Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-04-17
BRATTLEBORO, VT. APRIL II, 1858.

ence, while he could do nothing to help him.
was visiting yesterday that poor dressmake
whom you know. She has BY toll and pain
been educating fine and dutiful son. fIe /
smltten down with hopeless disease, while he
IDIOT child, who can do nobody any good, i
spared. All, this mourning veil has indeed Cd
ened my eyes but it has taught me to add al
.hG sorrows OF the world to my own and can
believe in Gods love !"
Daughter" said the old man. 81 am not 10
norant of these things. l have buried sevel
children; have buried my wife and God ha
laid on me in my time reproach, and controyer
sy, and contempt. Each cross seemed at tn,
time, heavier than the others. Each in its da,
seemed to he what least could bear; and
would have cried, '1ny thing bm Hisr And vet
now when look back, cannot see any ofthesC
sorrows that has not been made a iov to me
WIN every one some perversity or sin has been
suodued, some chain unbound, some good pur-
pose perfected God has taken nv loved ones
put he has given me love. lie has given me
the power OF submission and of consolation; and
I have blessed him many times in my ministry
for all that have suffered, for by it have STAY
ed. up many that were ready to perish"
IAN" said Olivia, "you indeed have reason
10 be eomforted, because you can see in YOUR
sell the fruit OF your sorrows but am not i'm
proungi | am only crushed and darkened-not
amended"
Have patience with thyself, child; weeping
must endure for night all comes not at once,
NO trial .tor the present secmeth ioyous; but
Uterrards It yieldeth the peaccabe fruit : have
ialth IN this afterwards. Some one saws that it
is not in the tempest one walks the beach to
look ior treasures of wrecked ships; but when
the storm Is passed we find pearls and precious
stones washed ashore. Are there not even now
some Of these in your path 4? Is not the love
between YOU and your husband deeper and more
intimate since this afficton9 Do YOU not love
your other children more tenderly Did Won
not tell me that you had thought on the sorrows
OF every house in this village? Courage. nv
child that is good sign. Once. as YOU read
the papers. YOU thought nothing of those who
lost triendsi now you notice and feel. Take
the sorrows of others to your heart they shall
widen and deepen it. Ours is a religion of sor-
row. The Captain Of our salvation was made
perfect through suffering; our Father is the
God of all consultations our Teacher is named
the Comforter; and all other mysteries are swal-
lowed up in the mystery of the Divine sorrow
: In our Affections he is afflicted God refuseth
not to suffer shall we 2"
here IS no grave so desolate that the flowers
VIII not at last spring on it. Time passed with
Albert and Olivia with healing in its Wings
he secret place Of tears became first temple
OF prayer and afterwards of praise and the
heavy cloud was remembered by the flowers that
spring up after the rain. The vacant chair in
the household circle had grown to be a tender
influence, not narrowing one and the virtues
OF the lost one seemed to SOW themselves like
the scattered seeds of fallen flower. and to
spring up in the hearts of the surviving. More
tender and more blessed is often the brooding
influence of the sacred dead than the words of
the living.
Olivia became known in the abodes of sor
row, and deep power seemed given her to
console the suffering and distressed. A deeper
power of love sprung up within her and love.
!hough born OF sorrow, ever prings peace with
ering that she upheld, the desolate that she com
forted. As a soul in heaven may look back on
earth and smile at its past sorrows, so, even
here 1t may rise to a sphere where it may look
down on the storm that once threatened TO ov-
erwhelm it.
1t was on the afternoon of Just such another
summer day as we have described at the OPEN
ing of our story. that Olivia was in her apart
ment directing the folding and laying away of
mourning garments. She took up the dark veil
and looked on it kindly, as on faithful friend.
How much had she seen and learned behind the
refuge of its sheltering folds She turned her
thoughts within herself. She was calm once
more, and happy-happy with wider and stead
icr basis than ever before. A new world SEEM
ed open within her; and with a heart raised in
thankfulness she placed the veil among her most
sacred treasures.
Yes, there by the smiling image of the lost
one,--by the curls of her glossy hair,-by the
faded flowers taken from her bier, was laid in
solemn thankfulness, the Mourning Veil.