The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-19

byway and as there were many diverg-
ing converging and intersecting by
ways it was not always easy to deter
mine which to follcw.
! Before half her journey was accom-
plished darkness fell upon her and
walking became greatly more labori-
Gus and fatiguing; for the road was
stony and rough and scanned with gull
lies cut by the waters Of many show
ers and it was hard to travel even in
the daytime. The night sounds be-
came to her terrifying noises. In the
whirr of an occasional nocturnal bird
there was something that she found
full of horror. A 6 RI of less determi-
nation would have tainted a score of
times. 1t was only by resolute exer-
else of her mental command of herself
that she conquered her terror. Often
unfamiliar, unexpected sounds startled
her; she grew fain+, her limbs grew
weak, and, trembli- G, almost refused
to support her; her heart would give
one great bound, then cease to beat
and her throat would swell and the
swelling muscles choke her; her breath
would come in gas IS, irregularly, and
scarcely reach the upper chambers of
her lungs At such times she would
stop and stand as rigid as a statue un.
til she conquered hrr alarms.
She stumbled over roots and sticks
and stones and into gullies and holes
until she was bruised and sore and al
most forced to sit dawn and give up in
despair to her weakness and terror.
| At length, unable to fully restrain
her emotions, she felt tears flow over
| bnr foC co .La
found herself wondering if they were
burning their ch" nnels down her
cheeks; and she fel: for the scars with
her trembling fingers.
| The road became more and more OBJ
scure and at length she realized that
she had followed a lateral branch and
was lost Without the faintest idea
| how far she was astray she turned
about and retraced her steps, hoping
that she had not gone far from the
main road. She was sure that she had
recovered mile of the lost way and
yet she had not found the main road.
| Disheartened, discouraged, she strug-
| gled on, suffering mentally and phys
ically every instant and every step.
She was sure that she had covered an
other mile, and then she discovered
that she was entirely Off the road.
She sought in every direction but was
unable to discover even a path!
Unable for a time to continue the
struggle she sat down on log over
which she had fallen and gave herself
up to sobs and the violence of her
misery. After half an hour her cou-
rage revived; she was somewhat rested
and felt something stronger and again
| she sought for the road.
She could no longer see the ground
| sufficiently to pick her steps. Her
| clothes were in shreds; her feet were
| bruised and torn, her limbs were
wounded and sore and bleeding; she
was weak and lame and at length her
terror became so great that she scarce
ly knew any longer what she sought
or why she toiled onward through the
| darkness.
AS she descended hill she stepped
| into the burrow of some animal and
fell to the ground with such violence
that she was stunned by the shock and
was at first unable to rise. When she
was able to get up she found, that she
was severely and seriously injured.
Her foot, ankle and limb were much
| swollen. The pain steadily increased.
Her suffering became so intense that
delirium ensued and kindly rendered
her unconscious Of her terrible con-
| dition.
Alone, in the darkness of a moon
less night, upon the bleak hillside,
crippled, delirious, she saw, far off
| yonder, light moving up and down,
here and there, disappearing, reappear-
ing and she sang in soft, clear and
steady voice, through the tones of
which could be traced the echoes of
pain:
"a mansion in heaven we see,
"And light in the window for thee;
"a mansion in heaven we see,
"And light in the window for thee;
"Then on, perseveringly on, broth
er
"Till from conflict and suffering
free;
Bright angels now beckon you over
the stream
There's a light in the window for
thee.
"a mansion in heaven we see,
And light in the window for thee;
"a mansion in heaven we see,
| And light in the window for thee" :"