Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-02-27
SELECTED STORY.
A TRUE STORY.
The Power Of a child's Prayer.


practiced his profession in the State of
California, was once called to see the
child of Mr.. Doak, of Cavaleras county,
living on the road between San Andre
as and Stockton and not far from the
mining town of Campo Seco-or Dry
Camp. He says: The pal Mt was a
little. girl; about ten years OF age, bright
and intelligent and one of twins, the
other being boy, equally bright and
we'll disposed. The primary symptoms
had indicated inflammation Of the sto-
mach, which the attending physician
had hopelessly combatted, and finally,
when by metastasis itattacked the brain
wi h other mfavorable symptoms, had
induced aim to abandon the.p case in
despair. it was at this junclure I...Was
called in. The symptoms were exceed
ingly unfavorable, and my opinion coin
cided with my professional brothers.
However we determined to go to work.
"A day and night of incessant watching,
and the state Of the patient, caused both
to feel the case hopeless, and we only
continued our attendance at the earnest
solicitation of the child's mother: The
anxious, care-worn and restless sorrow
| OF the little brother, his deep grief as he
saw his sister given over to the power
Of the king OF terrors, had attracted our
attention. He would creep up to the
bedside of his little sister; sileptly, with
pale and fearful face, controlling his
emotion with great effect, AMI then
steal away again and W ep bitterly.
With vague, iadein te ida Of CON-
forting the little fellow, | took him to
my knee and WIS about to utter some
| platitude; when the little fellow look
ing me in the face, his own the very
picture Of grief, burst out:
"Oh! doctor, must sister diet"
eyes" l replied, ''but,
Before could go father he again i'll
terrupted me.
sob! doctor, is there nothing, moth,
ing, that will save her Can nobody
nobody save my sister,
For. an instant the teachings of a ten
der and pious mother flashed over my
mind. They had been neglected, were
almost forgotten. California, in those
days, was not we'll calculated to fasten
more deeply on the mind home teach
ings. There were very few whose re-
ligious training survived the ordeal, and
for long time l had hardly thought OF
prayer. But the question brought out
with the vividness of a flash of light,
and as suddenly, all that had been OBJ
scured by my course of life, aid hardly
knowing what did, l spoke to him OF
the power that might reside in prayer.
l said God had promised to answer
prayer. l dared not allow the skeptical
doubt, that came to my own mind to meet
the ear of that innocent boy, and told
him, more as my mother had often told
me than with any thought of impress
ing serious subject on, his mind, 'sthat
the prayers of little. boys, even, God
would hear" l left that night with some
simple directions, that were given more
to satisfy the mother than from having
the slightest hope Of eventual recovery,
promising to return next morning.
In the morning, as | rode to the door,
the little boy was playing around with a
bright and cheerful countenance, and
looked SO happy that involuntarily !
asked:
"Ia your sister bettsrl"
"Oh, no, DOCTOR he replied, "but she
is going to get we'll"
allow do you know?" l asked.
because l prayed to God" said he,
land He told me she would
"How did He tell yeu?,',, :. !.
The little fellow looked at me for an
instant and, reverently placing his hand
on the region of his heart, said:
Gle told me in my heart"
Going to the room where my patient
was lying, l found no change whatever,
but in spite of my own convictions
there had sprung up hope within me.
The medical gentleman with whom
was in consultation came to the room,
and, as he did, thought of a very sim
pie remedy l had seen used by an old
negro woman in very dissirnmilal
case, occurred to my mind. 1t became
so persistently present that | mentioned
it to my brother practitioner. He look
I'd surprised, but merely remarked, 81,
c n o 40 harm applied it. In two
hours we both felt that the case was ou
Of Danger z.
The second day after that, as we rode
from the, house my friend asked me how
came to think Of so simple a remedy
II 81 think If uas that hov'a nraper"