South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-05-16
Comfort in the Dark Hour.

There never was such an affection as
mine said poor sufferer, rcs,lcssly toss.
ing in her bed in one of the wards of ci,v
hospital. Il don't think there ever was
such racking pain
'Olce, was family uttered from tho
next bed.
The first speaker paused for a moment !;
and then, in still more impatient tone,
resumed her complaint:
Nobody knows what l pass through
Nobody ever suffered more pain
'Ooe, was again whispered from the
same direction.
Il take II you mean yourself, poor soul |
but
%, not myself not me- exclaimed the
other aud her pale IA ce flushed up TO the
very temple, as 1t some wrong had been Of
fered-'not to myself but TO another
She spoke with such earnes,uess that her
restless companion lay still for several Sc
sonds, and gazed inteutly on her face
The cheeks were now wan and suuken, and
the parched lips were drawn back fromthe
mouth as if in pain. Yet there dwelt m
extraordinary sweetness in the clear gray
eyes, and refinement on the placid brow
such as en- only be impaired by heart.
acquaintance with Him who is "full of
grace and truth
", not myself. not me ? she repeated.
there was short pause; aud then the
following words, uttered in the same low
tone, slowly and solemnly broke the mid
night silence OF the place
And when they had plated crown of
thorns, they put it upon his head, and
reed In his right hand and they bowed
the knee before him, aud Knocked him, saw
ibg, Hail, King of the Jews! And they
! spit upon him, and took the reed and SIN o 10
him on the head. And thew cruel
fed him, and parted bis garments, casting
And sitting down they watched him
there Aud they that passed by
reviled him, wagging their heads. y
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with
a loud voice, saying, My C od, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me p
The voice ceased, aud for several minutes
not syllable was spoken. The night
nurse rose from her chair by the fire, aud
mechanically handed q cup of barley water,
favored with lemon juice and sugar, to
the lips of both sufferers.
THANK you, nurse said The last speaker.
They gave him gall for his meat; and in
his thirst they gave him vinegar to drink. ,
she is talking about Jesus Christ, said
the other woman, already beginning to toss
res,lessly from side to side. But added
sue, talking abou, bis sufferings can't mend
ours-at least, not mine
But it ligbtens here, said the nurse.
Il wonder how
Hush
And the gentle voice again took up the
strain:
Surely He hath borne our grief, and car
rled our sorrows. He was wounded for
our trsnsgressions, He was bruised for our
| inlqurles; the enhancement of our peace was
upon bin and with bis stripes we are healed. >
Inc following day, as some ladies visit
ing the hospital passed by the cots, they
handed TO each few fragrant flowers
The gentle voice was heard again: If
God so clotbe the grass of the field, which
to-day is and to. morrow is cast in the over
shall he not much more cIothe you, o We
Of little faith p
a few days passed slowly away when, on
bright Sabbath morning, as the sun was
rIslug, the nurse noticed the lips of the
sufferer moving, and, leaning over her, she
heard these words: 'GoiDg home have
finished my course. have kept the faith
Henceforth there is laid up for me crown
! OF righteousness, which ibe Lord, the right
eoas Judge, shall give me at that day..
Her eyes closed, and the nurse knew tha
the hand Of death was grasping the cords
/ OF lie. a moment more and all was over !;
tho soul had gone to dwell 10 that city
where there is no death, neither sorrow
nor crying; neither shall there be any
more pain. '-Ne0 York ObserUer.