The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-02-19

ed, his heart and conscience awoke, and
he thought upon the sin that he was
about TO commit; and his fault stood out
before him in all its darkness. he was
seized with deep repentance, and while
he worked with the hammer he prayed
to God for mercy.
The man succeeded at last, after hard
labor, in mountiRg up from the ere.
vase; quickly he steppedup, and bounds
the child again upon his back and
walked carefully forward. When, hap
PLY, he climbed out above, he threw
himself prayerfully upon his knees
Day had come. Far around the noun.
tain-tops glowed in the morning red, aud
the glory of the Lord enlightened his
heart. He wished to see If the child
were unhurt. he took her from his
back, and oh, wonder before him lay
his lovely, blooming little daughter
The chain had slipped off and lay upon
the block of ice in the crevasse. The
man rejoiced aloud, hugged and kissed
his child and hurried home; he thought
no more of poverty or riches, but Of q
merciful God who had saved him from a
great sin.
When he reached home the other
children lay still asleep in their dark
chamber, because no one had awakened
them. He laid his little daughter in her
warm bed and she soon fell asleep
When she awaked she remembered
nothing that'had befallen her in the
night, and the other children had not
noticed the absence OF their father and
little sister. In the evening the mother
returned from the city much depressed,
the beautiful crystal having met with q,
to her, mex plicable scoident, to wit: as
she was taking the costly stone from her
pocket to show it to a dealer it had
suddenly split into countless small and
quite worthless pieces in her hand.
Thus she hal been obliged to return
home without bread. In tears she re-
lated this to her husband, who, with
joyful face, was rocking his youngest
little daughter. She feared he would
be angry, or at least quite vexed; in
stead he gave her his hand in friendly
manner, comforted her, and directed her
to Heaven for help.
She rejoicsd inwardly at the change
which had taken place in her husband,
but could not, however, imagine how it
had come to pass that he had suddenly
become quite courageous.
When the crystal.seeker went forth
into the mountains the next morning he
stepped briskIy as though he had been
ten years younger. With folded hands
his wife stood at the door and followed
the departing one with friendly glance
and nod of the head, and then went back
to her work.
When it began to grow dark she
looked often toward the mountains; at
last she caught sight OF the returning g
one, who already hailed her from dis
tance, taking off his bat, and then hal
looed so loudly that all the children ran
out of the hut and hastened to meet
their father.
As the latter came nearer he held his
leather pocket up-there was now an
end to want; he returned with heavy
load of sparkling crystals. The path he
had taken led him high up among the
mountains, and suddenly it appeared to
him as though he were standing in the
same place where he once stood with
the dwarf. He looked around carefully,
and there, behind block of granite, he
discov cred cavern. he crept in upon
his hands and knees. After he had gone
a little distancs he found that he could
raise himself up.
Then he took o miners lamp from his
pocket and lit it; he was not yet at the
right spot. Courageously he wandered
further, when suddenly out of crevice
in the rock, by the light of his lamp, the
beautiful crystals came flashing forth to
meet him. He sought no further. hut
staid to fill his pocket; his JOY over his
fortunate search caused him TO return
quickly homeward to his wife and chill
dren.
There was great Joy that evening in
the little hut; but the most joyful one
in the happy circle was the father, who
had taken his little daughter in his arms
and given her the largest crystal in her
hand.
In the course OF time prosperity in
creased in the little house, and one day
the crystal-seeker brought home with
him a gold chain which he had bought
in the town; from the chain was sus'
pended cross of mountain crystal; it
was present for his youngest little
daughter, who stood before him fresh
as blooming rose, and upon whose neck
he fastened, with fathers holy bless
ing, thelgolden chain with the CROSS.
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Michigan has cause to be proud OF it'
financial condition. Her debt is $3.50,
| onn ..L;1a Lhora il eanA 600 in hel