The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-09-21

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lost. In the nearest villages all their in
quiries were fruitless; and they could nc
90 back, for war and all its horrors wer
every moment coming nearer: they wer
forced to 60 forward, and, in doing SC
probably went farther from the direction
their servant had taken; but no choic
was left. We must now leave them, com
mending them to that Almighty Comfor
ter, who is rich in mercy to all that cal
upon him. while we return to Lucowiza
On what a slender thread, to human
eyes, often hangs human life Tha
infant in the ark of bulruShes, on tn,
banks of the Nile-to how many accidents
was he exposed! and yet to what glori
Gus career was he destined! That little
child, who alone of all his family was for
gotten when the house was on fire, ant
/ lhcn was suddenly rescued from the flames
and became a distinguished and success
full laborer in the service of Ckrist-or
what mere hair did his life hang! Bu
along with these fine threads and hairs
are interviewer other invisible ones, Of
heavenly texture and divinely strong
Holy angels are employed in protecting
and reScuing those little ones on whose
service they are sent forth; and hence it
comes to pass that their lives are so often
preserved in the most wonderful manner,
over whom the Keeper of Israel and his
hosts hold watch. You have noticed the
incidents l have told you, but how they
came about you cannot even guess; listen,
tL-n, while proceed.
a mile from Lucowiza, farther inland
lies village, the name of which [ Go not
know; but would the name Of Bohemian
village signify to you? This village also
had been visited by the calam;ties of war:
part of it was burnt; the houses that we're
left standing had been plundcred, and the
fields around lay desolate. Unfortunate
ly it was just harvest time, the corn was
cut, the sbea7es were standing bound in
the fields; but, ere the reapers had time
to fetch them home, another reaper came,
who, with an invisible sickle, cut down
the reapcrs themselves, and many more
besides. I need not tell you his name,
but you will perhaps be reminded of the
words of the psalmist, In the morning
they are like grass which groweth up
In the morning it fourisheth and grow
eth up; in the evening it is cut down and
withercth.
The hostile bands came rushing on;
and where yesterday dwelt peace, pros
perity, and hope, was TO be seen to-day
the grim form of desolation, which the
few who survived beheld with terror and
dismay. On the following morning, when
the black cloud of war had rolled over
the borders, a countryman, whose cottage
had escaped the flames, went out into his
cornfelds to see whether he could find a
sheaf or two to carry home. A few where
still standing; but, looking between them,
he saw, to his great astonishment, what
he had neither sought for nor expected
child about two years old fast asleep
1t seemed as if an angel had laid it there;
for such happy smile played over the
features of the little sleeper that you
might imagine it was dreaming Jacobs
dream over again. TIE good country
man could not take his eyes off that little
smiling face; be was unwilling to wake
it, but at last it awoke Of itself Now,
indeed, as you might expect, the happy
smile was gone, for the child no longer
saw an.angel, but strange unknown old
man; over its head was the widespread
blue vault Of the sky, and near it, instead
Of the white pillow Of its cradle, the rough
ground, with long stubble and a few
sheaves. 1t called for its mother and
Theresa; and when neither of them ap-
peared, little cloud began to gather on
its brow, and the drops trickled down its
rosy checks. The man took it up in his
arms, stroking and soothing it as well as
be knew how; then, leaving the sheaves
for which be had come thither, carried
the child home. On the way; doubt "a
rose in bis mind whether his wife would
feel as kindly towards the little one as he
did himself but No. be said, 'it has long
heen a source Of sorrow to her that we
have had no more children since those
whose bed death has made in the church
yard; she will be glad to have our loss
made up in this way Apd so itproVed.
The news that some sheaYes still rem ain
ed gave her joU but she was more re-
joiced at the living present that Gods
hand had bestowed; and, when the good
woman fetched from their back garden q
handful of strawberries, the cloud on the
little weeper's brow soon dispersed; and,
thoug it often called for father, mother,
and Theresa, yet by degrees it became
attached to its foster-parents, who with
tender love sought to make up the loss Of
its home to the best of their power. How
the child came among the sheaves,-
whether its faithful nurse had been shot,
and her forlorn little charge had wand
cred by itself into the cornfelds; or by
what other means it was brought there,
they could not tell. The inhabitants
of Lucowiza had left the place, and the
greater part of them never returned.
The seven years war had just begun,
and, of course, for some time, the COM
munication between one place and anoth-