New Orleans Republican., 1873-02-23

could no loHgcr tOtteT about the cottage,
when she lay helpless upon her bed, ant
tho ncighboIs came 20 take care of her. she
would say, "Put the little lamp in the WIN
dow; my Henry Will be thinking of If"
Night after night. and even until her eyes
grew dim she would watch the radiance "'
| the llirkering light. only saying sometime;
| "ShaIl | live to hear his tUOtstepst " III
| that feeble flame -tiiI burn when my Ike >
| light has gone Cui =
PRAY With me- sac mrttered. that
may zee him before die. Oh, Tor th:s mos
| precious boom.
| th., wheels went round. and toe pulses. Ike
| ebbing drops. fell faint-- and fewer. until,
| one calm night in summer. In. waters were
| scavcelv stirred
she lay quietly. a smile upon her lips. icr
eyes closed. her hand. folded
81 have longed 10 see him she sail 4" !
hay,. praycd earre-'!.; bgt have given il
all up now; shal! not meet hin. N this
world"
"Have you put the light in TIE Window
she asked suddenly. earnestly. few mo
m MS after. "!t il growing dark
Alas: it vas not the light that was grow.
ing dim.
Her bands grew cold. Over her coun,c
nance came that mysterious shadow that
falls hut once on any mortal face.
"0b. my boy my boy." she whispered.
"tell him"-they bent lower to catch the
failing words! that will put ligh: in
the window Of heaven to guide his footsteps
there"
The thrilling sentence was hardly spoken
when the shadow dropped from the suffer.
ing face. aud i. aniled ia the cain! majesty
of death.
A funeral followed: humble hearts ~.
tended the body Of one who was icvcd Tor
her sincere goodness all through The ham.
let; and on the hillside. IN little grave
yard, she was buried
No! many days after great ship came
into the port Of bnsy city. Among all
those who stepped from he: decks :lonr
were more hopeful, more Joyous. than
young Henry Locke. He had passed
through the ordeal OF ship life, so far. un.
seathed. No blight of immortality had
fallen upon him. He had kept himself as
spotlesS as if at every uightfall his feet had
been turned toward the door OF his mothers
cottage. How his heart bounded IA ne
thought Cf her. Strangely enough he had
never dreamed she might be dead. 1t did
not occur to him that perhaps her silver
locks were lying under tie iii of the coffin.
Oh. no! he only thought Of the pleasant
light i'll the window that her hands had
trimmed for him.
Beautiful and bland was :he ,iav on
which he travelled again the long accus.
toned road. How pleasant now to go
home with sufficient to provide FOR the con-
fort of that dear mother. Sac would never
want again. He would take her to better
home. and give her the luxuries he had
once longed 70 see in her possession. That
old arm chair-she should have new one,
easy III motion, cieC Cart in material. The
faded shawl. that he had seen folded and
re folded year after wear: the old fashioned
bonnet, with its one bruG of Grape: these.
yes, everything, should be replaced w.lh
newer and better.
The flowers on the road al smiled ~ he
looked toward them: the very kline seemed
TO him turning their meek eyes at the sound
of strange footsteps to know that his heart
was glad with love and anticipation. Nope
OD, dreamer! Yondrr comes ono who
trHdges on tagging "a farmer in heavy
boots and frocll. his whip in his hand. He
cheers the lazy oxen. but suddenly stops
amazed.
II see you know me-" said the yours
sailcr. smiling. wei, Farmer Brown, how
"Know Yc: why. how tail ye are: So
his eyes drop. his mouth trembles-''so
we've got home"
"Yts, and glad enough to get back
again-how's my mother!'
"f"ur-no her-ho says It in that slow.
hc.tsfiug way that te!rsrapLs i'll tidiugs
beiU:c they are told in words.
'frs--!5 she we'll: L. she expecting re
y! course She -; wer" late by :. m1nrn'
Your mother. Henry; we!i-thc cid
lady--.' He play. with his whip. or.
rather. strikes Il alrd on the dusty read.
no" can ho crI ~ that happy heart!
81 her". You need .ot speak y cried the
'oung man IN :. voice q: SUdd"n anguish.
and he recol!ed. almost staggering. from
the farmer q s.,e. and bug! :. HIS lace il his
haLd'.
'!ienfy. my POOR lad. your m":h": :s-"
"D"ii'.l d".i. rIieG 4" "ta"r. si.oW:n:
now face ir"h which q" color h'i H"d.
'bI. ir.' mother! ipE !i!"the!. tho Is gone.
gnn"~dnd an coming h''n" 40 h"npA:'
For som" moments he apbhed a. Il. .r"n:.
HOW dr'arTy the world hHe grow: The
flowers had lost l!*gra'ce. tie sun warmth;
'i!S !.r''r' strnie'' dead
trnfy, she it!t :. message !or .:"u. a'id
'uc %" "a AZ y "!i'ih. As t.c" with the
sleeves oi EiS irrcH.
a H.es ''se 10! ~ ID 'cPl!ri - /! The
"hid" 'ia' cou," Ai'HiF speak.
ia@' say Slf-$" ny dhl!e t"iu III :. ani
:" ne nilhl' ''tr '"i1 I'i' Acnit "Ili ptt
d a "2at III 'nr "'A!n" % heaven ID "Gld"
MS ,"o!"'e pr mere.
:, INA snr. 'n. oIu s.' say th,t'. n'"
y" ~, 'S''ihE 'cr TNt my ''"S :'t-
as' a nave 'honS"t" q! 'he f@ht IN leF Ntt'o
"IHu'" ihlHc Sti"e1 % Sc" J. sure IN
u al u - "'"n '''"h ~ ln"' Vi 'Ho hlti.
Va r,n.1,a, yiIi.L,,,L III