Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-18

grasp that hope which il had elutehed In des,
pair. A voice whispered, God. one looked
round, expecting to see an angel-but nothing
moved except q rotten branch, that, under lis
own weight, broke off from the crumoh"s
rock. Her eye, by some secret sympatny Of
her soul with The inanimate object, watched
its fall; and it seemed to stop, not lar on, on
platform. Her child was bound WITHIN FER
bosom-she remembered not how or when-
but it was safe; and scarcely daring 10 open
her eyes, she slid down the shelving rocks ana
found herself on small piece OF hrm root
bound soil, with the tops Of bushes appearing
below. With fingers suddenly strengthened
into the power Of iron, she swung herself down
by briar. and broom, and heather, and dwarf
bi,ch. There, loosened stone lept over
ledge and no sound was heard, so profound
was its fall There, the shingle rattied down
the screes, and she hesi,ated not to follow
Her feet bounded against the huge stone 'hat
stopped them, but she felt no pain. Her BODY
was callous as the cliff Steep as the wall OF
a house was now the side OF the preclpice.
But i, was matted with ivy centuries od-long
ago dead, and without single green ieai out
with thousands Of arm-,hick stems petrlhed
into the rock, and covering it as with trellice
She bound her baby TO her neck, and with
hands and feet chung 10 that fearful ladder
Turning round her head and looking down, 10!
the whole population of the parish-so great
was the multitude, on their knees! and hush,
the voice of psalms hymn breathing the
spirit Of one united prayer! Sad and solemn
was the strain, blu, nothing dirge-like, breath
ing not Of death but deIiverance. Often had
she sung that tune, perhaps the very words,
but them she heard not--n her own hut she
and her mother--or in the kirk, along with all
the congregation An unseen hand seemed
fastening her fingers 10 the ribs of ivy, and in
sudden inspiration, believing that her life was
10 be saved, she became almost as fearless as
if she had been changed into winged crea-
ture. Again her feet touched stones and earth;
the psalm was hushed; but a tremulous sob
bling voice was close beside her, and 10! she
goat, with Two little kids at her feet! wild
heights thought she, do these creatures climb
but the dam will lead down her kids by The
easiest paths for oh, even in the brute creatures
what is the holy power Of mothers Lowell
and turning round her head, she kissed her
sleeping baby, and for the first time she wep'
| Overhead frowned the front of the precipicc,
never touched before by human hand or foot
No one had ever dreamt of scaling it, and the
Golden Eagles knew that well, in their instinct,
as, before they built their eyrie, they had brush
ed il with their wings. But all the rest OF this
mart of the mountain side, though Scared, and
scanned, and chasmed, was yet aceessible-and
more than one person in the parish had reached
the bottom of the G!ead's Cliff Many were
now attempting it-and ere this cautious mo-
Their had followed her dumb guides hundred
wards, though among dangers that, although
| Fyy he ctr art
yersed by her without shndder, the head Of
""v-'''." appeared, and then the head Of anoth
er, and eh~-L----4L-- -L-i-L-a:----I- hal
and her child IA safety, into the care of their
fellow creatures. Not a word was spoken
eyes said enough; she hushed her friends with
her hands; and with uplifted eyes pointed to
the guides sent to her by Heaven. Small green
plots where those creatures nibble the wild
flowers, became now more frequent-trodden
lines, almost as easy as sheep paths, showed
that the dam had not led her young into dan.
ger; and now the brushwood dwindled away
INTO struggling SHRUBS, and the party stood on
lltlle eminence above the stream, and forming
part OF the strath.
| There had been trouble and agitation, much
sobbing, and many tears among the multitude,
while the mother was scaling the cifs-sub-
| lime was the shout that echoed afar the mo-
| meDt she reached the eyrie-thcn had succeed
ed silence as deep as death, in little while
arose that hymning prayer, succeeded by mute
supple ation--the wildness Of thankful and con-
gra,ulatory JOY had next its sway; and now
that her salvation was sure, the great crowd
rustled like awinf-swept wood. And for whose
sake was all this alienation Of agony: A poor
humble creature, unknown 10 many even by
name; one who had but few friends, nor wished
for more, contented to work all day, here, there,
anywhere, that she might be able to support
her aged mother and her little child; and who
on Sabbath took her seat in an obscure pew,
set apart for paupers, in the kirk!
Pail back and give her fresh air" said the
old minister Of the parish; and the circle of
close faces widened round her lying as in
death. Gle me the bonny bit BARN into my
arms, cried first one mother and then another
and it was tendery handed round the circle of
kisses, many of the snooded maidens bathing
its face in tears. There's no single scratch
about the puir innocent, for The Eagle you see
maus hae stuck its ,alons into the lang claes
and the shawl. Blia' bin mann they be who
see not the finger O. God in this thing!'
Hannah started up from her swoon and look
ing wildly round, cried, ooh! the Bird-the
Bird the Eagle-the Eagle! The Eagle has