The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-05-16
The cry might be from some friend or
neighbor, lying injured on The icy ground
and dying in the freezing atmosphere

nef nome was On ine top OF z nltf, aflsl
once she passed the valley which lay be-
meath it. she would leave her journey
over, and she could get her husband and
her boy TO search the cry to its source.
She spurred herself on with this thought,
but fastened into a run when she reach
ed the valley and saw few boys stand
ing on the edge Of the ice which covered
a pond in the valley, and beheld them
struggling with all their strength to re-
lease person who had fallen through the
ice, and, with only head above the wa
ter, was shrieking for help and assistance
from the deadly grasp of the freezing
waters.
The boys saw her almost as soon as she
saw them, and their voices rang out on
the clear air, chilling her heart to the
very core:
Hurry, Hurry, For God't sake !
Charley is drowning !"
That phenomenon will never be ex-
planned this side of heaven, how a weak
woman, a mother, can endure hardships
and emerge from dangers with her child
in which the strongest and the bravest
men would meet with disaster and then
fail.
With prayer 10 god on her lips, she
grasped the branch of tree the BOYS had
frnitlessly used 10 reach Charley, but her
arms we're too short, too, and the exhaus-
ted lad held out his hands for it in vain.
Then she tried the strength of the ice,
but ii cracked under her weight. At last
she stopped down, and retching herself
out on the ice forthe length OF her own
body, she pushed the tree branch out
far ahead of her, and the boy caught a
firm hold of it. The ice broke off in
pieces around him, yielding beneath his
weight and pressure. But he was draw
ing nearer the brave mother, and his
courage increased. 1t was like an age of
pain and misery, but the mother in the
end clasped the boy safely in her arms
and kissed his bruised and bleeding
face.
he boys cheered, and up on the hill
top, john Chapman stood like enc trans
fixed
He could not move nor stir, so oppress-
Ell were his senses by the sight before
him.
il took weeks of careful nursing before
Charley was able to leave his bed, and
during ali that time the patient mother,
with the priests words in her soul, pray
ed and ministered TO him. She had grown
pale and thin from her labors and suffer-
ings, but there was noeomplaint, ne MUIR
mur of discomfort. John Chapman went
to the boys side night and morning, and
during the long evenings when there was
no sound in the house but the slow, reg
ular ticking of the clock on the mantel,
and the fitful and changing breathing of
his child. he gazed long and earnestly
into the glowing embers of the fire, As if
he were weighing some great question in
his mind, and was trying to come to de-
eision
Mrs. Chapman noticed his actions. but
never said 80 in words. She only prayed
the harder.
When the boy had grown strong again
and was able to sit up for a long time,
John Chapman used to sit with him at
the window, in the beginning of the
evening, and watch the new leaves COM
ing out on the trees, and the little green
blades rising up out Of the ground They
were so SLOW, ne thought, but they were
not bit slower than the faint glows of
returning health on the boys face.
Il heard more birds singing to-day,
father, than did for week past" said
Charley one evening.
Yes, they are nearly all back now:
and what do you think - asked Mr..
Chapman
Il really can't think anything an
swered Charley.
Well, one Of those little yellow birds
few into the shop to-day, and sat right
on your bench, AMI sung like good fel-
low. 1t made me think you would
soon be back there said Mr.. Chap
man.
How pretty exclaimed the boy, and
tears of JOY spraDg from his eyes.
10 you know what I think lately s''
said Mr.. Chapman. and his strong, stall
wart form trembled as he said it.
No, father, | do not replied the
boy.
Il think that God has been very kind
and good to us allr
The boy reached his arms out in joy
and placed them around his fathers neck
and the two cried there together That
mention of the name of God by the man
who never mentioned it before had ac-
complisfed ALL In moments time it
had brought peace and blessing to heart
and home, and opened out future in
which the dark past WAS entirely forgot
ten
The mothers prayer had been heard,
and the proudest little woman to enter
the village church afterwards was Mrs.
Chapman, leaning on her husbands arm
and following in the wake of her hand
some son. But the really happiest hour
was when the three knelf together at the
table of the Lord and received Him in
who had gathered them I'M
der the wings of His mercy and love-