Litchfield enquirer., 1864-11-10
die if this dreadful incubus is not removed

die if this dreadful incubus is not remove,
 shortly" *.g y.,.f,,..s,..... I All was now confusion the .tea-table de serted, the meal scarcely tasted; and m
 friends, alarmed as much at my looks as a
 my words, were as anxious to hurry me of a
 they had before been to detain me. To m
 those terrible moments seemed hours, yet an assured that no more than half an hour elapse,
 from the time my fears first found expressiol
 before we Were on the road towards home.
 horse somewhat noted for feetness was befor
 him, and with only two in the cutter-the res stald to the concert, and made Mr. A
 promise that if nothing had happened, h,
 would retuin-went over the road at a rapie pace. l knew from the frequent repetition O
 g peculiar signal that the beast was beins furged to his best, yet grew sick with impa tience aethe restraint. 1T wanted to fy, y Al lthis time my fears had taken no definite shape Ionly knew that the child was in danger, and
 felt impelled to hurry to the rescue. Ouly
 once was that silence broken in that fhree
 mile journey, and that was when, or. reaching an emnence from which tie house was in full
 view, saia. "Thank God, the house isn't on fe!'
 That was my own thought" said Mir. A; but there was no slackcnug of speed On reaching home cheerful light was glmmer- ing from Mrs. E-s window. Before the vehicle had fairly stopp-l we were clear of it, aud opening the door sulI la the sane breath, hcIcs EsidieI"
 |" Eddie? why, lie was h"re :, little while ago. wsrc.l Mr.. i,-- l,!,;, suulI,, striving to dissipate the ala;ii she saw wri,t.n un ou. conntenanees. H., ate supper wlh the chil-- irrn, and played awhile .i marbles th n spoke of Libby Rose having a new p.cturr book, ,.;nd that he wanted to see it, You il find him Over tll. re. l,a.. FU
 With swift steps Mr. \. crossed the street to the place menlioned, but returned with " He $ not been there." ' = ...
 EddIe was remarkably fond of skating, and my next thought was that he had been tenpted to disobedience.
 said calmly, i've will go to the pond." was perfectly collected ; 1 could have worked all night without fatigue with the nerves in that state of tension.
 But Mr. said, ," No, you must go and lie down. Eddie is sat. enough somewhere about the village. IlI-go and find him." But there was nothing in tue tone as in the words to re- assure me.
 As he spoke he crossed the nall to our own room, and turned the knob. Tie door was locked. What conld that mean? Eidie was either iu the inside or had taken the key away with him. Mir. A. rau around to a window with broken spring which could be opened from the outside. It went up with clang, but d dense volume of smoke drove me back. After an instant another attempt was made, and thls time on lounge directly under. the window, he stumbled on tue insensibIe form ef little Edde snolhered in smoke. Limp and apparently liteless he was borne into the fresh, Colt air, and after some rough handling re stored to consciousness.
 Fr'nn.that hour think have known how Abraham felt when he Tilted Isaac from the altar unlarmed in obe,!i.,ncs to the com .land of the angel of the Lord. Tru., 1 had been .bjec ed to 10 such ni,l pi strength and f.i'n; ny father kncw l would have shruuk utterly bctore 1t; yet, if it Was not d similar messenger that whispelei lo me iu the mid>, "i that gay party an hour previous, l have no Mis,, to b. convlnced of i:. and were the books placed n my hands whch knew had power to rob me ot this Sweet belief, w ald never up"n them.
 E,die saii. on returning from school. he m ,e d good fire. and as tile wood Was SNOWY, tn ught he would put it in the oven to dry sunrthing he had revcr dune bef,ro Then on leaving Mrs. Els roonl he wu,.t for an ap l,le before going to see Libby Roses picture book. and it scemed 60 nice and warm he thought he woul,! lay down awhile. lie could give no explanation l. to wh t prompted hun 10 lock tue door; it Was the first aud last time but this would have male no difference in the result. "r no oie w,ui we discovered the smoke ln ,iu.. to save his life. The wood in the stove was burned to ashes but as the doo:s weis clossd there was no danger of falling em- bers setting the house on fire; and had we stayed to the concert. everything would have been as when We left, except that little Eddie's voice would never more have made music for our ears. Every uns said that with delay of five minutes VIC should have been too lte.-I Many years have passed since then, yet now, when ,he lamp of faith burns dim and God amd His prnmisas srrms great way off | have only to gu back to this-th. tisst the last, and only manifestation of this nature, to feel that 'i As father careth for his children, so careth He for ns.' '' Deliver us from evil, for thine is the power. Is, no merc iotnl.ntY, but words preg nant with ule.Ains. .e ...5