Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-10-11
Our love and our prayers will go after

| OA loNo duu Jul pldyoIo VIII ~ dIeOl
them as angels of mercy.
The image of his kneeling child
seen again so distinctly, and her sweet
voice lifted heavenward in prayer for
him, heard again with such startling
clearness, SO touched the father
heart that he clasped his hands pas.
sionately together, and looking up
ward, exclaimed,
40 Lord, | am not worthy of any
thing so pure and precious as this
child !-one of the little ones whose
angels are ever before Thy face"
A deep quiet fell upon his soul as
he bowed his head once more and
walked, still moving slowly, onward.
And now, contraSted with the inno-
cence, sweetness and purity of his
wife and child, stood out before him
an image of himself that made shame
spots burn on his cheeks as if fire had
touched them. They so loving and
unselish; so true to him in all things
so free from earthly faint, and he SC
selfish and worldly, yielding to gross
appetites, and giving his thoughts to
what was mean and sensual, instead
Of to things good and noble!
"Giye me strength to lead a new
and better life," he prayed, as he
moved along the street. This night
have turned my back upon the evil
that was opening its jaws to devouI
me. This night | set my feet in a
new way. Let thy power, o Lord
pass into my poor resolutions, and ]
shall be saved"
Home at last 1t had taken him
nearly two hours from the time he
turned so reSolutely away from his
desolatc companions. Entering very
quietly, he went first to the bathroom
where he washed his hands and face
and carefully cleansed his mouth to
remove, if possible, all smell of liquor
or tobacco smoke.
How silent it was. How strange
.ly he felt, Softly he opened the cham
ber-door and stood in the presence
of his wife and child. How peaceful
Iy they slept Their faces lay close
together, both so young and fresh-so
tender and so sweet that they looked
like sisters. instead of mother and
child. A little while he remained
bending above them. Great waves
of tenderness came sweeping over his
heart. They had never seemed SC
lovely and precious. STOPPING, al
length, for he could no longer restrain
himself, he touched MS lips to the fail
forehead of his wife. She moved
slightly, but did not awaken. Then
he kissed the little one who had said
ere she went to sleep,
Tell him to kiss me when ne comes
home, mamma. won't you? May be
I'll know it in my dreams
An angel must have told it to her
now, for while yet the touch of his
lips was warm on her lips, 9 lad light
flooded her cOuntenance. As the ligh
faded slowly of, her lips moved, anC
she said, still sleeping, yet speaking
out clearly
"BIeSs dear papa, and make hin
good and happy"
The fathers heart was too strongly
moved already to bear this withOu
losing his self-control. A sob heaveC
his heart. Then claSping his arm
about his sleeping treasures, h,
hugged them pasSionately to hi
heart.
"God bless you and keep you from
all evil, and me worthy of you, m,
J darlings =
This was the sentence, spoken il
fervency, that met the ears of his wax
ing wife and child.
We cannot picture, in words, th,
JOY that filled that young wife's hear
when the full meaning of all this cam
| like a great light into her soul.
She never sat lonely in the nigh
watches again, waiting with a shad
= owed spirit for the loved but absen
one, in fear of the very thoughts tina
went out after him. And few and ia
between were the times that the littl
angel of their home asked that a kis
might be given which she could fee
only in her dreams.
Little ones, pray for those who ar
dear to your hearts. The angels ar
nearer to you because of your innC
cence, than they are to those who ar
| older and less pure, and they can ofte
give to you prayers power for goo
r that will fall in blessing on those yo
love.-T. s. AYthp.
5 FALL FASHIONS.-ItW will he prat