The stars that twinkled in the sky beyond the lacing boughs were set in
his ceiling. No king in his palace could ask for more.
But into the young mother's heart slowly crept the first shadows of a
nameless dread. Fifteen miles from a human habitation in the depths of
an unmarked wilderness with only a hunter's camp for her home, and she
had dreamed of schools! To her children her face always gave good cheer.
But at night she lay awake for long, pitiful hours watching the stars
and fighting the battle alone with despair.
Yet there was never a thought of surrender. God lived and her faith was
in Him. The same stars were shining above that sparkled in old Virginia
and Kentucky. Something within sang for joy at the sight of her
Boy--strong of limb and dauntless of soul. He was God's answer to her
cry, and always she went the even tenor of her way singing softly that
he might hear.
His father set him to the task of clearing the first acre of ground for
the crop next spring. It seemed a joke to send a child with an axe into
that huge forest and tell him to clear the way for civilization. And yet
he went with firm, eager steps.
He chose the biggest tree in sight for his first task--a giant oak three
feet in diameter, its straight trunk rising a hundred feet without a
limb or knot to mar its perfect beauty.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85