The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-04-26
The Babe Of Heaven.

| 10 00O0 VI 6V00v0U.
The following beautiful story-one
Of the sweetest and most touching we
ever saw, was published in the Chris
tian Observer nearly two years ago:
Does you love God?'
The question came from q sweet pair
Of lips. Opposite sat q young geatle-
man of striking exterior. He and tile
child were travelling in q stage coach,
the latter sat on her mothers knee.
Her little face, beautiful beyond descrip
ton, looked out from frame of delicate
lace work. For hours the coach had
been toiling on over an unequal road;
and the child had been very winning in
her little ways-lisping songs; lifting
her bright blue eyes to her mother 3
face; then falling back, in little old
fashioned, contended way into her moth
er's arms, saying, by the mute action,
Il am happy here
For more than an hour the dear babe,
scarcely yet entering the rosy threshold
Of her fifth year, had been answering the
smiles of the young man, who had been
pleased with her beauty. He had nod
ded his head to her little tunes; he had
offered her his pearl handled knife to
play with; and at last his heart went
over to her at every glance. The mild
blue eyes, full of the innocence of a ho-
ly love and q trusting faith. made his
pulse beat with purer joy; and, as the
coach ratified on, he began to wish tie
end Of the journey not so very near
The child had been sitting for the last
fifteen minutes regarding the young
man with q glauce that seemed almost
solemn; neither smiling at his caresses
nor at his dear face that bent over her.
A thoughtfulness seemed to spread
over the young brow that had 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 childish voice,
these words:
Does you love Godi'
He did not understand at first, in the
and bent nsarer; and the
voice again asked. almost eagerly, Does
you love God?' The thoughtful, iuquir-
ing eyes. meantime, beaming into his
own. The young man drew back hasti-
ly, blushing to the roots Of his hair.
He looked in a sort of confused, abrupt
way al the child. who. frightened at his
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 left the
coach.
He buried to the hotel, but the little
voice went with him. There seemed an
echo in his heart, constantly repeating
The question of the child, Does you
ove God?'
Several gay young men met him at
his hotel. They appeared to have been
waiting for him, and welcomed him with
mirth that was almost boisterous. Thev
had prepared an elegant supper, and, af
Ter he had been to his room, escorted
him to the table. The full CLEAN of the
gas fell upon the glitte ring furniture:
red wines threw shadows Of lustrious
crimson hue athwart the snowy line.
There was mirth, wit, faces ligh. with
pleasCre-everything to charm the eve
and please the palate; but the Young
man was conscious of void never cx-
perienced before His heart ache6 To
see the child again; aud ever and anon
ne seemed to hear the words, Does you
owe God?'
His name was Gilbert Only twenty
years OF age, he was GOOD scholar and
esteemed by his friends g genius. AL
'eady he had made his mark as q writer.
md he never thought, before. on the sol
smn import Of the simple question.
Does you love God?
1t came to him when he held the red
vine to his lips; il was heard among the
,latter of the billiard balls, and the
'houts of merry laughter that filled the
vide room everywhere Whichever
way he turned he saw the earnest glance
II the blue eyed child, heard the low
'oice laughing. the low voice asking
Does you love God?'
1t followed him to his bed side. He
lad tried to drown it in wine, in song.
q careless levity. He strove to sleep
away, but be heard it in his dreams.
The next night he met fashionable
riend. He was to take her to some
,lace of pleasure. She was very BEAU
iful IN dazzling robes. The gieam Of
'earls and lustres of silks and laces We'd
Vith each other to enhance her loveli-
less; but even as she came sailing into
he room with smiles upon he red young
ips and a welcome in her words; there
anne, too floating noislessly at her side,
be Oreaonco Of that onpaI ,h;il IT,,