Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-20

lie committed himself into His holy
keeping. Heavenly Father" he mur-
mured from between his parehed and
blackened lips; ait is Try hand which
has sustained me 50 far,-has saved me
from all danger Thou givest food to
the young ravens, and markest the fall
of even the tiny sparrow. None but
Thou can hear me OF help. Hear my
PRAYER Save me, o God save me q
Something Of sweet consolation came
with the utteranee Of the words, and he
laid down to sleep more TRANQUILITY than
he had done for many previous nights.
Yet, it was only to be awakened by a /
new fear. 1t needed no seer to tell him 1
that the fohn, or hot, south wind, was /
sweeping over the glaciers and snow
fields of the high Alps and that the !
rain was falling in torrents, and the enor-
nous blocks Of ice melting, as By the
touch of fire. The cavern he had dug
with infinite labor, was almost breast /
deep with water, and it was rushing IN
with all the swiftness of mountain
torrent. Instantly he was wet to the
skin, and stood almost paralyzed with
terror. Then he breasted his way out
into the chasm but it was only to re-
turn again as quickly as possible. Never
cataract ragged more 6ercely than the
surging waters there. Cutting little
inches in the ice-wall, he climbed be-
vond the reach OF the water, and trem-
blingly awaited his fate. The waves
rose rapidly, higher and higher. He
had climbed until his head rested against
the top of the little cave, and ne could
90 no further. And yet the waters rolled
upward around him. They reached his
waist, surged higher to his breast, erept
to his throat, and despite all his efforts,
began to triekle into his mouth. In an
other moment he would be strangled by
them; his hold would be torn away,
and his body dashed hither and thither
against sharp points Of ice. so God !
save me. save mel" burst from him in
the terrible agony of the moment,-the
moment that lay between him and death.
A noise like thunder,-a shivering
crash, -resounded through the ehasm.
It appeared as if the foundations Of the
world were tottering beneath him. Now,
indeed. he felt that his end was come.
MOI Terror was instantly changed to
rapture. The water rushed out OF the
cavern with the most amazing velocity,
he could descend and stand upon the
bottom without fear How this had
been accomplished, he was forced to
wait until the morning light to deter
mine and, with the first beams, he saw
a greet fssure had been opened3through
which the imprisoned waters had found
their way to the valley below. This
unlookedfor preservation again inspired
him With confidence, and rendered more
firm his trust in God. Through that
tunnel he saw a way to freedom. 1t was
small. to be sure, but he could enlarge
it; and he worked diligently, until his
strength utterly failed. The ibex was
entirely devoured. He had split the
bones and sucked the marrow, and
gnayed them over and over again, to
appease his hunger. For two days he
had not tasted a mersel of food. The
hatchet slipped from his hand when he
eudeavored to strike blow, and he va:
forced TO abandon the undertaking
There was nothing left for him now, but
to die.
Another day passed and now help came
He Law crouched in corner, wishing tina
the end would eome,and that swiftly. Hi
ewes were already filmed, and his hear
beat family. Then a strange nols'
aroused him. He looked alolt and sa7
chamois vainly striving to defend It
self from the attacks of two old yul
lures, that we're striking at it with win
and beak. 1t was an unequal contest
and, at length, the animal, driven {
desperation, attempted to leap the broa
chasm. The effort was a noble one, bu
it failed Of success. The ehamois miSse
its footing, and fell, bruised and helpless
- .i.a--,aa-S, of the starving ms z
. In an instant, his knife was plunged IN
g to its throat, and the warm blood wa
drained by his eager lips. This CAV
i him new life. and he renewed his labo'
1t was almost a hereulesn task, an
e more than once, he fell fainting besid
{, it. But hope was very strong With
him; still, he would utterly have faile'
n had not heaven assisted him.
e Again the fohn was busy at its wor
c of destruction again, the windows
c heaven we're opened; and the ran
;, descended and the floods came, an
accomplished moro in single mgl
n than his hands could have done
e months. With the morning light, }
: crawled through the now large tunne
but when he had reached the outer en-
IS found to his horror, that he was on Il
g top of mighty preeipice. His blo'
ID boiled, his brain was on fire, and
os heart beat as though it would bre'
G. through ribs and flesh. He was, il po
st sible. more desperately imprisoned tn
before. How was ne to get dow
< Through his bewildered mind sudden
le flashed the thought of the skins Of t
lie ibex and the ehamois, and was not lol
y, in making a roge of them. lie tn
r. cut deep hole in the ice, drove de1
lg his alpenstock, fastened one end 70
ID, and swinging himself OF, reached I
nc nc bottom in safety.
| With cry Of JOY and prayer
ut thankfulness, be fastened along the we
Dr. known path and when the bell OF
little chapel that reared its golden or.
N in the Matter Valley, was tOiling for
eT evening prayers, he staggered Lk
OF drunken man into the very midst Of
u, astonished worshippers, even as the yo 70
nd of the good priest was repeating, II
ION is everywhere with me ami eyeryWhe
ng even in the most threatening dangers,
eat voice speaks to me in tones Of comt'
2 M and SAYS, Call upon me IN the day
'he trouble, and l win deliver thee, :
md thou shalt glorify me !'-staggered
oFn ward the altar. to kneel at It, but
Fs fainting into the arms Of his wife
les nursed him again into health, streng
.ne and manhood. =
the Mr. Edwin Booth must lock to
tols Paris has witnessed a dram