Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-10-05

: She knew not how long she had slept
when u voice awakened her The
: sweet voice, so dear 10 her. was crying
Mother, mOthcru ~ first she thought
it was dream; but listening intently
she heard, blending with the wall
of the wind, that cry, and sound
) against the latch greeted her. Instant
| ly raising, she grOped for light, unfaSt-
; ened the door, and behold there stood
Henry; piteOus sight indeed, covered
with miTe, literally from head to foot.
His face was wet, but the honest, happy
smile was in 10 wTys abated.
My boy, how could you come on such
night :"
/ why, mother, storm couldn't Keep
me away from YOU was his hearty re-
Spouse. I've had the greatest time,
though, you ever did see-Iost my way,
got into the creek, aud il must be mid
night; but | meant TO U9He, for :. give
me tTiileS over Tonight, and ] knew
you needed it,
My dear boy y sprung from his moth
er's full heart, while tear or two trick
led down her pale cheeks.
Il wOndeFI haven't thought before, >
she said mnsingly. After this Til put u
light in The window. To be sure it
won't show far; hut when you get TO
the top of the hill it viii bc pleasant to
see it, and know that am watching for
YOU
For three years Il lamp was placed in
the little window every night. People
often remarked il; and 'as bright as
Mother IOcke's little window became
a fjlEOrite saying.
At the end Of that time. Young Henry
was offered Il good chance on board a
whaling vessel, and he resolved to ac-
Cept it, 1t cost him oh what a strjlg-
gle, to part from the being he loved
with All almost wOrshipful affection
But he knew that the time had come
when he must 90 forth into the world to
do battle for himself and for her and Il
sailors life was his coveted calling.
1T seems to me Henry said the
mother, when, with trembling lip, she
parted from him, 'ils if ! must still put a
light in the little window. I shall
think sometimes | hear the sound of
your footsteps, the click of the latch,
and your pleasant voice. O, Henry,
Henry, if ] could light you over the
stormy waters y
The long voyage was ended; but an
other voyagO<'Yas to end before that.
The widow Locke was taken ILL., Yet.
with umfailing regularity, with feeble
O.
woman trimmed the little lamp, and
placed it in the little window. Still
when the bended form could no longer
tOtter about the cottage, when she lay
helpless upon the bed, and the neigh
bOrs came in to care for her, she would
say:
Put tile lamp in the little window;
my Henry will be thinking Of it.
Night after night, and even until. her
eyes grew dim, she would watch the ra-
dance of the hickering light, only
saying sometimes: -- r-...
Shall l live to hear lis footsteps |
Will that feeble flame still burn when
my life's light has gone out y
4 have lOnged to see him. she said; /
4 have prayed earnestly; but ] have
given it all up now. shall not meet
him in this world
Have yOuput the light in the Win
dow" she asked suddenly and earnestly
few minutes after. 1T is growing
dark
Her hands grew cold Over ter
cUnntenance came that mysterious I
shadow that falls but once Oh any NOR
tai face.
oh my boy my boyD she whisper
ed; tell him, they bent lower to catch /.
her falling worJls-'tell him will put Il
light in the window of Heaven To guide
his footsteps
The thrilling sentence was hadly sp1-
ken, when the shadow dropped from
the sufferers face, and il smiled i'm the {
calm majesty of death
A funeral follOwed; humble hearts at
tended the body of one who was loved
for her sincere goodness all through the /
hamlet; and OH the hillside, in a little
she was buried.
Not many days after u great ship
came into the port of busy CITY
Among those who stepped from the Il
deck none were more hopeful, more icy l.
GUS than young Henry Locke. He had
passed through tire ordeal of Il sen life, 4
so far unscathed. No blight Of immor-
ality had fallen upon him, He had I,
kept himself as spOtless as il ut every ]
his feet had been turned t. ,
ward his mothers cottage How his !
enough, Ie never dreamed ;
she might be dead II did not occur to i
him that, perhaps her silver locks were {
lying under the lid of the COffin Oh
no; he only thought Of the pleasant =
light in the window, that her hands had {
for him. ,
So he iOuueyed to his native town
Wonder comes one who trudges on lag 4
farmer in heavy boots and
frOck his whip in his hand He cheers |
his lazy oxen, but suddenly stops amaz- t
Dd.
Il see you know me- said the young 4
sailor, smilingly. We'll, Farmer i
Brown, how is -
Know you why, how tall you are!
SO'-his eyes drops, his mouth trembles
so you have got hOme.'
Yes, and glad enough to get back :
lgain-hOw is mother -
Your mother he says in a slow hcsi- 4,
aiing way, that teIegraphs i'll in tidings !.
before they are told i'll words. y
YES, is she well g.? Is she pyncctfBr =
ne? OF course she is; we're late by a n
month full, :,
sYour mother, Henry? Wcll-thc old i,
ady-1 d d
He plays with his whip, or rather, " y
strikes 1t hard OH the dusty road. How j,
AN crush that happy heart? & "
'There, you need not speak y cried tlit q"
'Oung young man in voice of sudden /.
inguish; and he TeCOiled almost staggcr- "
ng from the farmers side, and buried i,
lis face in his hands. !,
Henry, my poor lad, your mother n
81 II
Don't. don't cried the other, show !,
ng now n face from which all color had J.,
led. T.
oh my mother! my mother-shc is :,
.One-gone- ! coming home So q
lappyn n
FOTsOme moments lie sUhbed in agony. ~
low dreary the world had grown The n.
lowers had lost their fragrance, the sun -,
Is warmth; his heart seemed dead, .,
Henry, she left Il message fer YOU v,
aid the old farmer, wipin his eyes with m
ie sleeve of his frOck =,
y message for me" a.
IL seemed rs if the white lips could II,
ardly speak. ,I
Yes; says he-su my old dame told ~.
ne, and SO the minister said Tell HGH- ~,
y / will put light in the window of :,
eaYen To guide his footsteps there IN
Did she, oh did she say that God
less you for telling me. All my long
OyagG | have thought of the light i'm
cr little window. | have seen it .,
rcaming along, down to the foot C( the %
i'll, till il grew brightpE and brighter,
\ drew nearer A light i'm the Win
OW of heaven? Yes, mother. / will N
ill think you are waiting for me- ha
Duld not see you in these long years nj
ut knew the light was burning. be-
lnnOt see YOU now, but / know that la.
lC light is burning an
Slowly and rcvercntly he went tu the ru
illsidc graveyard, and there he knClt Isl
nd wept upon her lowly grave. But 0}
ot there he thought of her \ sweet Isl
ision was vouchsafed him. Al rohcd Qr
heavenly garments, he saw the heau- Sh
fQl soul he had called mother, and, he