nathan Blyth, as a preacher, was in great request at Midden Harbour, and it is no disparagement of the itinerant preachers to say that Nathan was, on the whole, and before that audience, even more popular than they. On the present occasion, Nathan was speaking to a ”people prepared of the Lord,” to expect in simple trust and confidence the manifestations of the saving power of G.o.d. At the further end of the malt-kiln sat Piggy Morris, who had hitherto apparently withstood the gracious influences around him. He was not, however, by any means contented or at ease. The combined influence of his great favourite, Lucy Blyth, his son John's remarkable conversion and deliverance, the wise and well-timed visits of Mr. Clayton, the earnest and honest activity of Mr. Mitch.e.l.l, as well as the quiet influence of his own G.o.dly daughter, had all conspired to make Piggy Morris out of love with himself. The wonderful revival, too, though it had not as yet seemed to lay much hold on him, had nevertheless brought messages and impressions that rendered him unhappy and discontented with himself, and at this stage, with everybody else; not at all an uncommon state of things this, in those who are not far from the kingdom of G.o.d.
Nathan Blyth preached a most touching and effective sermon from the words, ”Behold, I stand at the door and knock!” ”You see,” he said, ”that the Lord is outside the sinner's heart! He dwells in the bosom of the Father, and is His glory and delight. He dwells in the angels, and fills them with His glory! He dwells in the happy saints in heaven, and their bliss is complete. He dwells in the heart of every Christian believer here, and they are happy in His love. Everybody is happy who has Jesus in his heart. He doesn't dwell in the hearts of devils, and their misery is complete. Sinner! He does not dwell in your heart, and you are ripening for the same ruin. You are hastening to that dark place where the doors can never be opened inward to admit Him, or outward to release you from the terrors of the second death.
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