Year: 1859




not time to finish the word before his
voice was lost to the surrounding world
a sepulchral splash, and all was silent amid
the dreary darkness, save the rain which
still pattered in torrents upon earth's sur
face, and trickled in rills into the shaft
into which the doctor had mmistakably
fallen. For moment there was a CUR
gling--a desperate struggle for some
thing; but a moment served TO show the
the unfortunate son of Ksculapius that
he had fallen into one of the shafts
which proved to be only about fifteen feet
deep--and he found himself standing on
its bottom, immersed to his chin in the
water. Even fhis t1@y have. been con-
sidered fortunate, for, but few feet dis
tant, was another shaft fifty feet deep,
with twenty feet of water in it. Had he
fallen into this, there would have been no
possible chance of escape. His INNER
sion and his terrible position sobered him
at once.


He felt his awful situation keenly;
there was scarcely chance for escape
1t was perhaps o'clock, and day would
not dawn till 6-four weary hours
Cries would be unavailing, for no one
would be stirring in that dreary weather
till dawn, and could he endure the cold
immersion so long? Would his strength
hold out ? The water came pouring in
from little rills formed by the rain, and
was slowly utsurely rising; his head was
barely above the flood, and though his
physical strength might possibly endure
till morning, there was a strong proba-
bility that he would be completely inn
mersed in a short time and he would be
drowned. Death stared him in the face
with scarce possibility of escape. His
life passed in rapid review before him !;
his errors stood in strong array, and he
wished for life that he might atone as far
as he could before it was too late.


He was to die, and bitterly he reproach-
ed himself for his misdeeds, which per-
haps he would not have thought of under
better circumstances, so true it is that in
the enjoyment of life and strength and
prosperity, men give little heed to Alright
preparation for brighter and more joy
Gus world in Heaven. Then again his
hildhood-his fathers home--his old play
grounds--his schoohnate, and oh his
mother. He remembered laying his head
upon his mothers bosom in his hours of
childish sorrow-her soothing caresses-
her kindly words-her kiss of love, all,
All I1tSfIcJ -rpou MS J.isnr5sk r1ss4slas-.
brain, and then hot gushing tears flowed
freely as these cherished images came to
his mind, and he exclaimed aloud, ooh,
mother, mother!" Is there man in the
civilized world whose soul does not at
times cling with childlike simplicity to
the memory of mothers love; remem-
bering mothers fond embrace--her
deep care and affection that welled up
from her very heart? Mine does and |
love and respect woman for mothers
sake, as well as my own.


AT times he felt that there was no
hope. lie was to die here where even his
body might not be found, and his death
might remain mystery. But nature
struggled by instinct for self-preservation,
and he resolved to keep up as long as his
strength to do so remained. lie com
mended himself to his Maker, prayed
that his sins might be forgiven, and if
God ordained that he should thus perish
he hoped his transgrcssions might not de-
bar him from all Mercy in Heaven
Tricble, tricllle came the little rills into
his tomb, slowly but surely the water
arose, till at length it reached his chin
his mouth---andshe bent his head back
ward to be able to breathe. lie sunk in
to a state of alf-unconsciousness The
rain at length ceased, the weary, wretch
when by looking upwards toward the sky
he was conscious that daylight was ap-
pearing. For the first time hope bcamed
in his heart-he might be saved--and he
shouted with all lis strength. IL was
not long before he heard human voice
exclaim, "Howly Vargin ! what's that p


'It's me-it's me--I'm in the shaft
for the love of God help me out--I'm al
most dead--help me out p shouted the
drowning man--and face pecred cauti-
ously over the brink of the shaft into the
darkness below. "Mother of Saints, how
did We get there, and who are you ?" re-
piled. the man above. "I'm doctor -;
get ropes and haul me out--I'm nearly
pcrished and cannot stand it long,"


1t providentially happened that the
honest Irishman was passing thus early
when he heard the ''voice from below"
and, though much frightened, he ran to
the rearest cabin, and alarming the family,
the cords were instantly taken from the
bedstcad, and rushing to the shaft they
let down the rope which, with difficulty,
the doctor fastened around him; but be-
fore he was half way up, the treatcherous
rope broke, and he was once more inn
mersed in the most extravagant hydro
pathic state. Doubling the chord, a
second trial brought the doctor into the
the "wide, wide world" a wet, if not a
wiseman. Hewas saved, and has cschew-
ed hot 'potheen" from that very day.