Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-15
rHE SOULS LoNGINGs.

= AaE HVGal' y LOA&rtAGSa
Fifteen years ago tonight, a young girl
/ knelt tssneath the starry SKY TO pray; aud
! the burden Ut her prayer was, that she
might be endowed with the powers ef geni-
us that power might be given her 10 write
/ to give voice to the tRmultuous feelings snr-
! ging through her soul. This was all the
boon she craYed. She asked not for love.
! for wealth, or high estate neither did she
| ask for fame as yet ambition had no place
in her heart. She asked but for power to
weave together the loose matter that was
| clOgglng up her heart to write out It's un-
written music Its glowing dreams and
| prophesles and il was granted.
Will il bring her happiness
| \ ears passed away. Again she knelt to
/ pray. Her fdark eyes radiant with the light
| Of fgenius, were fixed upon the distant heav-
! ems her lips we're half unclosed, and her
| long dark ringlets fell over her uncovered
shoulders-she looked like one inspired
Suddenly, the fair head was bent low, and
her hand raised, with a kind of depreca-
/ ting gesture, as If some sorrow had crept In
upon her joy Then, folding her arms over
her heart, she bowed her face in the dust Of
humiliation, and, in broken words exclaim-
ed:
Father, 10 be loredf'
Ha she is not happy she Graves the
boon Of love.
It was not enough that mighty power was
given over her own mind and the minds Of
others. She had made her a world apart
from the world she lived in. She had won
fame, aud beVies Of friends; and yet her
woman's heart crayed for love-
1t was sad to see the fair young head bow
ed 50 humbly to see that proud heart
Inundated with the thought that the bosom
she had craved so passionately asking that,
and only that, had failed to satisfy her
heart. Again her prayer was granted
The love of noble heart was given
her a prinoeiy home, aud the homage of
the Rultitude. VIII the love she has Gov
eted fll her heart ? Will love do more for
the wlman's heart than fame did for the
girls
She had happy home sheltered in from
the world elamor and change-that far-of
world she thought so beautiful. Would
that she could part the thick curtain tEst
hung between it and her. She did so, and
found that the curtain was Of coarse gray
serge that the beautiful colors it had worn
at a distance had been wrought by her U@n
brain She wished then that she had not
peered beyond the curtain that had been SO
wisely hung between her and the world that
seemed so fair-for she had gained more
light and knowledge than was wise for her.
She found out the fallacy of her early
dreams that love and truth were not the
things they seemed that happiness was
myth and the trail Of the serpent was
over them all.
Alas her heart yet untitled, her soul yet
upsatis6ed
And now, from white, quivering, lips,
new prayer arises. But, this time She
does not kneel, but bears it about in her
heart lad, at last when the want grows
unbearabie, the trembling lips, utter, pas
sionately. Give me children, q Father p
A little life futtered into EXISTENCE
sweet pale blossom of wondrous lovehness.
The blue Of the violets were IN Its eyes, and
the rose flush upon its cheeks. There was
8 new delicious feeling Ia her heart, and her
soul thrilled to the touch of those tiny fin
gers
Was the want in her soul filed had the
babe coming stillcd its longings All
10 something was wanting-what could lt
be?
There came night when the breath float
ed out from the babe lips, and it went to
dwell beyond the pearly clouds. Then there
came hours Of darkness and eorrow-after-
ward there was light
As the stricken mother gazed on the wee,
Waxen babe she had loved so well, she could
scarcely believe and quiet herself before
him who had bereaved her But, even in
the midst Of her anguish, q new revelation
dawued upon her She saw that she had
been blindly following her own wiO regard
less of his who created her, Every prayer
Of her life had been answered. Genius had
been given her, and fame and love and
more precious than ali, the sweet child love
which is surely fortaste Of Heaven.
Once more beneath the stars she knelt TO
pray not the young girl of6tteen years ago
but a woman weary aud worn. The prayer
this tine, is not for intellectual endowment;
not for huuan love nor fame, nor the pat
tering Of children's feet but, family from
white lips. come the words
Wash me and | viii he whittier than
snow ! let Thy love ill my heart, @ Faith
er Thy love alone can satisfy the soul
Take away all vain dreams all strivings for
earthly happiness all yearning for human
love Lef the prayer Of my heart ever be,
Not my will Father, but thine be done
Thy viii let it be done on earth, as it is in
Heaven, now and forevermore
Lord make me what Thou wilt, so Thou
wilt take
What Thou dost make
And not disdain
To house NE, though among
Thy coarsest grain.