Maryland free press., 1862-10-31

Die come, then we envy those who have nRLt
within. And mark this, my child, the only light
Tor these dark, sibfal hearts OF 10 the love of
Jesus, and the sweet spirit of contentment which
this love always brings With it,"
Here be stopped, Tor hs road now lay in IN op
posite direction but he gave Alice q little nm
book, and told her to keep it in remembrance of
an old friend who prayed that God wouid him eli
teach her the only way to be happy both here
| ahd 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 busily Engaged
| in making all tidy before her fathers return.-
"OD," sue though 1t, 81 am sure that Ellen has
the light that the gentleman spoke Of, because she
loves God, and THAI will be why she is happy,
while am miserable" Dnt she had time Tor
further thought, for shs heard the angry voice oi
her mother screaming, "Coms along, you iole,
little vagabund, or I'll STE 1t ] can: make you
walk smsrterP' ..-....,..
Poor Alice hastened on with her burden, but
did nut e.csps al Angry blow as she en'sIed the
cottage. The sticks would not burn, they only
smUuldered among the embers, tor they had b-.n
gathered nom the nearest and dampest corner vi
the WOOD; aud after u fresh torrent OF abuse, tie
poor Child wss sent supperiess to bed. Sue lay
shlvoring on h,r straw Ia.et, thinking that she
could never sleep, and feeling that all was very
dark DO b without and within. ..ay .sr
But children do not often lie awake even when
cold aud hungry 50 Alice iell ssleep, and she
dreamed q dream.
Sue lsncied it vas day, and time for her to take
Nancy, the COW, to tho hill side but when she
reached the door, there was scarcely any light
r. min firm tha In "A da lad sd
over it, and there was q my sterious chill in th.
air, just as she remembered feeling when there
had been a Wonderfsl eclipse. ...ir--s47 5..t ..s
"Autber mother ~ she cried, running into
the cottage gain, "~bJ sit SO dark p .re
"DATkP' repeated her mother, "and the sun
shining 80 bright. You're not awake yet, or
you're blind, or IDLE, aud that's more like to Do
tue way Ut it. Get 10 your work, child, or III
give you beating tnat'll make you see right"
Alice uid not wat a second biuding but AZ abe
went out again, she met several peol le, sEd " hen
she spoke 10 them Ut the dark kueis, sue say! that
they only wondered, and thought that shs WAS
onud but ere was au unusual stir 10 the " IL
sops cUttag $50 ST. turned there. Ellen stood
with her little ooInet aud hood on, aud q small
bunale aud lantern 10 her hand.
"On Elen," she SAID, "where are you going 2"
Ellen looked As ii surprised at tue Question. 81
cannot stay hsre,' she saId this place is too
dark; aw gong To The beautiful cuaptry you
have heard about, that pseds neither the san nor
the moon 10 tighten it," 10
Ance asked, "Are you going alone p
"Oo, noI sald Ellen, 'that would never do.-
have a friend with me, though you cannot see
him AID he has promised 10 take Int safely there"
Alice a,kea il 1t wUuld be y lo.g journey. 81
am NO. sure" EiieI replied "DuG II Is pleas-
AT rv&j, and GU see what bngut lignt have"
Sic held up the Lantern, and Aice read in xoi-
den letters all rvuLd it, "lhy word is lamp
unto my ieet, ana a light unto my path"
Father is going 10 follow me-" continued
Ellen, 'and you nj ust come toOj bat ! have 10
time TO ait iUr YOU" l....
81 she trimmed hsr little lamp sfresb, and left
her home.
Alice watched her SIS she hasteuei on through
rugged d. file among the h,lls !. sometimes Tie
roao Looked very rcsgb, some, ,imes smoother again
but she saw that the light, which had burned
d.my among the fogs cf the valley, grew bright
er aud brighter as Elem assembled the mill, till it
threw quite glory over the pathway aud rounu
her httls figure and Alice could See that the
way was covered with golden inscriptions. One
all her paths are pescej J" another was, "This is
the way, walk ye in it," Batthe one that plea, ed
Alice best was this, "Tbe path of the just is ao
he shining iigt that shipeth more and more un to
the perfect day." She gazed and guzsd upon tie
glittering words until she forgot to luck Any more
at Ellen. At last rhe seemed to hear conf used
noises, and dreamed something about a thunder
stJrm, till awakene by q yiuent sbakiug tIom
her mother, and a storm Of angry. rsproach for
having slept SO long.
The poor child rose in a moment, and hasteued
t, her morning work, but though her dream as
gone, its pleasant memory remained. She eager
~ toll it all to Eolen, and said she thought it
meant something like the "Pilgrm's Progress"
but asked il il would cot mean that Ellen was to
die soon. Ellen smiled, apd said,
"Perhaps it means that have begun pilgrim
age to heaven, Ike Christian." = =. - .
"And who is your friend 2, asked Alice.
"That must mean Je u.s." said Ellen "and
you know be has promised never to leave any that
come to him." r.--- Al
Bat can't love Jesusp' exclaimed Alice
81 can't love him when have not seen him, and
when be makes me poor and wretched.'
81 used 10 think all that" said Ellen. "Noth-
er used to tell me u great deal out of the Bible,
bat did not care Tor it till she was dead. Then,
one night when my father was druuk, he bsst ne
till ran out of the house crying, aud thought.
what miserable, miserable world This Isl! -
Then remembered how Jesus had left his tbl one
to come into this very world, aud to suffer and
die tor US and il seemed such wonderful love |
| auuot tell how wonder ul it seemed. Aud
mother had bsde me ask God ior, help; SO a.ked
him then, and it makes me so happy to have learn
ed to pray Now, when father. beats me, J can
bear it better, and sometimes have such sweet
thougau!'
'swhat kind of though ts's" said Alice.
81 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 some hard lessons to learn for
his sake" ..lrsu,
How Alice wished that night that she might
! dream her beautiful dream again But though
1t would not return at her bidding, it was never
forgot en- for she felt az if all her life till now
had been dream, and that she had newly ava
kened to see Why she had come into this world
I