The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-02-02

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long distance from her home but
one day she returned with her face
more flushed than usual, and standing
in front of her fathers portrait, she ex-
claimed, ooh how like it wasp
"What are you speaking of, Ella p
asked her mother.
GAS | was coming home, mother, /
saw gentleman who looked so much
like poor father. And he kept his eye
on me till had passed him."
"Who could it be, / wonder Where
did you see him Ella %
CAT the corner of the avenue, oppo-
site our academy. He was in car
riage, and the horses-there were two
stood quite still, as they had been
standing long while. He looked at
all the girls as they came out, but at
me, fancied, more than the rest"
1t was only your Imagination my
dear, said the mother quietly, though
her heart was strangely stirred.
But, indeed, mother, he looked so
much like fathers portraity you can't think
how exact it was like! only he was
more portly, and not as fair. But he
had the same color in his check"
Helen Remington's heart beat faster
but it was not because of hopes or
fears. No-the never-to- o-be-forgotten
scene Of that last night came up so viv-
idly before her, that low cry of an
guish escaped her lips, and she hurried
from the room.
The next day Ella came home with a
new story. The stranger who was so
much like her father, had visited the
school, and oonversed with the teacher,
who, at his request had sent home a
a small sealed note by her. Ella was
very pale and trembled as her mother
opened the mystic paper. No sooner
had Mrs. Remington glanced at the
handwriting than all consciousness left
her, and she fell back into a fainting
fit. Ella, frightened, and not knowing
what to do, ran for the nearest neigh
Dor, and in short time her mothers
room was filled with sympathizing
though inconsiderate friends.
"The paper, child, the note," were
the first words the mother uttered when
she came to consciousness. BLESSED
note-he is not dead, then. l did not
kill him. l am not a murderer. See
here is his handwriting!' 20
"MY DEAR WIFE:-I am no longer
a drunkard-will you receive me back
to your love, now that l have conquered
myself? Most humbly do 1 ask this
boon, conscious that | do not deserve
it-but | promise that in time to come,
| viii be faithful, loving, temperate
husband to you, God helping me-"
At that moment the door bell rang.
Ella ran into the room where the pale
mother sat- There were tears on her
cheeks as she cried:
Mother-he has come-my father,
whom we all thought dead-he wants
to see you."
Leaning on the arm of her daughter
the repentant, long suffering wife tot
tered down stairs he heard the step
sprang impatiently forth-and wife
and daughter were clasped to his bos-
ON.
"Have You forgiven me, Helen.?"
"Have you forgiven me % was the
reply, l sent you from me with cruel
words no Christian should utter. 0,
my husband that this has resulted in
mercy, is of Gods most loving kind
ness alone. | have died thousand
deaths since thought we buried you
after the waves had given you up.
Can you ever forget my cruel and un-
christian words %
"Freely, dear Helen, and only won
der how it was possible you bore with
me so long. Most freely, since it has
led to my reformation. God be praised
i am slave no longer. You need
never fear that l shall fall again into
that accursed sin-for have, as I trust
placed myself under the powerful Pro-
tector-even under the care and guard
ianship of our Lord Jesus Christ"
"But where have you been all this
time father?" asked Ella, her gentle
eyes shining with happiness"
"In foreign land. In the first heat
of resentment, walked to the city.
/ did not reach it till near morning, and
there finding an old sea captain, a
friend of mind ready to sail for China,
/ recklessly took passage with him, as
he had often importuned me to do.
Once out upon the great ocean, leaving
home as | thought forever, reason came
to me. began to reflect upon my past
life, and could see nothing but crime
against society, my wife and family,
and my God. There l made resolve
that with help from on high, 1 would
become the mar you once thought me,
Helen-that would never return till
had conquered myself. Many dangers
awaited me, but passed through them
all. / went to a golden country, and
while there alone, wretched, sick and
miserable, l found great gift that has
made me what / am--the gift of re-
demption through our Savior. Now,
will make home happy. Here will I
erect an altar of praise and thanksgiv-
ing to Him who has so wonderfully
kept and returned me to YOU"
The whole village was in an uproar
as the news spread. Countless conjec-
lures arose as to whose was the body
they had found, but the identity was
never established. Henry Remington
was welcomed as one from the dead.
So flowers blossomed once again along
the path of her who had been that