New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-11
g.OSG. LONG AGO.
~ Si;gAgESI STUAIC pHEsTso

"a 2i;HaYESu sTUAEc pHE2Vso
srfsn Racie! Fross proceeded 20 marry
SzsaeI Craven 5he whole church militant
niuSeeds
IL was so 'ofs ago, That youngreopfe who
thought Of marriage considered frst wE2'
sse church militant would think.
Il wac so long ago. that young man pre-
pairing for the Gospel ministry was an Oh
n.c. Of peculiar veIeration, and suffice,
as exceptionally persistent prayer
I: was so long ago, that such young maj
WAS held to have sacrificed this world and
she glory thereof upon the altar OF bis con
sscra'td youth, to have wrestlei for heav
sn's blessing as Jacob wrestled of old Til
siaybreaa, with hidden, smiling favoring
lord.
Il was 50 long ago, that such a young man
expected, sought and found a life OF much
~elt.c"Equeet and self-denial-ot poverty
of anxiety. OF patience, OF prayer o. honor,
Of peace.
II was 20 long ago, that such young man
excited the supernatural respect of women,
and induced in tbs III devotion rese n bling
shat in which Claude, Bosseut, q .5avOn-
Grola lived and moved and haG their being.
Snd were not for God took thems
it was so long ago. that fbe imagination
ar II go,tng woman fAltered before the cone
sns for the temporal and lower necessities
Of 40 elevated and dedicated being.
IL was SD long ago, that when Azraef
Craven asked Rachel fross if she woulk
jriu him in the service 10 v hch he had
given his life: il she wonld become his
comtor ter and assistant in the holy work:
if she thought 10 would insure her happi.
aess 60 unite with him in the bonds of
matrimony. which was of God and blessed
by God, TO this great end-it was so long
ago. that Rachel felt as il the AychaDgel
Michael had stepped from heaven to earth.
bscan-e he had need OF her.
IN facf, it WAS eolOng ago, that people went
20 church with foOt-stOves: and AZrael
Craven was carrying Rachel's footstove
home for her. after the Thursday evening
conference meeting, when he brought the
subject Of Michael Sc wildly 60 her mind.
d had not thought" said Rachel, tremo
hiing Sisibly.-'nh: ME. Graves. Ihad never
thought Of thar
0It has weighed upon my mind. said enc
Angel Michael. ''foy long while, Rachel.
IL has seemed 70 me that the Lord. for a
Cong while. has been leading my thoughts
On shfs siirectioT: ard I have allowed my.
sels So hope shat hf would lead yours "a
She same
"But. oil! Mr.. Craven" srernSiei Rachel.
"Ece again. 81 am NOT good enoagh. can
neves' DO good enough TO be q ministers
Ntro never can. ,ndeed.'
ssaehes FrosS was - tail auI etateiv
woman. with pale hair, heavy upon her
S,reheads and grave great, reiicent eyes.
She turned hey head as she spoke. and
Cooked upward at the Angel Michael fwhu
vas Father tai! himself) with motion such
az Nemnoh mighs have made in Iookip
eastward for the first flash OF dawn which
should nnbnd the marble OF :ts lips.
10 was not so long ago but that The Rev.
SIR Craven observed the motion and the
SOCK with keen fsls satisfaction, albeit
with a dull sense that they were both nat.
uraf and appropriate. lie shifted the foot
stove on his thino Jong arm. and gravely
Sitting kachel's hand. pressed il 10 his lips.
''Jhere is none that doe,h good" lie an.
swered her: emo. not once We Gan grow in
grace together, Rachel"
o'siho well,'' said Rachel softly. "! can srv.
y will Try, it sos would like TO hays me.
sMro Craven
d have come so Seef." saiI she l:er.
Nro Craven speaking siowlys and with
some suppressed emotion 1pon hi. chin.
sicklvo distracted face. 0'that my work
could not be, could never be rounded Sni
complete without You, Rachel Fross.'
Now it was so long ago that the atrocisv
al this love scene was as simple and IA
serious to its actors as one of Mendc lssohis
0'Lieder ohne Worte;' SO long ago that, in
spite of il, Azrael Craven and Rachael
Fross, Joining hand across the footstove,
set from that moment their Young feet in
Eden, and heard the lord of eternal love
walking in their hearts that day.
In fact, il was SO long ago that a mans
felatiyeiestimate Of himself and the woman
whom he loved might be simply preposter-
GUS, and yet that he might love woman
very much; and that a woman might be so
far glOritied for this life by the one fact as
never to discover the other till death and
Immortality had blurred it to faint, uu-
troubling shade.
At all events. it remains, that Rachel
fross came home from Thursday conference
''promised' to Azrael Craven; and that tie
fitness of this event was apparent at once
and fOrev TO the church and society of
southampton, in which devout, dead Deacon
Fross had been a pillar for more than
thirty years, and by which Azrael Craven
was supported in the Theological Seminary
at Princeton. with faith, hope. charity. and
al quarterly allowance Of one hundred and
give dollars and fifty cents.
A few grave calls, received in the sitting
Soom with the mother knitting in the rock
sng-chair beside the fire few grave walks
~ the broad winter day, up and down the
broad, dritted, watching streets; little
grave discussion of the revival and the
sreshess q little strange sweet chat of
common ghingsS y headache shat he hads Dt
70 pudding fhas she suades D little awed
listening 20 his last rew sermons a little
seanpep with hey mother for suggesting that
he change his text: some geading aloud in
an evsnlns from Jeremy Taylor or from
Waitey Scott: ,iignifed kiss or two left
mpon her forehead in the entry wits the
al ooso squire open: . simid suggestion that
she anend his gloves, and half night
spent in darning them to hair-llnes won
Sirous nicetys faint. sweet sense OF house
hold fellowship when he "stopped to tea"
and led in PRAYER" thereafter, and the
perp2esins presence Of a shy, elusive pain
az the thought of what southampton would
be like to morrow, when he had gone-pre'
seded Rzrael Graven's return to the semi
gary to complete his senior year:
IL was 40 long ago that Rachel did not
eli MIN she would miss him; did not say |
hat she should mourn. They talked OF the
leigh bors and the news the seml-weekly
,aper held; of the association, which
7ould meet with Azrael's aunt. across the
sreefs next week of the prayer that Dea-
on JudkIn made on Sunday; OF the pllce
f board in Princeton and of the best REM
dies for spring colds and the favor OF sage
"a. The Young student had heavy cold
pom his lunge, now some weeks old.
'~Yeu come OF a sickly stock. SAID Ka-
,el's mother "YOur mother died at thlT-
;. sou remember: most of the Hebbards
we Known Il mean the wOmeD) have.
non ehare was your moor father But your