Maryland free press., 1862-10-31
"THE LIGHT WITHIN.

The sun had nearly sunk behind the hills, leav
ing the valley in sombre shadow, as e to rn TIE
travelle. that night came early these dark Decem
Der days but Alice Lee sat weeping beside stile
at the road side, regardless ofthe gathering gloom
only now and then looking helplessly ut u bundle
o! sticks that lay beside ber. How long she in
tended TO sit there no one knows, but soon . rust
ling noise was heard in the wood she had just
passed through, and a girl about her own age
olambcred over the stile with heavy burden OF
sticks on her back.
"Wby, Alice p she cried, show can you cit
there in the cold ? You'll be frozen to death u
"And who wouli care p said Alice.
al would" replied her friend, laughingly
"and you wouldn't much like it yourself either /;
so come, cheer up, and let us sss who will be hr,t
home" ...s..
But Alice was too sullen to be persuaded, and
at last Ellen Wilson went on her way more quick
ly than before, to make up tor lost time. Alice
sat watching her retreating figure until turn in
the road hid her FROM view then slowly raising
her own bundle, she began to walk in the same
direction, but very slowly, and still weeping bit
terly. .... .......-
The road stretched along the valley, and both
the girls we're making towards two cottages VIII. Oh
stood apart from the village, and good way up
the hill but the difference was great between
the two children who thus following the 81 ME
path to homes that seemed 50 much alike. Both
were very poor, aud neither had what could be
called happy home but the one loved God, and
the other knew hip not or in other words, the
one was happy, and the other was maerable.-
Alice had never felt the contrast between herself
nd len tnla M and ah.
iuwardiy washing she knew what Eilens secret
was, when some one, " ho had been waking much
more rapidly than herself, Grew near, and che was
joined oy kind looking elderly gentleman. He
asked her why ,he was crying and wh,n she
told him because she was culd, aud weary , anu
was afraid that her mother would scold her then
she reached home, he looked very sorry ior her, ,
bat SAID ne did not thiok crJ ing would do any
good. 81 am straid, little girl" ne Adued, "thss
you don't know how to be happy" .r..
81 am not always crying, sir" said Alice.
81 daresay NOT" be replied, with kud smie
"but it 10 one thing to be sometimes merry, and
quite another thing to BIZ always happy"
"Always happy p'-the words sounded very
strange to the wearied child. ~ wUula like to be
always happy, sir" she said.
"N ne are happy on earth" he answered, "ex.
oeptipg those who love God. and the L1rd j. aus,
who died to save as. This makes them contented
with their lot in the world, whatever it may be,
because it is Gods choice for them. Do you see
those two cottages high up on the bill side 2"
eyes sir," said Alice "we / We IN one, and
Ellen Wilson and her father live in the other.'
"Well," be said, "as came along the valley
this evening your cottages were quite bright in
the beams of the setting sun but as it went down,
they grew darker and darker, till could scar ce
find them out ON the hillside. But now, don't
you see how bright one of them is again Can
! you tell me the reason Of ,his % ..
"Thors 10 = light within, sir" said Alice.
ELLEN has got home, and she has kindled the
| fire 2"
eyes," be said, "that IL 1t there Is . iigb,
! within And so ii i- With ourselves, whether old