The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-08-23

space, and deepening the pallor on the
sleeper's brow until it almost seemed as if
she were dead already. Lower still and
lower, after each of these fresh spurts, it
sank, while Nellie watched it nervously !;
but just as she fancied that it'had actually
died out, it flashed ap high and bright
again, full upon her mothers face. Nellie
turned eagerly to gaze once more upon those
of darkness seemed to fill the cell-darkness
that could be almost felt-and Il pang seized
the poor girls heart, for she knew at once
by intuition that the lamp was now gone
indeed, and that she had looked for the last
time on the face of her living mother.
The sudden change from light to dark
ness seemed somehow to disturb the in
valid. She opened her eyes YEARLY, and
something like shudder passed over her );
but when she felt her daughters hand still
clasping hers, IL heavenly smile (pity that
Nellie could not see it then-she saw it's
ever) settled on her features, and she whis-
pered
s'You here still, dear child9 Thank Cod
thank God for that"
Mother, what would you p Nellie asked
amid her tears.
dearest. 1t is coming like gentle sleep.
Pray for me, dear one; pray loud, that
may hear you"
What prayer could Nellie say at such n
momentq An orphan already by the loss
of her father, she was about to be doub1y
orphaned in her mothers death, and her
thoughts turned naturally and sponta-
neously toward that other Parent whose
home is heaven, and who, Father as he is
to each of us, has pledged himself to be so
in a yet more especial and individual man
ner to the fatherless of his earthly king
dom.
The words of the "Our Father" seemed
to rise unbidden to her lips.
Our Father who art in heaven"
"Who art in heaven her mother re-
peated after her and then came pause Of
sweet and solemn meditation.
found voice to say. Mrs. Netterville had
ever kept the desire of that kingdom in her
heart of hearts. Surely He was now call
ing her to enjoy it in eternity So Nellie
thought, and the thought gave her strength
and courage to go on.
"1hy will be done r'-that wW which
was calling her last parent from her side.
Nellie sobbcd aloud as she uttered the
words; but Mrs. Nettcrvile took them up,
and in a voice of ineffable love and sweet
ness, kept repeating over and over again, as
if she could never weary of the sentiment:
"Thy will be done; Thy will-1hy will
| Thy will, ever mercful and to be adored-
Thy will, my God, my Father, and my Re
deemer-Thy viii, not mine, he done -
Nellie listened until she almost felt as if
on the threshold of eternity. A sweet and
awful calmness settled on her soul. She
knew intuitively that her mother was i'll
the very act of dying but she no longer
felt fear or sorrow. 1t was as IT the Judge
of the living and the dead, not stern and
exacting, but tender and approving, was
descending in person to that bed of death
| to speak the sentence of his faithful servant.
| 1t was as if saints and angels were crowd
ing after him, bowed down, indeed, beneath
his awful presence, but yet glad and jubi-
| liant over the browning of Il sister spirit,
and bringing the songs and sweetness OF
heaven itself on the rllstling of their snowy
wings. And in the midst of such thoughts
as these, Nellie still could hear her mothers
voice repeating, "Thy will my God, not
mine, be donc!''
Fainter still and fainter grew that voice,
as the soul which spoke by it receded to,
ward eternity; then all ut once 1T died
away, and Nellie felt that the last word
had been said in heaven.
| 1t was very dark now, and very cold
the cold that preccdes the dawn-cold in
| Nellie's heart within, and cold in the out
side world around her. She sh1vered, ana
was scarcely conscious she did SO. Was
her mother really dead? She knew it, and
yet could scarce believe lit. For little
while she knelt there still, waiting and
holding in her breath, in the vague, faint
hope that once more, If 1T were even for
the last time, once more that sweet, PLAIN
tive voice might greet her longing ear. But
it never came again. AT last, by great
effort, she put forth her trembling hand
and touched her mothers face. 1t was al
ready growing cold, with that strange, hard
| GOODNESS which makes the face of the dead
like Il marble mask to the living hands that
touch it. She shuddered; nevertheless,
with an instructive feeling of what was
right and proper by the dead, she did not
withdraw it until she had pressed it gently
ON the eyelitls, and so closed them, without
almost an effort.
That done, she knelt down once more,
and hiding her face in the scanty bed
clothes, tried to pray.
Day began to dawn at last, and few sad
rays forced their way into that gloomy
cell; but Nellie never saw them. Sounds