The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1868-06-27


ceeded from little Bertie's bed.
aWbat dear? What does mothers
pet wantr' infeeling accents, was the
inquiry.
fare little children happy in heaven
without their motbers?'
3 eyes, dear child
"Well, then, don't care if / do die,
if it woldnt make You all feel so sorry
to Jose your little boy, for you say
God takes little children to heaven
when they die. And then l wouldn't
be cold and hungry any more, and be
sick and suffer as do now. Mother,
you and the children must be mighty
good, so you can come and be happy
too. 1 wish papa would be good too,
for want you all to come and be with
me. Oh! I feel afraid to go without
you, mother. You are good enough to
go to heaven now, amt you, mother?"
As Fanny had never made public
profession of religion, her child struck
q chord in her heart which had hitherto
remained untouched, ard aroused feel
ings and sympathies that had been, TO
great extent, lying dormant.
BERTHE became easier, and fell into
quiet sleep for few minutes. The
silence which ensued gave Fanny an
opportunity to examine hcr.own heart.
The result was a conviction of her
own sinfulness; and the fact of her
having just muImured against God
now excite d penitent feeling; while
her distressing situation and the in
quiries of BERTHE awakened hopes and
inspired desires never before so fOrci-
bly, felt-of meeting with her children
on that peaceful shore where they
would all be free from want, sickness,
sorrow and death, never to part again.
Heretofore she had looked to the things
IF earth for happiness. These had
failed to crafty her desires, and her
miad Was NV being directed into
other channels, which she began to be-
ieve would soothe her gciefs and af-
ford her the consolation her sad heart
so much needed.
While in health, we are apt to live
forgetful of the Importance of prepar-
ing for better and happier world,
because we are content with this. We
place our Elections upon what pro-
notes our temporal interests and Sc
cures our present welfare. We make
the world our only source of enjoy
ment, and hence we neglect what
would insure our eternal bliss in fu.
| tnre life But when affliction from
sickness or bereavement from death
overtakes US, when misfortunes and
dire calamities overwhelm Us, aud the
heart is saddened aud oppressed with
| grief, Or we are threatened with dan.
gers, then it is that we feel the need of
help-supernature aid-such as we
know we cannot receive from our fell
low man. We are then brought to a
sense of our dependence npon the pro-
lection of God; and while we ask His
help we seek consolation in religion.
This was the case with Fanny. And
now, as her poor little boy was pass
ing away, desires and sympathies
which she had not felt while all we're
in health were awakened. With q
heavy but penitent heart she again
knelt in prayer, beseec hing God to
pardon her many sins, and, if consis-
tent with His holy will, to save her
dear child from death; otherwise, to
give her grace to bear the aff1iction of
bereavement with Christian fo.titude
and resignation. She arose more re-
signed to the will of her Heavenly
Father. But still there was a weight
upon her sal heart
BERTHE awoke after half an hours
sleep, in paroxysm. The poor little
fellow seemed to know that his time
had come, and reaching out his arms
toward his mother, she clasped him in
hers. The struggle was violent but
short, and his little spirit took its
Hight to the peaceful home of the in
nocent and blessed. Fanny couldn't
weep; her grief was too great for
tears to relieve, such sorrow closed
the fountain. She long chung to his
cod form, and then quitting his little
couch she went to wake the children.
Her heart was too sad to be consider
ate in disclosing the awful fact, and in
me Ianclo1v and booreo x,o;oo H.