The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-05-18

flowers; | was climbing mountains;
and from these visions invariably
awoke to darkness - darkness
above, around - darkness below,
hiding the abyss that hungered |
greedily for my life. And Ina friend |
ly tace, no voice, no football near.
Not even step, through all these
slow, slow hours. Ii passing peas |
ant through the day had heard the
lonely cry rising from the depths.
he had set it down 10 a ghost or
pixy, and had passed on his fright
ened way regardless
And now the night was wearing
on, and no rescue. Icould not hVe
till morning. knew that. Ny |
mother waited for me, must hur-
ry home; but | was bound by a
chain, in outer darkness, and was
going TO die. There was no Chris
tan in all the land to succor mel |
was forgotten and forsaken. left in
the pit-aEd | would unclasp my
hands and tall and die. No, | would !
call again once more. Help \
help! Mercy! helpn
All my fainting voice died in the |
dark depths, and quivered up to
the gIinmering sky. felt hope die |
with it, and | gave up all thought |
OF life. l turned my eyes toward |
my grave below, and murmured
with parched lips:
"Out of the depths have l cried
unto thee, q Lord !"
The little rill that had saved my
life hitherto still trickled on, and
its silvery murmur, as 1t dropped
on the rocks below, was the sole
sound that broke the deathlY ST.
lence around me. Ny prayer was
over, and | had not relinquished
my hold. / was stronger than had
deemed myself. | would cry out
again, "Help! help! Eelpw
1 stopped. | listened. ~ sound
was floating on the wind Coming,
going, joining the drip, drip, drip,
of the rill--lhen dying, then re-
turning. Listening with my whole |
being, l recognized the sound.
BellS--church bells-chimes ring. |
ing in the New Year. so, God, |
have mercy on me! have mercy |
on me !"
Bells ringing in The New Year
bells Ginning in the ears of friends,
telling of sadness and Of hope
bells clashing in at merry intervals
between music and laughter, low
ing greetings, kisses anG JOY.
Win no one in my fathers house
take pity on me? Am missed no.
where The bells chime a feasting
and gladness, and | am here hang
ing between life and death. The
Jaws of tho grave are beneath me,
nv joints are broken and the bells
chime Oh. Would it not be a good
Iced on this New Years day to
save me? o, feasters and revelers,
near me!
"Helpl help! 1t is Christmas
ime. Help for Chnst's sake, good
Ieoplem The bells float nearer
md drown the drip OF the trickling
water, and | cry, "Help! helpw
aging, "Now will call till | die" {
\ film grows over my eyes, but my {
.oice is strong and desperate as | &
hOut, "Christmas tide FoT Christ's /
axe help, good Chrislians!' !
A great light-a fash of fire /
or a moment l deem it DEATH; l
azlng upward l see, amid glare c
{ torches, faces-O they were an S
els to me !-eager faces pesrIng n
ownward. And close to me swings II
torch, let down into the depths a
S light falls on my haggard face n
"a great shout rends the night "
~. a
He is here he is safe !-he hvesl y
| cannot speak, though my lips y
owe, and my heart stands still as Z
see one, two, three daring men { :
giEg themselves over the abyss v
liners, used to danger-and in a 5
oment stout arms are around me
I'd | am borne forward, carried
,ntly like a child, placed in an in u
ant on my feet, and then laid a
Dwn tenderly on the heath. am 81
} weary, and FAINT, and worn that Il
lie with closed eyes, never strlv- 5,
z to say a Eord of thanks. y
"Go not so near the brink, mad !
n, | entreatl" | hear q voice cry :
arplY. Then l open my aching I
Is, and between me and the shaft y
lee.s a white figure; between me +
ID the sky there bends a white a
ce, and tears fall down upon my p
ow fast and warm. Ii was my 3
'trOlhen, Florian. But even VIII IN ,J
e stole her little hand in mime .,
inc so cramped and numbed that Q
gave no response to her tender
even when she stopped al
III pressed her lips TO my cheek | n,
nld not breathe a word to thank d
n. re
Yet FlOrian, dear wife, let me te
II thee now that from the depths cl
my happy heart there rose a d.
mn OF JOY, and / understood W
I'm that amount that thou vert u
inc, and l owe my life to thy d.
We. pl
Then thy sweet lips breathed 6
'rds that fell upon my spul like
nanna-wOrds Of tenderness and .
" that made the torture Of those q
w hours in The pit fade away, 30 ! p