The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1908-04-18

Nearer, my God, to thee:
Nearer. my God, to thee:
Nearer to thee"
Next day the camp was pitched In 9
long, narrow valley, with the grin
mountains coming close down on each
side and the ends lost In the hazy dis
lance. A colored man followed then
from Virginia City to do the cooking
and after things were running smooth
ly the engineer and his companions be
gan hunting and prospecting. Ten days
had passed, and the men were away
one quiet afternoon when the girl
swinging lazily In her hammock and
looking up at the grim peaks, felt q
feeling of awe and reverence stealing
over her and softly sang:
''Still all my song shall be,
Nearer. my God, to thee;
Nearer. my God. to thee:
Nearer to thee
And 10! From close beside her q
voice repeated the last two lines of the
refrain and brought her out of the
hammock and upon her feet In an in
slant.
Leaning against a tree scarce two
yards distant she saw young man of
less than thirty. with his cap In his
hand and smile of apology on his
bronzed and handsome face. He was
roughly dressed, and yet the garments
did not fit him ILL.,
"A thousand pardons for the intru-
sion," he said as he bowed low.
"You-you are the man who sang at
Andy's, and you are hurt" she said as
she took step forward.
only bit of an accident, miss-two
or three ribs broken by fall from my
horse. l know this place. Up behind
the big bowlder there Ia a cave. |
wanted to lie up In there for couple
of weeks and give these ribs chance
to mend. OF course I did not know
you were hsre. A thousand pardons,
| will go elsewhere"
mo. You shall go up there, and
will see that you are made comforta-
BILE. The colored man shall bring you
everything needful. Go at once be-
fore some one comes. Please go"
The man smiled and bowed and took
his way up the hillside, and Moses.
coming up just then with supply of
fuel, was told of the strangers pres
ence and pledged to aid and secrecy.
A flask of brandy was filed, bedding
and food flung together. and these
things he carried up to the cave.
An hour later sheriff's posse ar
rived. but they made no discoveries
The man they had been trailing for
three days seemed to have vanished of
The face of the earth.
On the afternoon of the fifth day. all
he men being away again, the girl
climbed the hillside. and, sitting down
beside the bowlder with her back to
he cave. she said to the man inside,
who gave her greeting and protested
his gratitude:
"You must have had home-father,
brothers and sisters perhapsT'
And then he told her his story-told
t to human being for the first time,
Il was the old, old story--pranks at
college, a stern father, an obstinate
ION, harsh words. the going away from
lone with heart full Of bitterness.
sand, now, when you are betterT
he asked as his story was finished.
1--we been thinking. l shall do no
more of it. may go back and take
ny place in the world again. have
Tot taken human life and am not be-
'ond redemption.
God grant that you 60 backr' she
ervently exclaimed. II think there
re spies around the camp, and dare
lot come to you again. II you 20 at |
light, when all Is quiet, give me a
Ign. a sign that you are going back to
hose who must still care for you-to |
onesty, honor and responsibility.
He promised. At midnight FIVE nights |
ater terrible storm swept the noun
aims and the valleys again. There
sas no sleep for any one In the camp
ntil the storm passed away and the
tars shone again.
The last lingering raindrops were
alling upon her tent when a sound
aused the girl to rise from her couch
nd part the flaps Of her tent and look
ut. From up the hillside. where Its
lothing Of frs still glistened with the
ret, came the words OF the refrain:
"still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God. to thee;
Nearer. my God, to thee;
Nearer to thee"
"What is II, OllyT' asked the broth
r as he looked out OF his own tent,
nd his query was echoed by the young
ten.
The girl did not answer There were
,ars In her eyes and sob In her
,roat Happy Harry was going
way. He had given her the promised
gn. He was going home to father.
lother and sister, and the mountains
nd valleys would know him no more.
Submarine Cables.
The very first suggestion that was
yer made about q submarine cable
as that made In the year 1895 by the
n, tu - C.ixa h,$ar. hn -