Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-03-03
BRATTLEBORO VT, FRIDAY. MARCH g. 1871.

hat, little one, and I'll soon raise the
funds"
The little hat with the owners story was
speedily circulated by the warm hearted
young student, and presently returned as
he had promised, with money enough to
carry them home; and Oak, drying her
tears, grew cheerful and hopeful again. 1t
seemed long days ride, that homeward
journey and the two faces-the mans and
the child's-were constantly turned toward
the window, watching for familiar land
marks. A long days ride though their
fellow-travelers We'd with each other in
kindly effort to render them comfortable.
II was almost sunset when they reached
again the little station, near which they
had embarked and, with hasty farewell
to their new friends, Jcm hurried away
with his charge, as if afraid that they might
be carried off again, and not pausing a
moment at the village, started homeward.
As they passed along the old road he
turned aside for a moment where he had
left his horse. 1t was not thero-he had
not expected it would be; and, catching
the child in his arms, he fastened forward
with long, rapid strides, and in the gray
twilight passed under the dropping trees
of the old avenue, and up to the house.
Who can describe that home coming?
The glad shout of the little contraband who
first discovered their approach was follow
ed by the sudden rush of many feet to the
door, hall, and piazza. Exclamations and
questions, tears, laughter and thanksgiv
n mi n,rln in cfrnn tyl la
Oak was overwhelmed with kisses. The
The horse, 1t seemed, frightened by the
lightning, had broken loose from his fast
ening, and made his way home with the
empty wagon. That had first created dread
and alarm, which was intensified by a long
and unsuccessful search for the missing
ones, of whom no trace had been found
from the time they left the mill until they
reappeared at home. Jem was questioned
and told his story again and again, first
above stairs, then below, to the group who
gathered about him there.
"And now little Oak must come and sit
on grandpa's knee and rest after her long
ride" said old Colonel Ashley, as the fam
lily gathered in the brightly lighted draw
ing-room.
The child sprang to her favorite seat, and
leaned her head against the old mans
shoulder. As she did so her eyes fell once
more upon the picture on the wall and
drawing down the silver head until it al
most touched the golden one, she whisper
ed,
"Grandpa guess l know little what it
means now about His being refuge from
the storm, because in the car / prayed to
Him to bring us home, and He did didn't
He?"
GAY, He did" answered the old gentle
man drawing his arms still closer about his
recovered darling. Then, as he recalled
the chilling dread and pain, the long an
guish ofthe preceding night, when there
was for them no thought of strength or
comfort save the sure knowledge that the
everlasting arms were around their loved
one still, he added-so earnestly that
through all the years of her after-lifc, Oak
never forgot it
"Ah, my darling, my darling this holy
faith of ours is indeed the 'sheltering.shad-
ow of great rock in world that without
it would be a weary, weary land.-Har-
per'S Bdzdr.