Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-03-14
In Gods Care,
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

Hansen, rlcn swedish merchant, was
visiting PCmerania with his son, he
took lodgings ut q neat looking inn,
where many years before he had passed
three days 1t had been pleasant wealth
er then, but now the wind ragged fierce
". and the sea lashed itself into fury.
The hardest men had abandoned the
coast, and, shiyering with cold. had re.
turned to their homes. Edmund, the
son of the merchant Hansen, went out
to look about him, wrapped in a great
wooden cloak, but soon came III said
to the whlte-halred landlady:
"What fearful weather, Mother Mar
tens No one in his senses would ven
tured on the sea just now"
"Yhat is true enough, young man
no good would come of it, replied the
old woman.
:" You could very easily weather such
a Storm" said Edmund, smiling.
such a voyage as you once made is
not taken very often. My father has
told me about it. You are shielded
from wind and wave"
FLUSH !" said the old woman "we
are everywhere under the eye of God.
Those whom He keeps are well kept
"Ihat is true, Mother Martens OBJ
served the merchant. "You have had
proof of the divine power and goodness.
The storm is still raging; let lis close
the shutters, and hear the story from
beginning to the end Edmund will
be pleased to know all about it, p"
g." do not like to speak of myself,
a l1l Oh,
that to others. However you are right,
sir; this narration may be useful to
the young gentleman, and as there Is
nothing more to be done outside, ! will
tell you how God gave me proof of
his watchful care
At these words. the good woman
closed the shutters, pnt the kettle on
the fire, and when the water was hot
and the tea served she began;
"You see, SIR am an Old woman. |
have lived many long years in this
strange country; but the day left my
own land is as distinct in my memory
as if it was yesterday. The cabin Of
my parents was situated Oh the seacoast
III the southern part of Sweden. [
have never known riches. Our greatest
treasure was a COW, spotted black and
white. We had raised her, and she was
very precious to us. 1t was my bust
ness to lead her every day to pasture
In summer it was very pleasant, but
not SO in winter My father was a
fisherman, and when the snow covered
the county and the sea was flozen over,
we suffered much. Once we might
haXa ,l1aI IF h,sncnr &c Co.. 4. h.,
COW. The poor creature was the object
of all our care. One time the winter
was more severe than usual, the snow
was piled up all around our cottage,
and |, scarcely sixteen years old, longed
for the spring as a bird for the sun. At
last, one cold, foggy, misty day, the
sun drew me TO the door, and | led our
COW along the shore, where, here and
there at the foot ofthc dunes were some
tufts Of grass. The COW bounded with
Joy and | was truly happy. Suddenly
she ran towards the sea, which was
covered with thick ice, that cracked
and broke as she moved over it. She
reached a large cake of ice, and, stand
ing on it, attempted to drink. | had
gone with her. kept close TO her side.
and saw in the distance great blocks of
ice carried away by the tide. Imme.
dlatel y | felt the ice under us move. |
called to the COW and tried to drive her
to the shore, but she had not drunk
enough and would not stir. l cried
aloud | seized the cow and drew her
with all my strength; and,
= most mighty God the
ice on which were, separated from the
shore and began to Drift out towards
The open sea. To right and left, before
ana behind, the ice was carried away.
looked around--I was going farther
and farther from the land. / was
numb with fear, The ice collected in
heaps as it moved slowly or heavily
along that on which we were fioated
as a small boat. The COW shook with
coid, The swift tide pressed on us and
drove us ahead. Night came on. The
sun set long ago. and now it was black
night. The waves broke on our ice
cake | fell on my knees-I prayed.
lie cow had lain down I stretched
myself close to her; this warmed me.
4hen | thought of my father and moth
e. who would look for me so anxious
", was filled with grief, and | slept,
exhausted from fatigue. In the middle
q the night | awoke shivering and my
Ceetl chattering. Oh what spectacle
was before me On all sides where my
Eyes rested, nothing but water, nothing
out the dreadful SEAL The stories about
water elves or fairies that l had heard
v'Id by sailors came to my mind. |
seemed to see monsters and phantoms
come from the bottom of the abyss. |
t1aanGed | saw strange figures floating
IKE clouds toward me. Then | shut
14y eyes and prayed again. When |
Lened them | saw BRIGHT star ahead