Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-06-05

growing weaker, but with that touching
sweetness. different from anything in her
former life She did not shrink from the
past. but fingered over it with Hope, remem-
berng some halfforgotten scene or word that
was pleasant 10 think upon Hope learned
50 much of Stephens early life in this con-
nection Old days at Tregony, dim wants
that began to dawn upon him. fond loves for
nature-thc saucer Of flowers that used to
~tuIid on the window-lc1ge, the books he used
to read. and above all. his tenderness for his
poor old father. There must have been some
heroic element in Joes nature, stunted per
baIs by the coarse blood she had inherited.
For having once made her sacrifice, there was
no further moan. She even ceased to ques-
ton.
=. think, ;" she said one day to Hope, " that
we come nearer t. death, God takes away
all these old longings, and puts himself III
their stead. | used to fancy it would be so
bard to die without having known any real
happiness. But nearing the last, we look
over life and find 80 many bright spots Our
davs were fuller Of gladness than we dreamed.
And for all we nave missed here. He will
give us countless blessings beyond. After
He sent You back to me. had nothing to
ask.
/ Hope kissed her with fearful eyes.
And 50 she drifted nearer and nearer the
/
waned. the breath of ripening orchards was
waited to them. Flowers every day Ste
phcn took care Of that. Tendcrcst care,
most devoted love. RcStful hours when
softest silence hroodcd over all Katy sing
+ ins lower and sadder. Stephen lingering
about. watching with eyes that thrilled her.
! For she was coming up to his height. When
I he knew her again as an angel, they would
! be on the same plane. Tie poor, jealous.
/ tortured heart was satisfied at last.
One night they counted her pulses. and
hung over her in tender agony, not daring to
glance at each other Fainter. fainter.
smiles dying away. Little quivcrings all
along the flesh. sudden gra-pings of the hand
when some dim fear overlook her. and 80 the
soul of Josephine Dane passed into God ;
keeping
Stephen kissed down the eyelids Did they
sleep the sweetcr for il? On the resurrec-
ton morn they will open with clearer vision.
and She shall not be ashamed Of this love of
hers. that she gladly died for. They who 20
to the stake are not the only martyrs.
Hope turned blindly away with one low
pitying cry. stephen took her in his arms.
his strong frame trembling with emotion.
But something within him still stronger
and more determined. for he spoke not a
I word.
+ You know how Il house seems when one
within lies dead. NJ other stiffness II Ike
unto il. Voices are lowered. as if such a
sleep could be disturbed Meals are sent
away unta>tcI. one walks hither and thith-
or. searching familiar rooms-tor what? It
is hard t. believe in death As If. after a
day. sleep. the loved form must rise again
and fiji its olden place.
Joe. living cotincd in the drawing
slept peacefully. The face fair enough now.
the shining hair smoothly banded back,
touched by no hand save Hopes, who had
dropped tears and kisses amid it, shining
folds. stephen had watched her labor OF
love. remembering how once he had been
fretted by struggling ends 1t would never
annoy any one again \ few buds clustered
in it. and dropped upon her temple. ON her
breast tubcro>e- and Jasmine. filling the room
with their slrr0wful sweetness. How strang,
that this should he an Of her Thirtv-tw,
wears ago she had 4laddened her mother
heart. ana having done Ill that God had ap-
pointed for her u do. tie end had come.
Can We believe that no life no atom is
wasted that God. in this world Of liz. has
room for all. ana work for all that these
knottv problems we stumble over are mighty
truths that pain. and hunger, and loss, that
passionate longing~ and wasted youth. arc
held in some infinite order. and made t. e, olive
. Ills purpose that we cannot see, but only
Lropc after in some blind way, when sudden
/ wrench Of agony takes us ont Of our narrow
selves and shows u that the world Is broader
than we knew. that this life is but the brief
7 est beginning2