The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1894, Page 3

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 3

The Lost Child.

One day the Count von Sternan went a hunt-
ing. While in the woods a cry of distress from
a cliff high above arrested his attention. Look-
ing up in the direction from which the cry
came, he saw, in an eagle’s nest, a sweet little
boy, whom the bird of prey was just on the

|
|
| his beloved Otto in the eagle’s nest, and had
|taken him to himself, and treated him as his
}own; and how, in spite of all his efforts, he
| could never gain any reliable information con-
| cerning his parents.

“T, too,’’ said the distressed man, ‘about
twenty years ago, lost a darling son in a like
|manner. We were mowing in the meadows,

Pointing to Otto, he said: ‘‘Look, my good
man! that youth who brought you to me is
your lost Martin!’’

For a moment the happy father could not
speak for joy; then he began to weep out and
cry: ‘‘Oh, my son!”’

Otto cried: ‘‘Oh, my father!’’

And each embraced the other heartily. They

point of throwing to her young for food. ‘The!and the child was asleep on the grass, when! could not sufficiently thank and bless the good

sight of the lovely child —~
moved the heart of the
Count. He climbed the
cliff as anxiously as the
most loving of fathers,
and rescued the child
from the beak and talons
of the bird.

The Count afterwards

educated the child, who
was called Otto, in all
useful and necessary
knowledge, and, in re-
turn, the boy gave his
foster-father a great deal
of happiness, and grew
up to be a promising
youth.

After some years the
Count went with Otto to
his country seat. There
came one day a stranger
to the Castle. He had
recently lost his humble
cottage by a disastrous
fire, together with all his
other possessions, and
was now obliged to ask

help of benevolent
people. © ;

Otto, who at this time
was feeding the fish in a
pond in the garden, as
soon as he saw the poorly-
clad man, went up to him,
and, speaking kindly to

_ him, asked what he
wanted. Upon hearing
the poor man’s sad tale,
he assured him of his

sympathy, and con-
ducted him to the Count.

The Count was very
gracious to the afflicted

man, and after encouraging him by promising|a powerful bird of prey, swooping suddenly

help, ordered him to wait until he should re-
turn from his study. -In the meanwhile the
poor man looked about him in the beautifully
furnished room, and discovered a picture which
represented the rescue of Otto from the eagle’s
nest. The Count had caused this picture to
be painted in memory of that adventure and
hung in thisroom. The poor man gazed long
on this picture. ‘ears glistened in his eyes.

“Oh, gracious sir,’’ said he, greatly excited,
when the Count came back into the room,
‘pray tell me what this picture represents 2?

The Count then related how he had found

down, seized him and flew away.””

The Count thought instantly that perhaps
his Otto might be this man’s child. He said
to him: ‘‘Do you know of no mark by which,
if the child lives, you may identify him?”

“Oh, yes,’’ answered the man, ‘‘our little
Martin hada mother-mark on his right arm.”

Now, the Count had already discovered such

God who had prepared
for them this great joy.
The Count now desired
to know the mother, and
Otto’s brothers and sis-
ters. He sent his own
coach for them, and after
a few days they arrived
at the castle. The hap-
piness which both par-
ents and children felt at
meeting thus with their
long lost Martin was in-
describable.

The Count, when he
had become satisfied of
the poor man’s honesty,
made ‘him the proposal
that he should settle near
there with his family, and
gave him a nice farm for
his own.

Jacob, for that was
the poor man’s name,
soon was in comfortable
circumstances; but Otto
became an active and
noble man. He was es-
teemed and beloved by
all who knew him, and
afterwards the Emperor,
in consideration of the
valuable services he had -
rendered the country,
raised him to the office
and honor of Baron of
Adlerheim. ~

From the German.

——> - oo

Blessing of Conflict.

Conflict makes us live
in the fear of God, walk
circumspectly, pray with-
out ceasing, grow in grace and in the knowl-

edge of Christ, and learn to understand the -

power of the Word. Therefore be not faint-
hearted, nor dismayed, but take such conflicts
for a sure sign that thou hast a gracious God,
since thou art being fashioned into the like-
ness of His Son; and doubt not that thou be-
longest to the great and glorious brotherhood

of all the Saints, of whom St. Peter says, .

a mark on Otto’s right arm, and the clothes} ‘*Resist the devil, steadfast in the faith,

which Otto wore at the time of the rescue were

knowing that the same afflictions are accom-

identical with the description which the man} plished in your brethren which are in the’

gave. :
The Count could now doubt no longer.

world=12 Luther.

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