Year: 1859

NO au-tny Mther 2 asked the mother.


"They have forgotten to leave him the rope"
answered Tom, still scarcely able to speak. The
mother started up horror struck, and stood for
moment as il paralyzed, then pressing her hands
over her face as if to shut out the terrible pic.
ture, and breathing prayer to God for help, she
rushed out Of the house.


When she reached the place where her hus.
band was at work, crowd gathered around the
foot Of the chimney, and stood quite helpless,
gazing up with iaces full Of sorrow.


"He says he'll throw himself down."


"Thee munna do that lad" cried the wife
with clear hopeful vote: "thee munna do
that-wait bit Take off thy stocking, lad,
and unravel it, and let down the thread with q
bit Of mortar. "Dost thou hear me, JemI"


The man made sign Of assent; for it seemed
as il he could not speak-and taking off his
stocking, unraveled the wOrsted yarn, row after
row. The people stood around in breathless ST.
lence and suspense, wondering what Toms
mother could be thinking Of; and why she sent
him in such haste for the carpenters ball Of
twine


"Let down one end Of the thread with Q bit
Of stone, and keep fast hold Of the other" cried
she 10 her husband. The little thread came
waving down the tall chimney, blown hither aud
thither by the wind, but it reached the out.
stretched hands that were waiting it. Tom
held the ball Of twine, while his mother tied one
end Of il to the thread.


"NOw pull it slowly" cried she to her husband,
and she gradully unwound the string until it
reached her husband. snow, hold the string
last and pull it up" cried she, and the string
grew heavy and hard to pull, for Tom and his
mother had fastened thick rope to it. They
watched it gradually and slowly uncoiing from
the ground, and the string was drawn higher.


There was but one coil left. It had reached
the top. THANK God" exclaimed the wife.
She hid her taco in her hands in silent prayer,
aud tremblingly rejoiced. The iron to which it
should be fastened was there oil right-but would
her husband be able to make use Of il! Would
not the terror Of the past hour have so unnerved
him as to prevent him from taking the necessary
measures for safetyI She did not know the
magical influence which her few words had
exercised over him. She did not know the
strength with which the sound Of her voice, so
calm and steadiast bad filled him-as il the
little thread that carried to him the hope Of life
once more, had conveyed to him some portion
of that laith in God, which nothing ever des.
troyed or shook in her heart She did not know
that a. she waited there, the words came over
him, "Why art thou cast down, o my soul,
why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou
in God" She lifted her heart to God for hope
and strength, but could do nothing more for her
husband, and her heart turned to God and rested
on Him a. on rock.


There was great shout /" He's safe, mother !;
he's safe !" cried Tom.


"Thou hast saved my life, my Nary" said her
husband, folding her in his arms.


"But what ais your thou seemest more sOr-
nv than glad about it" But Mary could not
speak, and il the strong arm Of her husband
had not held her up she would have fallen to the
grOund-the sudden joy after such fear had
overcome her.


Aud in their happy home they poured forth
thanks to God for his great goodness, and their
happy life together felt dearer and holier for the
peril 1t had been in, and the nearness Of the dan.
ger had brought them unto God. And the hOli-
day next day-was Il not q thanksgiving day!