The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-07-07

home, and will think we are lost. Let's
run as quick as we can"
Down the old ladder the two chill
dren flew as fast as they could. But
to their surprise they found the door
refused to open, no matter how they
tried.
"Pull, Mat, there, we must open it.
The winds gone and played us a nice
trick, any way" Pulling, however,
did no good, the children were close
prisoners.
"Mat," said Bob, "would you be
afraid to stay here all nightp"
"No, Bob" replied the little girl.
"God will take care of us. You know
we are only in His own house,
eyes, l know that, but it's awful
lonesome.
"Let's get into one of the pcws when
the storm comes down, and lie on our
faces SO that we can't see the light
ming; it is bright enough to scare a fell
low" They could hear the thunder
coming nearer and nearer, and the
lightning grew more brilliant every
moment, lighting up the dark re-
cesses.
Don't be afraid, Mat; what you
said about its being Gods house is all
right, guess" whispered Bob, as he
buried his face in the cushions beside
his little sister. Listen! Crash! Crash!
What q noise the storm makes. Growl,
growl.
"Say, Bob,' whispered little
frightened voice, ''ls that the storm
making that noise?"
At that moment flash of vivid
lightning made Bob look up, and close
to him, coming gradually nearer and
nearer, he saw large black body. He
felt the breath of some living thing on
his face, and catching his little sister
/ in his arms he jumped over the back of
the cushioned seat and ran down the
aisle, while something pattered, pat
tered after him.
Where should he go? The door was
shut! He thought of the ladder Up,
up he ran; patter, patter behind him
came the horrible shadow. The thing
could climb, too! He pressed his little
sister closer. "Don't be afraid. Mat"
he said. Then he caught hold of the
bell-rope and jumped out of the
window, still holding on. Could the
bear, for it was indeed one, follow him
or not?
How the storm ragged! How the wind
blew the drops of rain into the faces of
the children! The growls of the bear
were nearly lost in the roars of thun-
der, which shook the old building, and
the rope swayed backward and for
ward still the children held on.
"Pray Mat" said Bob. "God will
take care of us and let us be safe.''
"Hark! What is that noise! See
the smoke! Bob, the Westinghouse is
on tire!''
The flames were away off now; W ould
they come creeping soon to where the
children were? The lightning must
have struck the building. Crackle!
cracklc! The forks of flame darted here
and there. Can no one save the young
bell ringers?
Yes, God was watching over the lit.
tie patriots. He would need to use
them yet in the land He had that day
made free.
They hear voices below.
''Bob! Martha! are you up thcre'
eyes, yes," shouted the children.
The fire was near them; the flames
famed their cheeks and scorched theil
Jump q strong voice replied
Jump, both of your
There were kind arms below to catch
the children; and there were eyes we
with tears, and shaky voices that blessec
them.
Bob and Martha lived to see many
many Fourths of July, but that first on,
passed in the old meeting house, the,
never forgot. The little hands which
rang freedom through the country vii
lage grew wrinkled and feeble, bu
their hearts ever trusted in God, a
upon that Fourth of July night il
Cornelia N. Parsons, in ~ Y
Examiner.