Maryland free press., 1862-10-31

BILE come, then we envy those who have . fight
within. And mark this, my child, the only light
or these dark, .ibful hearts OF ours s the love Of
Jesus, and the sweet spirit Of contentment which
this love always brings with it."
Here he stopped, Tor Q road now lay in m op
posite direction but he gave Alice a little hy mn
book, and told her to keep it in remembrance Of
an old friend who prayed that God would him ell
teach her the only way to be happy both here
! aad hereafter. ''
Alice went on, ponderipg over the strange words
| she had heard. She paused At the Wilson's cot
tsge, and watched her friend Ellen bnsily sngsg.d
| in making all tidy before her fathers return
"On," sne thought, 81 am sure that Ellen has
the light tina: the gentleman spoke of, because she
loves God, and that will be why she is happy,
while am miserable" Bnt she had no time Tor
further thought, for shs heard the angry voice o
her mother screaming, "Coms along, you lole,
little vagabund, or IN STE 1t can: make you
walk EmsrteTP' ~
Poor Alice hastened on with her burden, but
DID nut escsps an angry blow as she ents ed the
cottage. The sticks would not burn, they only
smuuldered among the emoers, Tor they had BEN
gathered hum the nearest and dampest corner vi
the wood; aud after n fresh torrent OF abuse, tie
poor Child WAS sent supperiess to bed. Sue la,
shivering ON htr straw Ia.et, thinking that she
could never sleep, and feeling that all was very
dark bo without and within. y !sa. 90 ..
But children do not often liz awake even when
cold aud hungry SO Alice iell asleep, and she
dream,d . dream.
Sue Iancied it was day, and time for her to take
Nancy, the COW, to the hIll side but when she
reached the door, there was scarcely any light
coming from the sun, ior dark shadow seemed
over it, and there was q my steriOus chill in the
air, just as she remembered feeling when There
had been wondertsl eclipse. ...i,s-.,7...t OIL
"MutberI mother ~ she cried, running into
the cottsge gain, 'wbJ 10 il 50 dark p
''DnkP' repeated her mother, "and the SUP
shining bright. You're not awake yet, or
you're blind, or IDLE, aud that's more like to 5e
TIE way ot it. Get 10 your work, child, or IN
give yoa beating that'll make you see right"
Alice uid not wat a second Diuding but AZ the
went out again, she mt several peoll l., aud hen
she spoke to thv N Vt the ldark kuess sue say that
they only wondered, and thought that shs WAS
ohud but { ere was su unusual stir in the " IL
sops cuttage,.so sh. turned IN there. Ellen stood
with her little bonnet aud hood on, aud q small
bunale aud lantern IN her hand.
Ellen looked AS if surprised at tue question. 81
cannot stay hsre," she saId ; this place Is too
dark am gong 10 The beautiful coqptry you
have heard about, that pseds neither the san
the moon 10 tighten it,"
Ance ssksd, "Are you going alone?'
"Oo, NO - SAID Ellen, ''Ihat would never do
| have friend with me, though you cannot see
him ard he has promised to take me safely there"
Alice asked il 1t wUuld be log journey. 81
am nOt sure" Een replied "Dut 1t IL pleas-
aat roaJ, and , ,ou see what bngut light have"
Sic held up the lantern, and Alice read in gui-
den letters all round it, "lhy word is q lamp
unto my leet, ana light unto my PATH"
Father is going TO follow me-" continued
Ellen, .snd you must come too but ! have 10
time to wait or yuu." ..F...- ..
So she trimmed hsr little lamp sfrssb, and left
her home.
Alice watched her as she FASTENED on through
rugged dttile among the h,lls sometimes tie
roao looked very rusgh, somei Zines smoother again
but she saw that the light, which had burned
d.mIy among the fogs Of the valley, grew bright
or aud brig hter MS Elem assembled the mill, till it
threw quite glory over the pathway aud rounu
her little figure and Alice could BEE that the
way was covered with golden inscriptions. ODe
was, "Her ways are wsys Of plesssutDeSs, ard
all her paths are peace !" another was, "This is
tne way, walk ye in it," Batthe one that ples,ed
Alice best was this, "The path Of the just is 40
be shining ligt that .hipeth more and more unit,
the perfect day." She gazed and guzsd upon tie
glrttering words until she forgot to luck auy more
at Ellen. At last the seemed to hear con. used
noises, and dreamed something about a thunder
st jrm, till awakened by . viu!ent Shaking from
her mother, and storm of angry. rsproach for
having slept so long.
The poor child rose in q moment, and hastenGd
t. her morning work, but though her dream was
gone, its pleasant memory remained. She eager
II toll it all to Ellrp, and said she thought it
meant something like the "Pilgrim's Progress"
but asked il il would cot mean that Ellen was to
die soon. Ellen smiled, and said,
"Perhsps it means that l have begun pilgrim
age to heaven, Ike Christian = y, - ,.
"And who is your friend p, asked Alice.
"That must mean Je u.s." said Ellen "and
you know be has promised never to leave any that
come to him." .4H
BAT can't love Jesus y exclaimed Alice
Il can't love him when have not seen him, and
when be makes me so poor and wrerched."
al used TO think all that" said Ellen. "Noth-
er used to tell me- great deal out of the Bible,
but did not care Tor it till she was dead. Then,
one night when my father was drunk, be bsat ne
till ran out of the house crying, aud tboug ht,
| what q miserable, miserable world this Is -
Then r.memb mbered how Jesus had left his thi one
to come into this very world, aud to suffer and
die tor US and it seemed such wonderful love |
| auuot tell how wonder ul it seemed. And
mother had bsde me ask God lor help; SO | a.ked
him then, and it makes me so happy to have learn
cd TO pray Now, when father. beats me, can
bear it better, and sometimes have such sweet
thougnu!'
,twhat kind of though ts3p said Alice.
"l think" she SAID, "that heaven is my real
house, whore Jesus, and the angels, and my
mother are aud that this is only school where
GJd is giving me some hard lessons to learn for
! his sake" .lrsu,
How Alice wished that night that she might
deesm her beautiful dream again But though
1t would not return at her bidding, it was never
forgot en- /; for she iet if all her life till now
had been dream, and that she had newly ava
keued TO see Why she had come into this world
h.. tha ;.h. ,k... l.