River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-10-04

81 =
.God IN H,s marry spared her from br-
ing en-
The words he had read them some
where marched round and round.
over and over. till every corner of his
being, mental and physical. was heat
en- To numbness by their weary. sense
less tramp.
Ills mercy?" Yes. for the child
there might be mercy; but for him
when had there been any? How
many years was Ii since he hal ceased
to expect il N1-that was not IN
Gods plan for him
And now the child the little. hrI-
man child. At whose first quiverInE
wall responsibility fully weighted
took possession of her fathers breast.
not lightly throncd there, easily 10 be
dismissed when early charm departs
and pareuthooi yields neither credit
nor delight hut To endure through
time. aud change. and death-this lit
tie child was dying
Outside the mountain wind tore the
young leaves and scattered the weep
ing petals Of the child's flowers; the
roses among which her white sunbon-
net was won't t. flash - buSily. the
helpless V.rlss tied - brohSen-bacIsed
sticks by ager, inexperienced little
fingers. The May rain came bounding
in wild leaps out of the east. and dug
unsightly holes in the neatly raked
border. beside which the small rake
had been flung down that last day
when the sun was - hot. aud her
father had come in at the gate. and
she had RIM into his arms to nestle her
golden head against Ills cheek and tell
him how Il achcd.
Yet there were some who said: If
the child dies. il VIII he Judgment
80 we mete out judgments and bless
ingS by -he accidents Of failure ar sue
cess. in one breath cringing in an
abaSemcnt which goes prrilously near
To forfeiting the dignity conferred on
us when we were made children of the
Father. in the next presuming to in
terpret the thoughts and intentions of
our inscrutable Goj-the God Il Il
leuce-
In a section where rcticeuce does
not obtain. this man had been reti-
cent. The pppu, r. verdict goes with
him on whom the gift of tongues hath
been bestowed. The doctor had no
such gift; he was silent man. Yet
those with whom the primitive virtues
still count for much-those who lie
nearest To- natures heart. the poor.
the sick. the misunderstood, the help
less. the neglected what an endless
array of such witnesses would there
not be on tn Last Day To- answer for
this good lnf aithful servant. u the
question What hast thou done for
Me-" but Il Is one Of the terrible
irouies OF this mortal life that we have
To be judged nv our detractOr's stand
ard. not by our own (which may be
quite different. 10y what he himself
would have done in our circumstances.
The stone he casts. hits and falls. and
the circles it makes upon life's sea
widen. till they seem - touch the linn
itless horizon. And we are in the midst
thereof; there j. no escape
The child was only seven years old
when the doctor was finally beaten.
knowing not fear. he had been a
soldier than whom few were more
gallant: he had held death. for hmm
self and others. calmly in the hollow
of his single hand; hut against subtle
". and passive obstinacy, and a re-
ligion which is that Of the devil rather
than of Cod being devoid of the love
without which Silvrr-tongued piety is
hut sounding brass he had no suffic-
ing weapons - he sat down and en-
dured all things; there was no other
wav-
The child was only seven wears old,
"a I have said. but some divine i--
stiuct led her to cross the room timid-
u. ard slip her tiny hand into his big.
lonely one.
My father she cried. Softly-for
that was how she lad called upon him.
from the P ar that She could speak
Once She looked back over her
shoulder. with quivering lip and ewes
like blue flowers drowned ia dew
But her father was 10 her the
embodiment OF all that was noble,
Just and tender. and her little heart
momentarily defied anyone who, in
the name Of any God. could thus
wound and humiliate such a fathes-
After that he would not er go,
even had she desired il, while re did
not Appeals and approaches from
other quarters touched him NO more.
tie was poor; the uuSeltSh toll of
half lifetime i not apt t. result well
financially Bat the child must not
lack for the best. II i doubtful If she
guessed at Il single one of the sacri-
fees he made for her; hut her life was
sunshine. and in IL he drew the breath
of life
Il telf You, the doctor viii see me;