Litchfield enquirer., 1870-01-27


 plainer than words Exc1amations are hushed; each bearded face growsfwhite.
 '' Lem me see. here's Bill and Bob, and Zed, and Jack. Boys. it's Geordie i''~ ~ U
 The men say nothing; they are hard at work. They lift, and push, and haul at the sturdy tree, until at last they succeed in getting from under it the motionless mass of tfesh.l Then slowly and carefully they bear 1t through the dark, dense for est, where the air is burdeIed by the; re- sinous odor of tae pines, ard scarcely a ray of sunlight dickeys through the green ness above. 1a7-Isa va&gHf l1ogE 3ss,s !
 No one pauses to. look at the bruised figure. with it's head hanging helplessly to one side, the brown hair streaming low over the giaastiy face, until the weary patii Is trayersed, and they have borne their burden into the camp and laid 1t gently down. Bob Ellis, who has dabbled in sur gery little, anu is the -Escul' plus of the settlement, makes an examination of the case, the men standing vanxlousIy by. A shlver passes over them as they see the mutilated form and discoloredo body. One leg is twisted on itself, the, bones protrua ding. .-,--.a...-- ---,. Bob started back; his face colorless, his lips white under his moustache. 'sThere's life in him, boys, but it's tough fight he'll have to keep it. Now, men, remem- Der, we're up here in the wilderness with a-dyin' man1on our hands. And, knowin' this, just say in your hearts: Ii my care ken De the means of saving him, he shall be saved.' Now, boys, help me here, two of you; bear a hand gently" u-<3aa a1a Pat Rieks started back, exclaiming: !" He's dying! he's dying! Heaven save his souJ!' ,>S7''' ''7'''~ 3-~ ''@"- .-If
 Bob looked excitedly up. sBoys, if there's 8 Christian man among you, let him go down on hls knees and pray to the Almighty to hev mercy on this poor cree tur. We loved Geordie. boys, but you know. and know, he ain't .tat to die. ;" o5StC . There was a sudden stir, a quiver of ,ex- citement-Geordie's eyes are slowly open. ing. Poor, vacant eyes; no recognition, no brightness in them, only a astrange, dull stare. l& l7 3aH83S1 sgaa antrt a. f.9uz aral
 s" Geordie, mY7 boy, cries Bob, but, the words might as well be breathed to the rude bench on which he lissa '7'& "Aia '.i
 I've seen them as9was dyin, "hsays Pat. chok1ngly. sLll, "and they niyer looked worse nor he. '' "-Aa
 "For Gods sakel stand baok," cried an other voice. "Let him die quietly"
 They shuddered back, those strong -fram- ed, athletic men, some of them weeping like children, and, Bob c falling on, his knees, melts all hear&s with his tpuching prayer for the salvation of this soul, so soon he feared to drift beyond their ken into the awfulness of eternity, away from the light of the world into the rigid fxe1- ness of death. ..A4n T.,, ,.....r P,
 They can scarcely believe thesiilr. senses as +B,casro T 4ye breathes and lives. It seems to their is. ot that he should five. The dread an- gel hovered over him soa closely that the swsep of his sable plumesglarked d the air.. chilled every heart E. But back from the, jaws of the grave he came. .,. Back from the outposts of eternity, into which his soul had driftcl; back to- the, cfaint3 con- sciousness iof5,warm. breathing, precious life, and rough, kindly faces. from whose eyes looked pity, from whose lips issued love. Eid4i3hfiii12 saaQti l eEEt1h E T
 As Bob predicted, he had tough fight for hls life, but he slowly weathsred the sea, lying through long weeks Helpless and suffering.- It was wondeffaliit to tsee1 how, much innate kindiiness WAS }deveiopedy ia those rough men, to many of7Whom oaths were nore familiar than prayers, and who had never taken thought for life, death 2 or the Jnd dgm6nt5 after death. Harsh voices were subued to low whispers ,braWny hands smoothed the clustering hair from ,Geor- dies brow with al touch gentle as 8 moth CTS, cheery words disclalmed the honght of his being tax upon. sn apy. ones fl time and patience. v ."r-1-,..-r,., ,-.1.+-,. A great change had passed over Geor- die, so the men said, earnestly. He was as eheerfufas ever, bore shisgsff ferings meekly, but all the old '..deyil.mag- eare1 of; hls maaler was gone, and a.sweet seriousness undefly all his words and &C., tions. H. had talked plainly with them all. iafi Eve cbeen brought back from, the grave. boys, = he said. s'I ,ve had my poor body maimed, but God has saved my Js3dl,, and my life istHfs hsp ceforth and fofeV9f..'' Theytreeeiyed hlsl wofd s, insali .sineersys 2 .a assii Geqrdle, don't play tue saint, r. said nature like us, only, boys, he's got EsaUjliie AlgAsrl AsA we know for lAudo, boys, it would be good thing if We trusted in Christ, too.' 'a72Od aisAe ,iaByand by thereIcam me a day when Bob Ellis took 2 horse and went through the wilderness across the wild, wind swept prairie to the nearest town from Whence he returnedawith thece easiestsgoing rigohe eould obtain. !, In oouseqaence thereof, one morning Geordie was ly lifted into il. and nearly smothered with buffalo robes, the men crowdiA garound, him to give hiha the last cordial hand. shake and HGod bless you, "Ffor Geordie was going home..s4
 Mrs. Asher, bustling about her work one Saturday Afternoon, qaavsring in her1Iow, sweet voice an old forgotten tune, wassutl- ldealy startled by the appearance of a tall, brenzed man, whilst, leaning on his arm was some one efnaciated,, crippled. One swift glance. and, with a hystericaI sob, she has clasped him in her arms 70 Geordie, my poor boy" s4,,. ,-otg
 He kissed her fondly, smiling out of pure joy at being home again. ooHII ain't quite the same Geordie who left you. utother,,"', pointing to tho twisted limb, but, thank God! I'm home And this is Bob Ellis, mSthsr.l You ceuldn t have ta. |kensbetter care; ofymes5llan Bob has,dhe end Lars friends for tin ttirnetand eeftsy- Mrs Asher, in her Joy and pity, and mix tnFe of feelings, wrang .Bob's hands, ,fepvenuy, until, what withIher cries, t ranks, and kisses of Geordie meanwhile, sne became fairly unintelIigible. The news E-of Geordie's return noised iabroad, andlone day Kate Marvin ran over to the3s sHoyts with the infQrmation. Hetty, swhoawa: mixing cake at the kitchen table, look ut as Kate fiuttared lT. her scarlet cloaI