Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-11-03

u steep ulll ltl NUN tNiilhoAioH lh-
TO the sage bush, without the power to rise. IN
bucklng my belt. as was my custom, soon tell
asleep. | have no idea of the time | slept, but
upon awaking | fastened my belt scrambled
to my feet, and pursued my Journey. AS mght
drew on selected camping place, gathered
wood into Il heap, and felt for my lens to pro-
cure fire. TWAS gone. If the earth had yaWn-
ed to swallow me / could not have been more
terrified. The only chance for life was lost The
last hope had fed. seemed to feel the grim
messenger who had been SO long pursuing me
knocking at the portals of my heart us | lay
down by the side of the wood pile, and covered
myself with limbs and sage brush, with tine
dreadful conviction that my struggle for lie
was over and that should rise no more. The
hoodgates OF misery seemed now to DC opened,
and it rushed in living tide upon my soul. with
the rapiditv of ginning, ran over every event
of my life Thoughts doubled and trebled
upon me, until saw as i'm vision, the entire
past of my existence. 1t was all before me, us
il painted with sunbeam, and all seemingly
faded like the phantOms of vivid dream.
As calmnesS returned, reason resumed her
empire. Fortunately the weather was comfort
able. | summoned all The powers of my mem
ory thought over every foot of the days travel,
and concluded that the glass must have become
detached from my belt while sleeping. Five
long miles over the hill must he rctraced to re-
gam it, There was no alternative, aud before
daylight hal staggered over half The distance.
| found the lens on the spot where had slept.
No incident of my journey brought with it more
Of joy and relief.
Returning to the camp of the previous night,
lighted the pile | had prepared and lay down
for night of rest. 1t was very cold, and TO-
wards morning commenced showing. With
difficulty Kept the fire alive. Sleep was inn
possible. When daylight came, was i'm
pressed with the idea that ! must 90 on despite
the storm. flash-mOmentary but vivid
came over me- that | should be saved Snatch
inp 81 Iighfp1 brand started thrOuUh thp storm.
In the afternoon the storm abated and the sun
shone at intervals. Coming TO Il small cump of
trees, | set to work to prepare a camp
laid the brand down which | had preserved
with 50 much care, to pick up few dry sticks
with which to feed il, until | could collect wood
for a camp fire and in the few minutes thus en-
ployed it expired. sought to revive it, but
every spark was gone. Clouds ohscurcd the
sun, now near the horizon, and the prospect of
another night of exposure without fire became
iearlully imminent. | sat down with my lens
and the last remaining piece Of touchwood
possessed to catch CLEAN of sunshine, feeling
tina: my life depended on it, In a few moments
the cloud passed, and with trembling hands |
presented the little disk TO the face of the glow
ing luminary. Quiyering with excitement lest
a sudden cloud should interpose, moment
passed before | could hold the lens steadily
enough to concentrate Il burning focus. AT
length it came rhe little thread of smoke
curled gracefully upward from the Heaven
lighted spark, which, few minutes afterward,
diffused with warmth and comfort my desolaTc
lodgings.
resumed my Journey the next morning, with
the belief that should make no more fires with
my lens. must save brand or perish. The
day was raw and guSty; an east wind, charged
with storm, penetrated my nerves with Irritating
keennesS. After walking a few miles the storm
came on, and a GOODNESS unlike any other had
ever felt seized me. 1t entered all my bones. |
otfpuDtn1 to huil1 a flp Dut pOulU NOT make il
burn. Selling brand, | stumbled blindly on,
stopping within the shadow Of every rock and
clump to renew energy for final conflict for
life. A solemn conviction that death was near;
that at each pause made my limbs would re-
fuse further service, and that should sink help
less and dying in my path, overwhelmed me
with terror. Amid all this tumult OF the mind,
felt that had done all that man could do. |
knew that in two or three days more could
effect my deliverance, and derived no little sat
islaction from the fact that, as | was now in the
broad trail, my remains would be found, and
my friends relieved of doubt as to my Fate.
Once only the thought flashed across my mind
that | could be saved, and seemed to hear
whispered command to Struggle on Cropping
acng the side of the hill, became suddenly
sensible of a sharp reflection, as of FURNISHED
steel. Looking up through hall-closed eyes two
rough but kindly faces met my gaze.
Are you Mr. EyertsP
yes. All that is left of him.
'We have come for you
who sent yOuP
Judge Lawrence and other friends
God bless him, and them, and you'll | am
savedP and with these Words poweress of fur
Their effort, | fell forward into the arms of my
preservcrs in state of Inconsistencies was
saved. On the very brink of the river which
divides the known from the unknown, strong
arms snatched me from the final plunge and
kind ministrations wooed me back to life"