Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1856-02-14

ed her hands and raised her moist eyes toward
heaven, and Ferdinand folded his little hands
also, and looked upward, and the bright moon
shone upon mother and child.
And the mother began to pray, and the boy
repeated every word after her.
Great Father in Heaven she said, 'look
down upon poor mother and her child
poor widow and poor orphan raise their eyes
TO thee. We are in great need, and have no
longer any refuge upon the earth. But thou
"Call upon me in the day of thy trouble and
will deliver thee" Oh, TO thee, we pray.
Thrust us not forth from this dwelling-take
not from poor orphan his only little inheri-
tance. Or, if in thy mysterious, but still most
wise and benevolent purposes, thou hast 9TH
erwise decreed-prepare for us resting place
upon the wide, vas; earth; oh, pour this con-
ISOLATION into our hearts, lest they break as we
wander forth, and from youder hill turn 40 look
for the last time upon our home Z
Sobs interrupted her-weeping. she gazed
towards heaven, and was SILENT The boy,
who yet stood with folded hands, suddenly
exclaimed, with out-stretched finger
Mother, look what is that Yonder
moves light. Yonder flies little star
Look, there it hurries by the window Oh,
see, now ii comes in. How bright and beau
tiful it shines Look, only look, 1t has
greenish light! 1t is almost as. beautiful as
the evening star. Now ii moves along the
ceiling. That is wonderful =
1t is FREELY, dear Ferdinand = said his
mother. In the day time it is small and
unsightly insect, but In the night it gives out
a most beautiful light
May catch il = said the boy. will it
not hurt me. and will not the light burn me =
1t will not burn thee, said his mother, and
laughed, while the tears still streamed down
her cheeks Catch it and examine it closer.
1t is one Of the wonders of Gods almighty
power
The boy, entirely forgetful of his sorrow,
at once tried TO catch the sparkling freely,
now on the t1oo,, now under the chair.
All, me, what pity cried the boy, for
just as he stretched out his hand to grasp the
bright insect, it flew behind the great chest
that stood against the wall. He looked under
the chest.
see it plainly enough he said there it
is close against the wall and the white wall
and the floor, and every bit of dust here i;
shines as if the moon shone upon it, but can
not reach it. My arm is not long enough
Have patience, said his mother, 1t will
soon come out again
The boy waited a little while, then came to
his mother, and said, with a soft, impluring
voice
Mother, do you get it out for me, or move
the chest little from the wall, and can easi-
ly catch it,
The mother rose, moved the chest from the
wall and the boy took the quiet FREELY, exam
ined it in the hollow of his liltle hand, and
was delighted with it.
But his mothers attention was attracted by
a different object. As she moved the chest,
something which had stuck between it and
the wall, fell upon the floor. She uttered
loud cry as she picked it up.
'AhI' she exclaimed, now all our trouble
is over. That is last years account book,
which have so long looked for in vain |
thought that il had been destroyed as of no
value by strangers, perhaps, while lay sense
less during my illness Now it can be shown
that thy father paid the money that they de-
mand of US. Who would have thought that
the account book stuck behind the great chest
which we took with the cottage, and which
has not been moved since we bought it =
She at once lighted a lamp, and turned over
the leaves of an account book, while tears of
joy sparkled in her eyes. Everything was
correctly put down-the sum which her de-
ceased husband owed of the three hundred
crowns at the beginning of the year, and what
he had paid off in money and work. Below
stood the following lines, written in old Mey-
er's own hand
| have now settled accounts with James
Bloom to-day, (St. Martins day.) and he now
owes me fifty CROWNS
The mother struck her hands together with
joy, embraced hes child, and exclaimed with
delight
'Oh, Ferdinand, give thanks to God for
now we need not leave home now we can
remain in our cottage
And was the cause, was not, mother .
said the little fellow. If | had not begged
you 10 move the chest, you never would have
found the book. 1t might have stuck there
for hundred years
The mother stood for a while in silent as
tonishment, and then said
Oh! my child. it was Gods doings.
feel thrill of awe and reverence when | re-
fleet upon 1t. Look, as we both prayed and
wept' there came the sparkling FREELY, and
pointed out the spot where this book was con-
cealed. Yes, truly, Gods hand is seen in all
things, however trifing. Nothing comes by
chance. Even the hairs of our head are num-
bered; not one of them falls to the ground
without his knowledge. Remember this for
thy life-dolng, and put the trust in him, es-
III