Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-08-15


house. But the snow storm had now
reached the Black-moss, and the broad
iine Of light that had lain 10 the direction
of her home, vas soon swallowed up, and
the child was ia utter darkness. She saw
nothing but the flakes of SNOW, iDternina-
bly, intermingled, aud furiouslF waited 10
the air, close TO her head; she heard no
thing bat The wild, fierce, fitfnI howl. The
cold became intense. ard her little feet
and hands we're fast being benumbed into
| insensibilily.
1t is fearful change" muttered the
child to herself, but still she did DOT fear,
for she had been born in a moorland cot
tage, and lived all her days among the
sFsh:ps q the hills. hills e VIVA. vii! be-
come Of the poor sheep" thought She
but still she scarcely thought OF her own
danger, for innocence, and youth, and
| Joy, are slow 10 think Of aught evil befaIl-
ing themselves, and thinking benignly Of
all living things, forget their own fear in
their pity of others sorrow. At last, she
could no longer discern single mark on
the snow, either Of human steps, or OF
sheep or the foot print of Wild
fowl. Suddenly, too, she felt out Of
breath and exhausted--and shedding tears
| for herself al fast sank down 10 the snow.
II was now that her heart began to quake
for fear. She remembered stories Of shep-
herds lost 10 the snow-of mother and
child frozen to death on that very moor
aud, in moment she knew that she was
to die. Bitterly did the poor child
weep, for death was terrible to her. who.
though poor, enjoyed the bright little
world Of youth and innocence. The skies
| of heaven were dearer than she knew to
her-so were the flowers Of earth. She
had been happy at her work-hapPy in
her sleep-happy 10 the kirk on Sabbath.
A thousand thoughts had The solitary
child and in her own heart was spring
Of happiness, pure and undisturbed as any
fount that sparkies unseen all the year
through in some quiet nook among the
pastoral hills. But DOW there was TO be
| an end Of all this--she was to be frozen
TO death--and lie there till the ihaw might
come; and then her father would find her
body, and carry it away to be buried ia
the kirk-yard.
The tears were frozen on her cheeks as
soon as shed and scarcely had her little
hands strength TO clasp themselves togeth-
er, as the thought OF an Overriding Lord
came across her heart. Then, indeed, the
fears of this religious child were claimed,
and she heard, without terror. the plover's
waiing cry, and the deep boom of the
hittern sounding 10 the moss. :" will re-
peat the Lords prayer" And drawing
her plaid more closely around her, she
whispered beneath its Intellectual cover,
6 Our Father which art in Heaven, hal
lowed be thy name; thy kingdom come !;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heav-
en-" Had human aid been within fifty
yards, ii could have been of no avail; eye
could not see her; ear could not bear her
in MAT bowling darkness. But that low
prayer was heard in the centre of eternity !;
and that little sinless child was lying 10 the
snow, beneath the alI-seeiug eye of God.
The maideB having prayed TO her father
in Heaven, then thought of her father o.
earth. Alas they were not far separated !
/ The father was lying but short distance
/ from his child he too had sunk down in
the drifting snow after having 10 less
than an hour, exhausted all the strength
of fear, pity, hope, despair, and resignation.
that could rise in fathers heart, blindly
seeking TO rescue his only child from death.
thinking that one desperate exertion might
enable them 10 perish in each others arms
There they lay, within stones throw Of
each other, while huge snow drift was
every moment piling itself up into more
|, insurmountabe barrier between the dying
parent aud his dying child.
Il There was all this while blazing fire
10 the cottage; white spread table; aud
/, beds prepared for the family 10 lie down
in peace. Yet was she who sat therein
more to be pitied than the old man aud the
! child stretched upon the snow. 81 will
not go to seek them; that would be tempt
ing Providence, aud wilfully putting out
the lamp Of life. No! will abide here,
j and pray for their souls!' Then, as she
knelt down, looked she at the useless fire
burning away so cheerfully, when all she
loved might be dying Of cold and unable
to bear the thought, she shrieked out a
prayer, as if she might pierce the sky up
II to the very throqe OF God, and send with
| il her own miserable soul TO plead before
him for the deliverance Of her child and
husband. She then fell down 10 blessed for
getfulness of all trouble, 10 the midst of the
solitary cheerfulness ofthat bright burning
Il hearth; and the bible which she had been
trying to read 10 the pauses Of her agony,
remained clasped in her hands.
4 Hannah Lee had been servant for
!. more than six months and il was not 10