rm, and for hours he seemed in
mortal agony. We had no efficient remedies, no doctor within thirty,
perhaps fifty miles, and to complicate matters, I had lain down sick
for the first time, thoroughly vanquished by fatigue and unusual
exposure. But that sickness of mine had to be postponed, and we fought
all that night with the fearful disease, using vigorously all the
external remedies within our reach, cupping the dear child with
inexperienced hands, but prayerful hearts, leaning entirely upon God,
who, when we cried unto Him in our distress, heard and mercifully
regarded our cries. The acute and agonizing symptoms of the attack
were subdued, but lung fever supervened, and for four weeks our dear
boy lay very near death. His form wasted, his hands, through extreme
attenuation, became almost translucent, and we could only watch and
pray, and use all the means in our power to alleviate his sufferings.
I recall the seasons of family worship around that sick bed, when we
were drawn so near the All-pitying Father that we could talk with Him,
as a man talketh with his friend, when the loving Savior made us feel
that He was near us to sympathize with us, and the Blessed Comforter
brooded over us, and spoke peace to our sorrowing hearts, so that we
could say, "Thy will be done," and from our hearts could sing:

"_Ill_ that God blesses is our _good_,
And unblest _good_ is ill;
And all is right, that seems most wrong,
If it be His dear will.

"When obstacles and trials seem
Like prison walls to be;
We'll do the little we can do,
And leave the rest to Thee."

During this trying time, our stock of candles was nearly exhausted,
and our weary watchings were only lighted by a sense of God's
presence. So with our hand on the dear sufferer, and our ear attentive
to his breathing, his father and I sat beside him, lighting our candle
only when absolutely necessary, and felt as none can feel until they
have tested it, the sustaining grace and Infinite love of the Blessed
Watcher, who never slumbers nor sleeps. He granted us sweet thoughts
of His love and precious promises, which were to us as songs in the
night, and under the shadow of His wings, our hearts were kept in
perfect peace. Thanks to the Great Healer, a change for the better
came, and then occurred a strange thing, that has always seemed to me
directly Providential.

During a bitter wind and blinding snow storm, some snow birds