1856.] The Winter in Michigan. 295 



top. " Thank God ! thank God 1 " exclaimed the wife. She hid her 

 face in her hands in silent prayer, and, trembling, rejoiced. The rope 

 was up. The iron to which it should be fastened was there all right ; 

 but would her husband be able to make use of them ? Would not the 

 terror of the past hour have so unnerved him as to prevent him from 

 taking the necessary measures for his safety ? She did not know the 

 strength that the sound of her voice, so calm and steadfast, had filled 

 him with — as if the little thread that carried him the hope of life once 

 more, had carried him some portion of that faith in God which nothing 

 ever destroyed or shook in her true heart. She did not know, that, as 

 he waited there, the words came over him, "Why art thou cast down, 

 my soul ; and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God." 

 She lifted up her heart to God for hope and strength. She could do 

 nothing more for her husband ; and her heart turned to God, and rested 

 on him as on a rock. 



There was a great shout. "He's safe, mother, he's safe," cried 

 little Tom. 



" Thou'st saved me, Mary," cried her husband, folding her in his 

 arms. " What ails thee ? Thou seem'st more sorry than glad about 

 it." But Mary could not speak ; and if the strong arm of her husband 

 had not held her up, she would have fallen to the ground. The sudden 

 joy after such great fear had overcome her. 



'• Tom," said his father, " let thy mother lean on thy shoulder, and 

 we will take her home." And 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 it had been in, and for the nearness that 

 the danger had brought them unto God. And the holiday next day — 

 was it not indeed a thanksgiving day ? 



< ♦ » • > 



THE WINTER IN MICHIGAN, 



Mr. George Lefevre writing from Shiawassee County, Michigan, 

 says : — " We have had a tremendous cold winter ; the thermometer 

 run down to for-ty degrees hclow zero ! I do not believe that there 

 is a living peach tree in Michigan. I had a beautiful peach orchard 

 of about sixty trees, and every one was frozen to death. And the same 

 is a general thing throughout the State, so far as I have been able to 

 ascertain." 



