Vicksburg weekly herald., 1870-05-07
TIE BABE OF HEAVEN.

2 ing We ever Fead-Was publi9hea
3 in the Christian Observer nearly
two Years ego. Read u:
aDoes you love God Z"
3 The question came from q sweet
pair Of lips. Opposite sat a young
n gentleman Of striking exterior. He
and the child were travelling In q
STAGE coach. The latter sat on her
mOtheTs knee. Her little face,
9 beautiful beyond description, look
ed out from q frame Of delicate
Z frame work. For four hours the
coach bad been tOiling on over an
unequal road /; and the child had
been very wining in her little ways
l-lisping songs, lifting her bright
blue eyes to her mothers face, then
falling back, in little, old.iashion-
ed, contented way, into her
mothers arms, saying, by the mute
action, II am happy here"
For more than an hour the dear
babe, scarce yet entering the rosy
threshold other fifth year, had been
answering the smiles Of the young
man, who had been pleased with
her beauty. He had nodded his
head to her little tunes be had Of
fered her his pearl handled pen.
knife to play with; and at last his
heart went over 10 her at every
glance. The mild blue eyes, full Of
the innocence ofA holy love aud q
trusting faith, made his leap with a
purer Joy and, as the coach ratified
on, he began to wish the end Of the
journey nOtso very near.
The child had been sitting for
the last fifteen minutes regarding
the young man with q glance that
almost seemed solemn; neither
smiling at his cAresses nor at the
dear face that bent over her.
A thoughtfulness seemed to
spread over the young brow that
bad never yet been shadoWed By |
care; and as the coach stopped at
the inn door, and the passengers
moved uneasily, preparatory to
leaving, she bent towards the
young man and lisped, in her child.
iSh voice, these words docs you
love God ?"
He did not understand at first in
the confusion, and bent over nearer
aud the voice asked again, clearly,
almost eagerly, "Does you love
God p the thoughtful, inquiring
eyes meantime, beaming into his
own.
The young man drew back hasti-
ly, blushing up to the very roots of
his hair. He looked in a sort Of
confused, abrupt way at the child,
who. frightened at bis manner, had
hidden her face in her mothers
bosom, turned to the coach door,
gave another look back as il he
longed to see her face, and then he
left the coach.
He hurried to his hotel, but the
little voice went with him. There
seemed an echo in his heart, con-
stantly repeating the question of
the child, docs you love Godp
Several gay young men met him
at his hotel. They appeared to
have been waiting for him, aud
welcomed him with mirth that was
almost boisterous. They had pre-. {
pared an elegant supper, aud after
he had been to his room, escor. |
ted him TO the table. The full I
CLEAN Of the gas fell upon the glis-
tering furniture; red wines threw I
shadows Of lustrous crimson hue l
athwart the snowy linen. There
was mirth, wit, faces lit with pleas.
ure-everything to charm the eye (
and please the palate but the young
man was conscious of Q void never
experienced before. His heart
ached to see the child again, aud '
sver aud anon he seemed to hear d
he words, "DOes you love God 2" |,
His name was Gilbert Only ?
.wenty-three years Of age, he was r
; good scholar-esteemed by his '
friends Q genius. Already he had o
made his mark as q writer but he Il
lad never thought, as he thought b
.o.night, on the solemn impert of I"
he simple question, docs you
owe God p n
It came to him when he held the p
ed wine to his lips it was heard n
'mong the clatter Of the billiard v
'alls, and the shouts Of merry Il
aughter that filed the wide room I,
iver: where. Which ever way he
urned, he saw the earnest glance n
Il the blue eyed child, heard the v
ow voice singing, the low voice n
aughing, the low voice asking v
hrillingly, Does you love God ?6 q
1t followed him to his bedside. "
ie had tried to drown IL in wine. Il
n cong, In careless levity. He J
trOve to sleep it way, but be heard
I in his dreams. "
The next night he met a fashion. CT
,ble friend. He was to take her to Il
Ome place Of pleasure. She was IL
lery beautiful in dazzling robes.
Che CLEAN Of pearls and the lus,res
II silk and lace wed with each
'ther to enhance her loveliness
,ut even as she came sailing into Il
he room with smiles upon her F
ed young lips, and q welcome in 6.
Ter words there came, too, float "
ng noiselessly at her side, the N
presence of that angel child. The b
'etter feelings her innocent pres. -,
nee awakened were yet warm d
md, before he knew it, the young b
nan said, quickly and earnestly,
Does you love God?' =,
What do you mean ?" exclaimed u
he young girl, with start of sur. Ii
rise. .,
"i was thinking, as you came in, "
ia lovely child saw yesterday"
10 replied, "as ! was in the act Of cC
-