Year: 1865

and Just as he was about to secure a saf,


hold for himself, heavy sea came rolling


in and swept him of. When the boat


from the fort reached him he had sank the


third time, and one of the men caught him


by the hair ofthe head and drew him out.


But no one there knew what 10 do for him.


They simply laid him upon some old sails
and brought him to me- And then some
one took me by the arm and led me TO the
house. while two men bore nv child after
me- When he had been laid upon a bed.
l heard some one say that the boy was
gone. o, God only knows what l suffer-
ed at that moment. In the anguish of my
heart, | could only cry out, God spare
my child.'


'.But help was at hand. An old sail
or, who had experience in such cases, and
who had seen the boy brought in, came to
save him. He gathered together every
blanket il. the house, and had men heat
them by the blazing fire. AT first, my
child was utterly senseless; his LEGS and
arms were cold as ice; and the pulse in
his wrist not perceptible, / knelt by his
bedside while the strong men piled the hot
blankets. He gasped and struggled, and i
expected that every moment would be his
last OF earthly life o, what season
was that for me. l cannot describe nv
feeling-you can imagine them much bet
ter. For full half an hour knelt there
with my fingers upon my boys pulse.
while the men-six of them-worked
with the blankets. By-and-by l felt a
fluttering beneath my touch; the pulse be-
gan to throb, the lungs were being freed
from the burden of water At length the
eyes opened, and thier first glance was
upon me. Clarence. who is this 2 ask
ed. A smile broke over his pale face, and
he whispered, Its you. dear mother,,'
And then the old sailor told HE that /
need have no more fear. He assured me
that nv child was safe.


Il could bear no more. | sank for
ward upon the bed, and remember that
two Of the men took me up and bore ME
away. The next thing | knew was in
my bed. and Clarence was by my side.
sleeping quietly and safely. 1t was some
weeks before my boy was able to be ont as
before but the fever consequent upon the
terrible strain upon his system at length
passed off, and my Clarence was strong
and buoyant once more.


'.Iaria. | believe that from that time
to the present l have never spoken harsh.
impatient word TO one OF INV children
Had my boy died in that dark hour |
should certainly have gone crazy. Never.
never does the impulse to speak thought
leS>ly come upon me. but l remember
those cruel words which spoke to M
tirSt-born on that day, and find flashing
upon my memory. with an influence child
ing and startling, the picture of that cold
and liteless form. so near-O. so near-to
the brink of the grave, 1t was fearful
lesson; but l think | needed il: and.
what l. more, know have prolited by
it."


Mr. Naseby wiped her eyes. and arose
and left the room The calling up of that
old scene had affected her so deeply that
she wiShel TO be alone until her heart had
CROWN still and quiet again. An hour at
tcrwariS, as she sat by the window of her
chamber. she saw Mrs. Dorrence coming
across the yard with little Lizzie in her
arms. The child was pressed closely to
her bosom, and she kissed it over and over
again; and as she came nearer. Mrs.
N;>eby saw traces Of tears upon her
checks.


That evening. after Lizzie had gone 70
bed. Mrs, Dorrence drew her chair up by
the si'le of her friend and took her hand.


Matilda" she said. with a tremulouS-
ness in her voice, and 4 bright tear in her
eve, Il am free to confess that YOU have
taught me valuable lesson: and the most
direct way in which can show nv graft
tude is my promise that will endeavor TO
profit thereby"


T:.e two friends embraced each other.
and then they turned the conversation up
on other topics.


The years passed on. and Mrs Dorrence
found strength TO keep her resolution; and
in the keeping thereof she found a peace
and comfort which she had not before
I
children rs with men-'.A soft answer
tumeth away wrath, but grievous words
stir up anger