Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-01-22

was borne family upward from the
depths below, They were brave men
bred to danger, and they would undoubt.
edly have faced death with coolness and
bravery, but they trembled and tiifned
pale before that .hrst child.crS. Again
the man who had looked first, held by
the SAME strong hand, peered downward
over THO straight, rocky wall and there
he could just discover, far, far down
amidst a cluster of bushes and stunted
trees that grew out of cleft on the steep
wall, faint glimmer Of white. In fall
ing over tho cliff, midway to death, these
bushes had caught the child, and had
saved her. Mol no human power could
save her" so the man said, shuddering as
he looked downward. They only detained
her for moment at deaths door.
At this moment Jake Wilder came up
from his search in another direction. q /
will save her." he said, cor die with her. y
Life, to tell the truth, was not over sweet
TO Jake Wilder, Ahundred times during
the. past year had despair urged him to
end 1t, throw 1t down, as a miserable
failure. Now he would give il, give Il
for the sweet little Northern Blossom,
the one being in the world whose inno-
cent little heart loved him, trusted him.
In vain his rough mates endeavored to
dissuade him from his suicidal purposes,
his vain attempt, for no one could save
the child. No one, they declared; it was
only throwing his life away, too. fr
He knew It would be impossible to
reach the child by going downward
down that straight steep, slippery wall
dis only hope lay in reaching her from
beneath, working his way out over the
whirling, mad waters, and then toillng
up the steep precipice, little less steep
here, upward, toiling upward with that
little white form for an inspiration. We
read OF men whose conversion to good is
the result OF many years, telling in their
upward path toward good, helped by the
inspiration of purer soul, which leads
them gently upward by her nobler ex-
ample; learning by the love and patience
OF human soul above them, yet still
beating for them, something of the
divine love and patience that shines
downward upon the weakest, lowliest
toiler who looks upward through these
earthly mists, seeking the heavenly light.
And we read also of those whose souls
change Is the work of moment, wrought
in some crisis, some great temptation re.
sisted, some wonderful preservation,
some despairing prayer that God has
answered in the midst of deadly peril.
Who shall say that this rough miners
cry was not heard in heavenl His
trenzied appeal, that perhaps he did not
call a prayer; the Wild cry for divine
nelp, when his human strength was fail
ing himY The wild promise that if God
would permit him. to save the child he
! would be different man, better man 7
And so in the night of the darkness he
worked on, struggling upward, despair
ing, yet fainting not, for the love OF the
little fair soul above him. Toiling slow
ly upward through the solemn shadows.
near to the more solemn mystery of
death, upheld by the divine inspiration of
love.
1t was miraclel That was what his
wondering companions called it, 40 he
sat at the foot of the precipice with WIN.
MES little form pressed to his heart, and
the morning light family dawning In the
east. The fresh, pure light of another
morning shining upon his uncovered
brow, and his earnest eyes that were
filled with new purpose. They called
It a miracle, and talked loudly about 1t.
lie said little. have noticed that he
roes are rarely garrulous concerning
their heroic deeds. As soon as he could
walk he bore Winnie back to the camp.
disdaining any help in carrying her. He
said little, but his rough cheek, wet with
tears, lay upon Winnie's little fair face,
! the face of the child who loved him,
trusted him, and as he bore her onward
he murmured often in her ear, " MY child.
my own child, my little Northern Bios.
| SON."
I DID this love and trust that he read in
the pure little face looking up into his so
conhdlngly encourage him, reminding him
OF the greater love, the greater trust,
that never tires, never wearies, thatyearns
over the weakest and lowliest wanderer,
longing to give him divine welcome
homes
Mrs. Foster lay for many weeks with
death upon one side of her and her hus-
bands devoted, untiring love and care
upon the other, uncertain to whom would
be gwen the victory And In those long,
long hours of watching and waiting he
learned more of the heart history of the
patient, reticent woman than he had ever
known. Learned through the wild de.
llrium of the aching heart that had car
ried its burden so silently and patient
"; learned of the passionate love that,
like an Eastern idolater, she had lavished
upon her stone idol. 1t was not a stone
idol now. No. His heart was very hui
man in its aching, its despair, its longing
that she might live, so that he could re
deem the past; could teach her what
love was, what it was to be guarded and
shielded by loving care; could teach her
what IT was to be treasured, beloved, pre-
cious to the heart that had so long slight
ed her goodness, her long suffering.
When the delirium of the fever left
her, pale shadow lowering upon the
mysterious, intermediate realm between
life and death, think 1t was her hus-
bands kisses upon her face, his loving
words lavished so freely, that wrought
the real miracle of restoration DR.. Peach
enbos thought it was his pills.
AS Tor the man they called Jake
Wilder, the change wrought in him, in
that hour of peril and agony, was not
evanescent; he said little, but his life
spoke. A weary woman in Atholton read
OF that change, in burdens lifted from
her by a stronger hand, IN letters doing
her tardy justice, in repentance, In
promises of future welldoing And so
John Ford returned to his wife.
Newell Foster sold his claim with large
profits, and built splendid mansion in
his native village of Atholton, in which
his wife and beautiful daughter dwelt
like princesses. 1t was an elegant place,
furnished as was no otner house in the
place. Well-trained servants relieved
Mrs. Foster of all drudgery of domestic
toll. And people thought, as they
looked on Mrs. Fosters happy, rosy
face, that the content and happiness
that was so plainly read there was
caused by the beauty of her surround
ings and the case of her life. But she
knew, in her heart, that the secret of her
joy was not in these, although they were
very pleasant; but in this that her hus-
band who had deserted her had returned
to her.
In an humber home John Ford and his
wife were practicing the old lesson
they had scorned to learn once, TO bear
and forbear. Mr.. Foster helped John to
a business that enabled him to support
his family in comfort. And so John
Ford returned to his wife and was for.
given. And the Weekly Enlightener made