Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-05-24

and there was another victory. Sitting
down she closed her book, and com
menced her work. H. father coming
in. said, coldly, " ss'eIl, Alice, 1t is tim'
you had decided in some way" Sh'
choked, but managed to say clearly
Il have decided to remain at home.
"That settles all questions" was
the reply. ...
Eight years passed. Summer had
come with all its fullness of life and
beauty The whispered promises OF
spring had proved the Yea" and
"amen of a Divine will. Not bud
or leaf was forgotten on the brown
old trees their green luxuriance was
fuller promise of harvest time.
The red seeds had dropped to the earth,
and were springing up stem and leaf
and bud answering that old, old ques-
tion, "lf man die shall he live
again?" The butterfly flashed over
the spot where the worm had lain,
bright reminder to us of the Infinite
Patience " that yearns to crown with
unknown glory" the coarser forms of
partial growth. And the summer
of Alice Lansing's life had come. 1t
was not the summer she had once pic
| tured-gorgeous, tropical-but twas
none the less luxuriant. There were
no deep colorings and heavy perfumes,
no tangled, creeping out growths ;
there were no fierce heats and poison
Gus miasmas-but, always strong,
upward growth, everywhere pure,
rich coloring, a quickening breath !;
there were warm, south winds, and
cool, twilight hours and dews like the
dews of Hermon There was con-
centrated life and richness imparting
itself to others, quietly but freely.
Because she had followed the law of
obedience, Christ had revealed to
her the fullness there is in common
things. He had shown her how the
multitude might be fed with five loaves
and two fishes. Because the common
est duties of every day were done to
His glory, they yielded to her wealth
of peace and wisdom. In her attitude
as little child, she was enabled,
out of the dross Of error she found in
books and men, to select, almost intui-
lively, the precious grains of truth.
She found everywhere the manifesto
tions of Him who is the Truth. She
had learned the present was hers, and
making each minute of her life the
noblest possible, she made each min
ute yield to her its richness.
But she was still in the flesh, and
there were sins and suf1erings. There
were wakeful nights, and weary days,
when the old longings and hopes took
possession of her heart. There were
mornings when life seemed heavy
burden, to be taken up again after the
sweet similitude of death. Her moth
er was an invalid requiring almost
constant care. Her father was infirm,
and it was seldom she could obtain a
coveted hour to spend in reading or in
dulging her own tastes. Nature was,
as ever, to her, comforter and guide.
1t had become a gospel now glad IT,
dngs of great JOY she read in all her
manifestations She verified the dec
laration,-" If any man will do His
will, he shall know of the doctrine" ]"
and not only the word of revelation
shone day by day in clearer light,
but the writing of Natures book con-
veyed to her deeper meaning than
to those whose hands were less clean,
| and whose hearts were less pure.
Alice escaped from the house one
glad morning, when the whole earth
seemed jubilant. The air quivered
with the song of birds. The winds
| were odor-laden and warm as though
they had blown over sunny seas. In
her heart was fullness OF JOY. She
felt God loved her more to-day-just
as a mother, loving always, sometimes
clasps her child with quick, eager
embrace. She followed her favorite
! path, and sat down upon the mossy
log, scarcely thinking-oniy living
and enjoying. Nature came close to
her that day, baptising with the bap,
tism of peace. Awaking from her
trance at last, she began to sketch, with
delicate tracery,,' the forms of leaves
and flowers that grew about her. " And
SO you must carry nature within
doors 2" said a voice close beside her.
She started and looked up--up into
dark eyes aud a manly face then has.
| tily arose, dropping pencil and paper,
and extending her hand with a deep
flush on her face, and an earnest look
of welcome in her eyes.
II did not know you were in town,
Mr.. Herbert" - a.. a-....
"Iwas not three hours ago. Il came
from the depot to your house, and they
told me the direction you had taken
knew where TO find you." -f..-H
/ "I am glad you did. Now let's has
ten back that | may show you how
much | am given to hospitality"
81 have had abundant demonstra
tion of it before. Let us sit down here
And now, how do you do? You art
tired, are you not z"
!" No, far from it. have been rest
ing this hour, and this unexpected
pleasure banishes the last remains 0
: fatigue" ..
81 went in to see your mother befor
, came here. She is no better?"
"Ob, l am glad you went in. !
did her good, know. No, she is n
) better-but now tell me how you dc
: and what news you bring me from tn
world-the brave, gay world"
al am very well, and am prospered
/ The world is moving, part in the righ
e and part in the wrong direction" b
a said, half abstractedly. 81 find
;, difficult sometimes to prevent myse
r being carried down the wrong Gu
;, rent. What have you to tell me {
f Nature T? l am afraid you find littl
: time to act as her priestess now."
e al do not find much, but | valu
1 such hours more, and come with he
= | -. xn,larc than I chnnll n