Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-05-05

J.
cooling contents upon the bound limb
4 the delirious sufferer until the band
ages were thoroughly saturated; and
from that hour he kept them so. day
and night. toilingly caring for her with
g patient tenderness born Of that love
which is deeper and greater than the
love Of youth and maiden, because Ii
was d love of sacred duty and rever-
4ntial Difference TO the will OF Him in
hom was AXed the faith OF the loving
servant
That service was the purest religion.
Il was the willing, joyful obedience OF
the trustrul disciple who regarded the
sufferer as the Oae Chosen. the one
taken out from among all His crea-
lures, to give to the sons of earth that
son whose first coming had opened to
al. the gates OF eternal life and whose
second coming was to purify the earth,
Tree the world from sin and emanci-
pate men from temptation
The devout nurse never forsook the
presence OF his charge, save in her
service; to bring fresh water, to get
her a drink; TO migister TO her; or to
kneel at the altar whereon stood the
burning lamp. and appeal to the
Father in her behalf.
Day after day, night after night, her
fever and her deliZium continued and
neither the patient rOr the nurse knew
aught of the fight sf time OF the null
tiplicaticn OF days.
One afternoon sac awoke from
sleep and sew tla Prophet kneeling
at the altar. Remembering that he
had gone after wa,er and how fright
ened she had been sy his long absence.
she thought that SIC had fallen asleep
and that he had returned while she
slept. She asked:
Did you get the water?"
The Prophet arose and approached
her, and she, wondering why her voice
sounded so strange, continued:
Please let me have the water7
must bathe my limb"
she made an effort 10 sit up but
could not rise.
What is the matter with me? l am
50 weak! l feel terribly tired, yet
have been asleep and ought to feel
rested. How su ange my voice
sounds
'' l am the voice af one crying in the
wilderness, saying Prepare ye the
way of the Lord; make His path
straight"
Please help me to sit up?"
He gently assisted her and she add
ed:
Thank you, Won't you please take
the pitcher and pour water on those
Dandages till tell Jou to stop? must
keep them wet or this hurt may be-
come serious. But 1t does not pain me
now; before l went to sleep the pain
was fearful"
She examined the injured limb and
was utterly bewildored. The infiamma-
ton was gone and there was not even
a trace of soreness.
She sat in silence, her mind fixed
upon her wonderful recovery.
Motionless and silent with the water
pitcher extended toward her, stood the
faithful Prophet, unnoticed, for she
was endeavoring To collect the frag-
mentary recollectious OF many days of
anguish. many nights of horrors, many
hours of fright and fear and pain and
torture. And yet sne could not realize
that she had slept beyond q few hours.
Still, if she had slept but night and
during that sleep rest had been bro
ken by so many disturbing dreams,
how was 1t that her limb had so sud
denly healed? Why had she grown SO
weak? She saw her hands and In
wonder held them TO the light. They
were wasted and thin and looked al
most like the withered hands of an old
woman! She was frightened and
thought of Rip Van Wrinkles sleep of
twenty years and with terror at her
heart cried:
What day Is this? What month?
What year? How long have l been
here?"
Now Is the accepted time; behold
now is the day of salvation!'
How long have l been here? A day?
How many years?"
lone day is with the Lord as a
thousand years and thousand years
as one day. He esteemeth every day
alike"
mo, no, not twenty years! l have
not slept twenty years? But you look
olderl look olderl | wonder II am
very old? have been sick-oh, l Won
der how long! 1t must be u terribly
long time since | came herei"
She fell back and drew a coil of her
long, shining black hair before her
old woman whose hair had grown
white through the bleaching OF years.
She felt that. 1t was years, more years
than she could guess. since she left
Barton!
Tears flowed from her closed eyes.
Over her stood the Prophet still ST.
leRtly extending the water toward her. |
When her tears ceased and her heavy, |
regular respirations told him that she |
slept again he put aside the vessel and |
resumed his devotions before the altar. |
All through the night she slept and |
when the morning broke upon the |
world without, she awoke 80 much re- |
freshed that she wes able to rise to |
sitting posture.
Almost Immediately the Prophet |
came in and offered her food which she |
ate without knowing what II was or |
from whence il came.
Having eaten, she begged the Prophet
10 assist her TO the door that she might
once again see the bright light OF day
and once more breathe the pure air OF
the hills. Without answer he went out
and she heard him remove the fasten-
ngs OF the ironclad door. Then he
returned and gathered her in his arms
as tenderly as young mother gathers
her first born from its cradle, and bore
her to the outside where he placed her
lpon q stool, with her back resting
against one OF the great stones OF the
wall.
Leaving her there he silently went
again into his hut.
TO BK CONTINUED.