The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-05-12

spectral hands had fashioned the long
chains of grey moss which dropped in
graceful festoons over the root Of our boat.
An equal distance in the other direction
led you to the dark, still river, silent but
for the soft splash of the waves around the
stern. Sometimes out of the bosom of the
cloud flashed CLEANS of lightning, bathing
land and water in vivid light, then vanish
ing to leave them in deeper darkness
Too often the line between some glori-
GUS picture on natures outdoor canvass,
and the discomfort which the beholder
must undergo to see it Is scarcely percept-
lble, as we found to our sorrow. On the
wall behind the warning lantern at the
stern were gathered millions OF winged
visitors from the hummork holding an in
dignatlon meeting over the invasion OF
their rights and home. That the counsel
of war was a spirited one their agitated
movements plainly showed, and that it
was effective we were to know on the NOR
row.
We slept but did not dream, for the hor.
rible suspicion became certainty that the
invaders had passed the outer gate. We
entrenched our faces IN papers and wells
and our hands IN gloves, hoping vainly to
hold the fort. Frail delusion! We had
forgotten that foe so gallant and so
skilled in the science OF SiegeS would laugh
at such llimsy detenses We Gespera.
tlon, and snatching the most convenient
weapon in the shape of towel made a
charge on the attacking hosts, They fled
and we pursued striking furious blows on
their retreating columns, as we chased
them over the walls and into the corners.
| AT last there was decided lull in hostill-
ties, and with hands crimson with the
blood of thousands of the slain eve
wrapped our martial coaks around us and
! lay down on the field of our fame, fresh
and CORY" Our repose was broken in five
minutes by the martial music of our
mosquito adversaries, who had acted on
the principle that "they who fight and run
away may 1--we to fight another day. and
now returned to the assault with heavy re-
endorsements. The conflict was renewed
and with brief intervals continued iiercely
through the watches of the night until the
hour before the dawn of morning, when
the attacking column rose on wing, and
singing loudly and triumphantly, 1--WE
have met the enemy and they are ours, y
1oated away to their forest castle.
Sounds from the forward deck indicated
that our gentlemen friends were engaged
IN q battle equally long, and equally dies
perate and hopeless But when the two
besleged columns met around the break
fast table it was found that there were
none among the dead or missing, though
not few were the scars of the struggle
As we hoated into Sanford, we thought
that that Sabbath morning was one Of
had vanished, and serene peace was writ
ten on the shore the lakes, the heavens
Like child at rest the bosom Of Lake
Monroe lightly rose and fell, while ovel
the tranquil waters rested soft, shining
sheen of silver blue. Against the match
less blue of the sky the palms OF sacred
writ lifted their ieathery heads, ana with o
new and strangely sweet Significance the
voice of the reader beside US fingered on
the old blessed words, and he showed me
pure river of water of life clear az crystal
proceeding out OF the throne OF God and
OF the Lamb" so when the Spring Gar
den had anchored at the De Barry wharf
the party broke into groups destined to the
Episcopal, Presbyterian and MethodIs
churches, our particular group vending
its way to the last church. The building
was severely PLAN. No ircscoes adorned
the immensely high ceiling. No carpet
nor even mating, lay on the clean, bar,
floor But the face behind the sacred desl
was a strong, gentle intellectual face, an(
the words which fell from the speaker
lips were words OF spiritual power. New
erthcless though we had journeyed so ia
to reach shat spot and that house, thougI
the theme was the most thrilling one I
which mortals may listen, though tn
snowy table with its plates of broke
bread and cups of wine was the symbol {
a tie which binds all christian hearts /
one, we felt for the first time in churc
that all our thoughts must be concentrate
on the problem Of keeping awake.
glance at our nelghbor in the corner OF tn
pew revealed the fact that he had fully er
tered the land Of nod.
At the dinner table which was sprea
on the forward deck and loaded with sui
. stantial and pleasant things, the varior
, church goers confessed to similar eXper
. ence, frankly deplorlng the tact that the
, were unable TO give to the minister
Sanford the thoughtful attention whic
their merits deserved.
That afternoon, in company with lad
friend aud with Mr. T., skIllful hands