The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-22

And once, when Mr.. Powers struck Harry
because the baby was hurt in his play,
the mothers anger famed out" What is
she better than my boy? I wish that she
had never been born" And never in her
fathers sight would she bestow q caress
upon his child. When he was out of the
way, she made up for all.
At fifteen months old the child fell i'll.
It was bad summer for babies and she
was teething; it was only weeks sick
ness, and she died. As they were putting
her into the little casket, her father turned
to his wife and said, "This is as good as
what you wished" Susan dared not ask
if the grave were to be made in her lot,
but she hoped, till the very moment when
the carriages turned to the opposite path,
and the whole breadth of the cemetery lay
between.
al will never go there when he can
know" said Susan TO herself. And in this
| frame Of mind, filed with anguish for her
loss, with remorse for what she had al
lowed herself to say and feel while the
child lived, and with anger toward her
| husband, she went to church on the Sun
| day after the funeral, more for the sake
| CT getting away alone than for the hope
| that any word could help her there. She
| 4AQ ucNtI UScu IL TIC SdUiC place DclOIt.
1t was Friday morning, and the Rev.
| MIR. Stanieid sat in his study, attempting
to wIite S sermon of consolation. Two of
| his parishioners had died that week, one
old, the other In the prime of life. He
| must say something of heaven to the
| mOurners.
| He had the text written out: aye be-
iieve in God, believe also in me. In my
| fathers house are many mansions" But
that was as lar as he could go; the words
That he wanted would not come. He
walked out 70 try and work himself into
| the mood, when instead of it there fell
| upon him such sense Of the worth Of
man as man, such q vision of his capaci-
| ties, such wonders at his possibiEtil S,
| there came upon him such realization OF
the soul, apart from conditions, that be
/ felt it must be written. What a waste of
time with the work which must be done
| yet on his hands But ne put at the top
| of his paper, Ye are of more value than
many sparrows," and "For we are also
zig offspring" Writing was no labor
then, and be:ore he thought Of it, there
vas sermon. 81 must pick out an old
cue for Sunday" he thought; but on Sat-
u>day night he determined to preach that.
= 1t is the word OF the Lord TO me from
this hOur, and will say it."
Susan Powers heard that sermon; and
it was the word CT deliscrance and peace
70 her soul. Size sat like one in dream,
til the services ended; then rose and
went out OF the house, Just casting one
backward glance az tie man Who had
spoken, 70 See il he We're not indeed ar
angel, then with u fixed Purpose in her
heart, TUNED toward her home. 81 will
try and keep my sight," she said, 81 will
not become blind again" For she ,ods
Ike one who had just received his sight.
How ali her lie, To this hour, she herself
had been the Ger ire around which the
universe revolyed her rights, her COM
iorLa, had been the important matters, and
people were good or bad, according to
tner treatment of herl And yet lie, hen
lite, had seemed only poor and mean.
NO Woru OF upbraiding, or of warning
or Threatening could have touched her as
this thought OF the value OF man had
done.
"But hog can l let him know of this
new light that has come TO .me?" she
asked herself "If were to begin talk.
irg kindly, he would think there Wa:
some purpose IN it and despise me. III
lei hun tnat l have been wrong, he will
not listen, Or viii say some cutting thing
VIVA. shall do?" Sac thought of the
children; cut since the baoy's, death he
lad never spoken, not even TO scold them
He went II and cut just as though they
were not IL the word. Attic table. their
mother gave them food which his money
had purchased, Knowing that he hated
them, and feeling as ii each morsel they
ale y as choking her. Then the thought
came OF the little grave, and how be
would go there alone at sunset; would
size care offer to go with him? Nc, hel
courage was not equal 10 that. But there
was something she could do. She found
that her husband was busy writing in nj.
own rcO.n aud quickly gathering her best
loVeiiest autumn flowers, she went to the
cemetery; tenderly, with tears that fell
not merely ior her loss, she laid her offer
ing on the new grave. That little mound
was an altar, and this was an Olferina
OF loye and peace, and OF hope too.
Thas night, when Mr. Powers came
home his wife scarcely dare raise her eve:
to lis lace; thorsh she longed to know i
her repentance was accepted. lie sale
nothing, but she tancied that his move
nenfs were gentler than usual, and hs
actually picked UP one Of the children >:
toys, ana put it away; he was not used tC
, touch anything OF theirs. All through
TIE week Susan watched to DO kind thing.
, without being obtrusive; and, when Sun
day night came, az he was leaving ths
Ii uSe,her bonnet and shawl were ali ready
she SAID, trembling, 81 should like 10 ec
! with you, Philip" AID, as ne Gid not for
: DID, she walked on by MS side. Neithe,
! spoke, out after little, Susan timidly pu
: nSr hsnd IN her husbands arm this ne
/ permitted also, and sue fell that her cfIer.
q peace were lot 6espiaed.
Day by day sue sought and made little
opportunities to show good will !; not re
: ceIqlng direct encouragement, but not re
: pelled, Size pcIsevered, feeling constantly
+ that little ground was gained. Til,
great wonder was that her own sense o
, wrong bad vanished; she found hersel
} beginning to think first of his comfort anc
1 convenience, To consider his interests, anC
to feel real pain when the children inCOm
NODDED him in any way.
Early il the autumn Harry was taken
Ill, OF what soon proved pneumonia. Or
. the second cay, before Susan had realized
that 1t was anything serious, their doctor
: came In, saying, Your husband came
Iound ne thinks / Dad better see the
: iad. There Was choking sensation il
The mothers throat; it came 10 her like q
I hash, that she had not wanted doctor
ior the baby at first; she had not though,
Ter sick enough. Harry's symptom.
efew more ana more alarming, and az hi.
, mother wondered to herself If she coulc
stay with him alone, her good Mrs. Mar
snail walked in. Mr. Powers had founc
, her out and sent her. Susan understood
nhy he held back from any part in tht
nursing, and felt that she should do tn,
sane III his place. But that very night
lie saie 10 Hlrs. Marshall, "You must 90
% bed viii siS up with my wife; sh,
, viii need you il The daytime" And thes.
words, once spoken, ne took his part OF
watching ana care while the child lived
We must be ell dreaming" the mother
thought, as she saw the boy carried IN hel
, / husbands armq eOnfht 4 nd fon.o1 49,