Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 106, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1899 — A Boy’s Faith. [ARTICLE]

A Boy’s Faith.

An account of the life of Judge James B. Bradwell, of Chicago, by his daughter, tells a story of the deeply religious training of his childhood. He had the old-fashioned faith In the efficacy of prayer, before he was of sufficient age to understand the reasonable limits of such petitions. Once, when James was only eight years old, the wagon was sent to Chicago for provisions. Five days elapsed; the wagon was detained, and the Bradwell family was without food and without a man to provide it. Little James, as dbual with even small boys of the time and place, was a good shot His mother loaded the gun for him and he started out to see what he could shoot to supply the table. In due time he saw two prairie chickens not far away. He got his gun ready and then took long enough to pray thus: “Oh, Father, If you will jpst let me bring down those two chickens, I’ll give your minister the choice of the pair.” The trigger was pulled and down came the two prairie chickens: James believed the shot to be a direct answer ■ to his prayer. He took the two birds j to Elder Snow, the minister, and told ' him of the circumstances. The good elder took a long time to j examine the two chickens, In order to be quite sure that he got the better of , the two; because, he said, he thought It best that the boy’s compact should be faithfully carried out.