Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-10-14

embark in a profession where you win neces.
sarily be obliged to undergo many hardships
and difficulties, and where a thousand evil
influences, Of which as yet you have no con-
ceptloa will surround You You are a very
singular child, and certainly entertain some
strange ideas; but | have never known you
to be guilty Of falsehood; and now my son
have one request to make Of you, which if YOU
promise to fulfil, more than half Of my care
ard anxiety on your account will be removed.
| My request is this Promise me, that under
all circumstances you win read your bible,
and endeavor to impress its truth upon the
minds oe those with whom you associate. -.
Pledge me your word that you will do this,
and ! ask no more.
Ibid promise and have faithfully kept nv
word, the well worn bihfr which now, as /
write this, lies before me, bears ample testi-
mony.
A year passed away, and terrible acct
accident having deprived me of the
| guardianship of my kind friend and bepefac-
tor, the generous captain with whom /
sailed, | was again thrown among strangers,
and for more than five years | continued to
wander over the earth, a strange mysterious
influence ever at work within me- and over
ruling my better judgment urging me on to
seek for happiness III some remote, far off
land, where man had never been
Still in all my wanderngs, the last earn
est appeal which l had heard my mother
breathe forth in my behalf, seemed to hover
and protect me from the contamination of
vices by which was constantly beset In
all that time never once forgot the promise
which had given to my mother. Wher-
ever | went whatever was my occupation,
that sacred volume my mothers last gift,
was my constant companion.
More than seven years had gone BY since |
left my fathers roof, when was slipwrecked
upon the most inhospuable part of the East
crn coast Of Africa. Five OF the crew besides
myself escaped watery grave. After many
| days of tedious wanderiDgs, and almost snper-
human hardsLips, / became separated from
my companions, and faint with hunger, parch-
! ing with intolerable thirst, and worn out with
travel, flung myself down upon the burn
| ing sand, under the scanty shade Of stunt
cd fig tree to die
thought that the holy influence of my
mothers prayer which had so long shielded
me was gone and was left there to perish
miserably with famine sunk down cxhaus
ted, and languidly drawing my mothers gift
from my bosom and opening it at random
my eye fell upon the 2oth verse of the 9th
chapter of job
In famine he shall redeem thee from death
and in aoar from the poaeer ofthe suord,
On the instant it seemed as if new lift
and vigor had been infused into my veins
and believing il to be an especial act Of hi.
vine providence in my behalf | staggered t
my feet, and took my way across the arid
sands with the renewed energy of hope
In Tess than an hour reached a heauti-
ful stream, the banks Of which were covered
with trees hearing delicious tropical fruits
After shaking my thirst and satisfying my
hunger, ! followed the course of the stream
for perhaps three miles, when I came to q
small native village, the inhabitants Of which
received me with the utmost kindness.
A party of the natives Immediately set ou
in search of my companions, taking will
them supply of water and provisions, Sc
minister the wants of the furnishing sail
ors, in case the search for them should prov,
successful
My companions were found rescued from
death, and brought in safety to the village
and it was my mothers prayer, together will
her last precious gift, which had thus provi
dcntially saved six human beings from ar
awful death.
Again | was engaged in the service of Oh,
: wild rowing tribes ofthc Caucasus, against til,
Russians A most terrible battle had beer
fought, wherein whole Russian army ha,
been defeated, and cut to peices.
Among the prisoners, was fine looking
young English officer who was terribl,
wounded by the Circassian lancers 1t was
evident that he could not recover and O how
my heart bled for him as be lay there on hi,
hard, rude couch, writhng with pain. an,
, talking uneonciously of his mother and tn,
, friends he loved in far off Euglaud
On my second visit to his he'd side, foun,
him lamcnting that he had not bible nor an,
one to pray with him.
sat down beside him, and drawing fortl
my mothers gift, ] read to him for more thai
an hour, and then | would have prayed-bu
| dared not but | remembered my mother
last prayer for me, and | repeated it to thu
! dying officer It's effects upon him was magi
cal, 1t was like pouring oil upon the troub
: led waters
, For several days the young Englishmal
} fingered in the most excruciating agony ; Blu
he was happy in the hope Of a glorious i'm
r mortality. And then he died-and were a
well prepared to meet my God, as was tina
young officer how willingly would die to
night.
1t was my mothers prayer, and my moth
er's bible, that converted that young officer
, and rendered his last moments happy.
!
} had been serving for nearly year ii
the interior of Spain, with the Carlsts, agains
: the imperial troops of the infant Queen, lisa
, bella.
7 In one Of the fierce encounters where tn,
} corps to which belonged was nearly ami
: hilated Twas severely wounded and left Their,
! helpless upon the field Of battle.
The victors had stripped me Of everything
! valuable except my bible, and left me there
to perish.
1t was cold December's day, and | should
soon have persisted had not been relieved by
! a party of wandering gitanos, who had sought