Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-02-11

! L don't think L shall ever be better
answered Tom.
The tears rolled down the sisters face.
Don't talk so, Tom she sobbed. You
shant 90. l can't live without you. Who
will there be to care for me p
| I've been thinking said Tom, gravely,
u think great deal lying here, that when
i am gone, father will be different. You
know and here ne dropped his voic', and
! looked carefully around, as il to see lest
any one should be listening, you know that
father drinks; and that's why he comes
home so late, and says he can't afford to
send you To school and why he is 50 cross;
and why. sometimes, he beats you
Don't speak of it, DEAR said his sister.
Il wouldn't mind it if il wasn't for you.'
But | do mind it, Lizzy and it breaks
my heart to lie here and see it. But some
times | think, when | die, father will bc
different he says he loves me. and it may
make him good, you see. What is it the
I Bible says Through much tribuation,'
Yes it is through much tribulation, we
win the crown. What was the verse we
learnt at school 1 keep forgetting. The
one about being tired
oh | know, said Lizzy. Come unto
me all We that are weary and heavy laden,
and will give you rest
Come unto me- repeated the brother.
| He does not deceive, LiZzy. He will give
us rest. lie loves me and you, too, aud he
will take care of us. lie is going TO give
me rest up in heaven
| But the sister was not to be conlforted.
| Tom was all the world to her. To lose
| him was to lose everything.
| The day wore on. Night came. Tom
lay, looking at the lily, and no one knows
how many sweet thoughts it suggested ~
| him. Now and then his sister stopped in
her work, and came to see if he wanted
anything. He always thanked her with
sweet smile.
! Father is late to night he said at last,
when the darkness came 4; and he sighed.
He will be here soon, said Lzzy, utter
| ing words of hope. in which she hardly
believed herself. Try to sleep little,
dear
So Tom, at last fell off into dozc. Ten
O'Clock came and yet no father. Worn out
| with fatigue and anxiety, Lizzy crept into
bed by her brothers side, and sank 10 sleep
also.
1t was nearly midnight when the father
came in. The noise woke Tom up. He
half raised on his elbow and looked around.
| AT that moment, the moon emerged from
cloud, and its light, falling through the
window, lit up the sick boys face with n
! glory as ofa seraph's.
| The father started back, sobcred at once.
1t seemed to him rs if n halo, direct from
heaven, encircled his child's head.
! Father said Tom. come here please.
The man went softly to his sons bed
side, sank on his knees, and took the lads
hand tendery in his own. He was awed
BE kind to Lizzy,' said Tom, wis.fully,
looking into his fathers face. She won't
have any one but you, when / am dead
father. Let her 30 10 school again, please,
she is so fond of school,
oh my son. my son. interrupted the
now penitent father, bursting into sobs.
You will get well yct---'
Il will never get wcll,' said Tom But
don't cry, father. shall see mother, you
know. And by-and-by,' and strange
look came on his face, a look of joy and
faith ineXprcssble, 'by-ard-by, wen all
meet again, shan't weS Kiss me, please,
and then go to bed, or Wen wake sister
The father, choking back his sobs, kissed
the boy. Il promise to be kind to Lizzy,
he whispered. She shall % to school. l
will never drink another drop. AS God is
my Witness he added, solcmnly, l never
will
Tom took his little, thin arms from
AROUND his fathers neck, where he had put
them for that last kiss, and then sunk back
on his pillow, exhausted.
How sweet the flower looks in the moon
light thought Tom. What happy boy
| am to have it And to have father
promise TO be better he went on, and u
say he'll love Lizzy, and that he'll send hei
to school, And then he forgot himself
in sleep.
! The night passed. Morning dawncd
Lizzy woke before the sun rose. Her iirs
thought was of Tom.
I've slept all night she said, reproach
fully, 'and didn't mean to sleep tive
minutes / wonder if Tom wanted me in tn,
night. lie must be better or he'd hav,
called
, lie ,eaS better. As she leaned over t.
, look at him, LiZzy was startled by thu
strange. vet beautiful look on his face ;
7 look Of divine hoy, as when martyr hat
+ passed through lire into everlasting rest
! He would never suffer more.
| The lily had done it's work. 1t has
sweetened the last hours Of the sutlerin.
; boy, suggesting pure and beautiful thoughts
, aud when Ella Bronson called, early in th,
70 morning, to see l.izzy she found it lying oI
!. the breast Of the dead child, casped in hi
! two, thin, waNen hands f; and she though
of the lilies ot Paradise, aud Of the saint
; who held them, aud of the woTls of Scrip
/; ture again, 'inasmuch as We have done /
i unto one Of the least Of these, ye have don
Z " unto me-
!, A better work even, had been done also
The last words of Tom were never iuIgOl
= ten 10y his father, who, fom that night
d, became u rvfi,Tmed man. Lizzy went {
school, aud, more than that, never agai
heard harsh word at home,
Z Ella and Lizzie became great friends
u The former lrOM her superior position, wa
" aide To 10 much f0g the latter, IL was nu
chance, rely on it : that made Ella Civ
h away, at some sacritce e the time, lha
lily. 20 -,..,.
y As We SOW, 50 shall ye reap fsIsrson
y Ladies' MaydziAs.
p, 49, .A.. - E..aAu