St. Mary's gazette., 1865-01-19


Flew long have jon lain here, ny poor
boy !" asked the stranger. touched and
interested 10 spite Of himsslf
Three years. sir."
"Aud yet you are happy! What 10
heavens name have yon 70 repder you
cCntented. childlp
"Come at beside me, and f'll tell yoa,
si, thks is. II you please. | should love
to talk with you. for ID is lonely here
when Bess is gone.
Something il the ehiId's winning voice
aud the influence q the cheerful room
culmed the young mans troubled spiri'
and seemed 70 lighieh his despair He sat
down 81 the bedside looking gioomily ap-
on the child. who lay smiling plscidiy Is
with skilful bands he carved small figures
fron the bits Of wood scattered round him
on the eovesl !.
Whist have you to make you happy.
Jamie Tell me your secret, for need
the knowledge very much. said his sew
friend earnestly.
"first Of AL have dear Bess." and the
childs voice fingered lovingly upon the
name; she is so good. 80 very gvod 20
me. no one can Tell how much We love
each other. All day, she sits beside my
bed singing TO ease my pain, or reading
while ! work; she gives me flowers and
birds; all the sunshine that comes 10 to us.
and sits there ia the shadow that II may
be warm and glad. She waits on me all
day; but when wake at night. always
see her sewing busily. and know Il is for
the. my good. kind Bess :"
Then have my work. sir, 10 amuse
me; aud il helps little too, for kind chill
dten always buy my toys. when Bsss tells
them Of the lil,iS boy who carved them
lying here at home. while they play out
among the grass aud flowers where he
can never be-"
What else. 5smio p and the listeners
face grew softer as tho cheerful voics
went on.
II have my bird. sic. aud my roses, ]
have books. and bes, Of ell. have the
crass on the old church tower. can sec
il from my pillow and i shines there al
day long. so brigh. and beautiful. whiIe
tho white doves COO upon the roof tclow.
I love Il dearly"
The Yeung man looked oua through the
narrow window and sag. rising high
above the house-tops. like finger point
ing heavenward, the old gray tower aad
the cleaning cross. Tho cisy's din uss
far below. and through the summer ai'
the faint COO Of the doves and the aultef
Of their wings eAme down. like peaecfui
country sounds.
"whY do you love il. JsmioT' he ASH
ed, looking at the thoughifal face shai IL,
up eagerly AZ the boy replied.
because il does me so much good cir.
Bess told me long ago about tho blessed
Jesus who bore 80 much foF us. and
longcd to be- a. like him 80 q liitls child
could grow. So when my rain was very
sharp. looked up there. and thinking
Of the things be suffered. tried 30 bard
to bear Il that often could; but some
times when It Was too bad. instead Of
fretting Bess. ia cry softly. looking up
there all the time and asking Him to help
me Be paiiep, child think be did;
and nov II seems 30 ike . friend 70 me |
love IL better every day. watch the
sun climb up along the roofs in the, morn
ing. creeping higher and higher till I,
shines upon the cross and turns il into
gold. Then through the day watch the
sunshine fade away ill all the red goes
from the sky, and for little wkileI can
not see il through the dark; but the moon
comes, and | love II better then; for ly-
ing awake through the long nights. 1 see
the cross SO high and bright With s,ass all
shining round il, feel still and happy in
my heart as when Bess siuga to me Ia the
twilight"
''Bns whom there is no moon. or clouds
hide it from you, what then. Jsmic p.
asked the young man. wondaring ifthere
we're no cloud TO darkea the cheerful
cbild'r content
4 wait ill It is clear again. and feel
that il is there, although | cannot soc Ii,
sir. ] hope il neycr will be taken down.
for the light upon the GROSS seems like
that sec in dear Bessiea eyes when she
holds me in ker arms and calls me her
patient Jamie. Sho never kuows l try
to bear my troubles for her sake. as she