, 1889-02-06
1t+E w OF SONG.
II Saves a Traveller from the Designs of
Two HiEhwaymcn.

Two HiEhwhymcn-
Just n few days after ] had read a
story ON this page of The Times called
"Pnul's Song" which told, if you re-
member, how n little girl, who was
lost in a pine forest was found by
PauIs singing n song she knew, / hap
pened TO meet a gentleman whose life
was n saved by the singing of a
song. He was a friend OF my uncle's,
in Virginia, and | had often heard the
latter tell the story, though l do not
remember that he mentioned the gem
tleman's name.
One day at the breakfast table we
were telling the various adventures
we had heard of, and when my turn
came TO speak / related this one.
Greatly TO my surprise, one Of the
gentlemen, n Mr.. W, said TO me:
you have told the main facts cor
rectly, but you cannot know how ]
felt, for | was the traveller who figures
in your story. l was a minister OF the
Gospel, and, in the discharge of my
duties, had to go near Harpcr's Ferry,
which was n dangerous locality at that
time, for n railroad was in course of
construction Whereabouts and there
were many rough and desperate look
ing men working on it and living in
the vicinity.
ITO be thrown in their midst unpro-
tected was thought TO be as much as
ones life was worth. / was not familiar
with the country, and not long before
night | was completely lost and knew
not which way TO turn. However, l
kept on and in a little while found
myself right in their midst l did not
f.nl ..nr,r ,~Iv, ,V,.,r - 49, I,,s ..-l
to assume an Indifferent manner and
TO my destination. They looked sui
offered to show me tho way. | was
not pleased at such company, but nc
copied the proifcred aid pleasantly
and walked on with them, exerting
myself TO the utmost 10 mako myself
agreeable TO them.
after u while we came to n dark
looking place where they had been
working on tho road, and they pro
posed that l should stop and rest. /
was bound TO do as they suggested,
but could not help wondering if /
should cver get up again. Near them
lay two short drills and these they
took up, but said nothing. | seem
ingly did not notice this and talked to
them about Ireland, for l saw at once
they were lrishmen, and asked about
their families and everything l could
think of TO interest them.
AT last l thought l would try
tho power of song, for my voice
was then considered fine, so l
sang all tho Irish songs 1 could
think of. Still they seemed ut
terly unmoved and had tho same
wicked look, and felt that / did not
dare move, did not dare bring about a
crisis yet. l then thought of onemore
Irish song | knew, The Irish Emf
grants Lament, and l sang it with all
the pathos ! could put into my voice
and did not omit a single verse. After
singing n short while | saw their coun-
tenances change, saw the muscles of
their faces twitch, saw their eyes fill
with tears, which soon rolled silently
down their bronzed checks.
When finished they turned to me
and with voices trembling with emo
ton said: That song has saved your
life. We had intended killing you for
what money you might have, but we
could not touch you now. That song
of old Ireland has brought back the
dear homes and all the loved ones SO
strongly before us that now we will
guard and protect you and go with
you until you are safe from all dan
GER
zane SO they did, but you may be
sure l WIS glad when we came to the
place of parting, for ! did not know
how long these better feelings might
last. When we parted, though, l
shook hands with them cordially,
saying, Erin go bragh, Ireland for
ever and walked Off as rapidly as 1
dared without exciting their ill will.
II is needless to say how rejoiced l was
when / reached my destination"
This incident is true in every par
ticular. Cor. Philadelphia Times.