Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-06-07

| frequently visit the sick chamber of a
christian young lady, whom have known
intimately from her childhood. For two
long years, since this dark cloud came over
her life and hopes, these four walls have
been her widest horizon of the world, save
as a few times she has been carried forth
to seek relief and benefit in change obscene.
| Mostly, day after day, hour after hour, she
has dragged out existence on this unchan--
ing bed. At times there is intense and re-
morseless pain, mental darkness and horror
also; the star of hope shining out with
promise of returning health, diffusing glad
ness and buoyancy, to be soon again dark
ly obscured. Yet, with all these sad incl
dents of life, it is good for the visitor to be
in this place. Christ is there. Cheerful
ness, courage, patience and hope, such as
only He can give, are brightly exempI;fed
There are no murmurings against God, but
loving acquiescence in these strange thwart-
ings of his hand. There are kind words for
every one. With thoughts ever heayenward,
there is still lively interest in the friends
and things and events of the outside world.
There is a mind struggling against unbe-
lief, against the weakness and irritability
of disease, against carelessness to whatsc-
ever may beft a lady and wound the tastes
of those who tend or visit her. There is
continual endeayor to endure all "as see
ing him who is invisible, and suffer meek
ly all the Fathers will
The cross of the Great Sufferer is always
present to her, not only in her dark expc-
riences, but to her bodily eyes in represen-
tations of it upon the walls of her chamber
Graceful and loving hands have braided
in various sizes and tints those paper eros
ses which Of late are seen at so many win.
dows, as if to give assurance that there j.
Christly living within. We wonder some.
times if it is true. And these unbloody
and tiny forms of the cruel wood WHEREOF
Jesus suffered and expired, doing the SAME
Heavenly Fathers will, are so aptly dis
tributed that this martyr maiden, howcye
she may lie or turn herself upon her bed
may see the same image.
These crosses strike me STRANGELY here
| don't know whether to be pleased wit
them or not. 1t seems to me they may b
, filter for places where there is no suGerin
where men and women, through easy con
, science, through selfshness and self indul
: gence, slip away from the obligations {
=, sacrifcial duty to themselves and the
q brother men-to remind such that there
a cross for every one" and that withol
4 bearing cross they cannot follow Jesu
y experience his grace, nor achieve his glor,
q But here in this seclusion of living agon,
, of self conquest, of strivings of faith towar
the Man of Sorrows, see so many re;
crosses that these things of beauty and fir
sentiment merely appear a cruel mocker,
" a hideous vision.
Still we would not rebuke these mini
; tries of sympathy. They are kindly mean
. They can bring to mind the fountain of a
grace and comfort. But | am sure TIL
| real cross bearers-all who are brave
n beating their way heavenward, all who ha,
n fellowship with Christ's suferings, and a
! so clinging to his cross-must rather shu,
q der at these iippant, Haunted symbols
20 their life agony, as they cry: Father, if
at be possible, let this cup pass from me-
n dependent.