Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-03-05

after he had already wrestled victorously
with gods and giants. Suffering, in its ex-
tremest form, causes to us the loss Of
our higher consciousness, our light and our
strength IL any one had asked the rest
less wanderer by the fall of TrolIhatta, at
this time, what she was seeking for, she
might have replied-'Myself 7
'Yngvel Yngve ! How is il possible +
was the dark uuceasing thought in Hertha's
soul, which lay there as the coil Of a SER
pcnt. And truth and love, abhorrence and
scorn, alternately attempted to unfold it
in vain. Her thoughts began to be con-
fused, and she dreaded insanity.
IL was moment when everything ap-
peared dark to her. But there came ca
ressing breeze and fnnned her burning tenn
Piles, and made inurmur among the pine
trees Of the rock. Hertha seemed to feel
the caresses of her young sisters, and to
hear their words
DO not forsake us !
One morning she rose and wandered into
the country, in direction opposite to the
fall, the thunder of which nov began TO be
a torment to her. She heard the bells ring
ing for church, and saw the country people
going chnrchward in their holiday attire,
whence she perceived chat it was Sunday.
She followed them to little country church,
at the outskirts Of the forest. 1t was a
simple, but tastefnlly built stone church.
with spacious chancel, at the far end Of
which stood O tall, gilded cruciGx, which
sbone out brightly from the dark back
ground. II resembled that which she had
Seeu in her dream. She stood still The
peasants, in the costume of the country,
filed the church. The clergyman went to
the altar. Herlha could not follow every
word which he said, she merely understood
that he invited all to come to holy-a
consolatary communion. And when the
hymn was sung, % Lamb of God and
when the congregation rose and advanced
TO the altar, Hertha accompanied them,
and bowed her weary head at the foot of
the cross.
The peacefulness of the church, the mys-
tical words which were uttered by the
priest. the mild earnest countenances which
surrounded her, among which many were
elderly, some blind, the sight of the cross,
the thought Of him whose type it was, all
operated forcibly on Hertha's soul and
when the clergyman approached her and
looked at her with an astonished and hesi-
tating glance, which she returned by an
expression of SO much suffering and so earn
est desi e, he involuntarily obeyed the in-
spiration of the moment, certain that he
had now before him human being who
needed the means of grace. Hertha bow
ed her head, and--her tears flowed apace.
A lofty and glorious form stepped be-
tween her and the beloved but guilty man,
who caused her anguish; stepped between
her and the whole world, which now vanish
ed from before her eyes. At His heart, ut
His feet, she laid herself down, her life, her
sorrow, her beloved, bis sin; his and her
own life, everything, in deep and perfect
resignation, and she felt herself to be saw
ed. Like the fainting wanderer of the
desert, she laid herself down at the margin
of the fresh fountain, and drank in new life.
Silent festival Who can tell the hid
den miracles of salvation which, ever since
the hour Of thy institution, thou hast per-
formed, and still performest. The forms of
religion may vary, churches become anti
quated and changed, generations come and
go, but thou, silent, mystical festival, still
remainest, always the same, gathering to-
gether the scattered Aocks, feeding the
soul with the same Heavenly food
When Hertha wandered back through
the sOughing pine-forest towards the fall,
she felt that everything was not lost, that
One remained immOveable, firm, aud stead
fast; one whom she might love and look up
TO- and attach herself to with all her soul
and all her might-the Shepherd and the
Friend of every soul. The falling waters,
the roaring storm, all the disquiet of hu-
man life, they had their time and their ter
mination, but He remained for ever. They
were the means, not the end, because He
was there, and she had been made cogni-
SAINT of nis presence. In the world was
strife, but in Him she could have peace
that she clearly felt. A calm, lofty, love
full resignation possessed her soul, together
with grateful JOY over the change which
she experienced, and the experience which
was her portion.
Such were Hertha's thoughts as she went
hOmeward through the solitary wood, and
in that light which now shone into her soul
all the dark enigmas of life seemed cleared
up. Even the confused, distorted image OF
Yngve became transfgured. Was it not
the doctrine which she heard from his lips,
and which now she comprehended with a
new feeling of its truth 7 Could he indeed
be false--be liar Must not all be lie
rather than this be true? Hertha came
hastily to the determination to put the ques-
tion to himself, and let the truth be judge
between them. First, however, she must
see Rudolph She now felt herself in
condition to benefit him; and again serene
and determined, she resolved on the follow
ing day to continue her journey to Copen-
hagen. She merely required nights rest:
1t was now the seventh night since she had
slept.
This night she slept deeply and soundly.
But the struggle of the soul reacted on the
body, and she swoke in the morning with
terrible headache. She sent for the medical
man. After a little blOOdletting and a seda-
datiye draught, Hertha remained lying
comparatively free from pain. Thus she lay
for the whole day with her eyes closed. and
only now aud then tear which slowly
forced its way through ber dark eye4sshes
I ko. L. IL IL he et