The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-04-29

person VINO ever loved him ana ~
, would serve Him no more. such re
marks would cause them 10 say. Poo
little Willie Rendell was going To tn,
bad and they could not reclaim
him"
one summer afternoon, when all IA,
turc was bright and smiling. WIFI,
went with party of his companions
Ia battle in river a lew miles from
his hons, Their hearts were liehl
and gay ana after bathing they sal
laughing ana talking upon the green
messy hanks of the slvery stream
until the declining rays of the sun
warned them Of the latcness of the
hour ana they started homeward
| through the shadowy woods. where
| the river flowed. PASSING a hilloclS
of stones they saw i'm il hole which
| they decided Ia examine. Willie had
| u candle in mis- pocket and some
matches and was the first Ia enter
into The mysterious funnel shaper
opening, which was so small that bat
one could squeeze through Il at a
time
They laughed morrily at what seem
ed 10 them great run. going in farther
and farther expecting the passage to
cnd in cave. After penetrating
quite distance and finding no ter
minus they became alarmed and re
turned, ureine Willie to follow then
example. Unfortunately for him. his
love of adventure got the better II
his judgment, and he pursued his
way down deeper ana deeper in the
vanlt-Ii like hole. Becoming weary he
stopped To rest. when, To- 10 his hor-
ror. he heard the splashlng OF wafer
beneath him
He was convinced the water was "A
part Of the nearby river sounding
like mighty torrent The cool wind
rising from it blew out his candle.
leaving hin in total darkness
lie called 20 his comrades for help
In vain, his voice sounding shril and
strange in that weird place What
dungeon it seemed, he wondered if he
would be crushed in The narrow
confines of such impeneuahle dark.
ness
Great drops OF perspiration ran
down his race, what. ne wondered, had
ne done 10 deserve a fate 50 horri-
BILE" lie wept bitterly and cried To
God for help! His voice sounded like
mockery the thunderbolt of destiny
rolled over him escape seemed inn
possible, and cruel death was staring
him in the face. what could he do to
be saved? For some brief moments
he was Incapable Of making an effort
either "a 20 backward or forward
then aummoning up his courage. Il
haetenod 20 retrare his steps, crap
ing his way m the slippery rocks.
his ascent was slow. it was difficult
to hold onto the Shiny stones, he
would go forward Tor a time. then
slip backward.
His strength began Ia fail he real
ized sadly his danger Death Was
rapidly appfodching, lac musI fare
II; Spasm of terror seized him, lof
lowed hy the calmness 81 despair
then fell a quiet hcroism that none
'"ulu Hec nut TOO.
lie made a final prayer To has
Maker, Save me Lord OF | perish"
he cried. II know how unworthy |
am, ! have wandered tar from Thee.
in Thy Judgment remember mercy
let me live and viii atone I will
serve Thee, hereafter giving mp my
entire life 10 Thee"
The poor boy rested his head
against a rock whilst his thoughts
wandered over his past when he
prayed n his mothers knee and a
homosick longing Tor all that was goud
in il returned to him, and as his
young life seemed ending ne longed
ia lay his head upon her breast ana
the loving trust of his mothers God
awakened in his heart.
Al this moment something crawled
from the rock, cold and Shiny, against
his cheek. down his arm coiling
around his hand. II was q snake tina
was twining about him in the dark
ness With a scream oi terror he
flung the large reptile from him and
pushed forward, half crazed with
fright, imagining il was in pursuit
once he felt it. after he had thrown
il from him. crawling over his bare
feet cold and damp. AZ If the mois
ture OF the rocks was clinging 10 IT,
onward he struggled for his lite.
Presently To his great joy, "a light
misty speck appeared in the distance
God had heard his prayers, new hope
sprang up in his breast. and the cur
rent of life flowed again strongly IN
his veins.
He pushed onward. the beacon
light Al the entrance growing larger
and larger. until NJ last, weary and
worn. ne drew himself out upon the
ground and VAS saved
Night had fallen; a bright moon
shone over the forest. making silver
patches upon the grass Far and wide
all was 40 stll as .deaih,-only an owl
footed in the tree tops. whilst upon
the ground there was not a SOUND,
hut the light football of some wild
animal or the rustic Of a night bird
Willie thanked God for his deliver
ance and asked Him for future guild
ance. lie felt drawn nearer Ia Him
in the lonely forest. and as he rose
from his knees he looked upward