I went. He was viewing his farm. It was a smiling season. The luxuriant foliage of nature was never more picturesque. The wild birds were chanting their melodious sonnets, and the lowing herds were grazing on the fertile field. When I approached him, he was meditating upon the probable income of his estate. I was not without hope of making an impression favorable to humanity. I was aided by a near relative of the suffering man. We both aimed instantaneously our power to make him feel a sympathy for the distressed. I saw he was impressed with our wish, and he turned around as if to go to the cottage; but as he turned, he said to himself, “Why should I go there; this world is full of misery. There is yonder city; what could I do to remove the ills of that great metropolis? It is the misfortune of some to be poor, and what is their misfortune is not my fault.”
“What can we do?” said my assistant.
“We will still do our duty,” I replied. “If you will act as you can to impress his mind with sympathy, I will aid his conscientiousness to go with us.”
“Even so,” said he.
We continued our work till he said, “On one account, I will go and see him. He has been faithful unto me, in many things, and I will not now be ungrateful for his services.” So saying, he went to the cottage. On entering it, he was met by the wife of the frantic man, who said:
“Dear man, I am distracted with trouble. My God! what shall I do? He is insane, and we have to watch him every moment. Last night he was determined to kill me. He said we would not receive religion, and God had commanded him to kill us. Oh! what can we do,” she cried, piteously.
“I think I would send for the minister,” said he; “it is not possible he can live long in such a state. Perhaps, he might afford him relief by preparing his soul for death.”
“Would it not be better to get a doctor, my lord?”
“It is of no use to get a physician now; it is too late: To-morrow will end all his troubles,” replied the landlord.
“Oh, dear me!” sighed the wife; “and I would to God it might end mine; but here are our dear children; who will care for them when death has ruined our hopes?”