Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-07-16
LIGHT IN THE CLOUD.
RY RUTH IIATIIERLEIGII.
CHAPTER

RY RUTH IlATIIEKLEIGu.
CHAPTERI
"Good bye, mother! Goo,l-byc, faith
er! Meet me i'll hcaven!' The blue
eyes closed softly tho little golden
head fell blackjack upon the pillow
and Annie Was dead!
The evening sh,,lowsgathercd round,
and in the gray twilight the little ones
stole gently to the bedside for fare
well kiss, and II last look ut the sleeping
form Of their angel sister. A blank and
darkness fell upon everything, fol
Annie, the light and joy Of the house,
WIS gone.
She was buried beneath the cool sod.
with onlya few pure dropping snow.
drops 10 show where they had laid her.
The father went about his work
m"urnfully, and the mother seldom
spoke, and never smiled.
Dear little lamb" said james one
night, aus he stood by the tiny grave,
81 how shall 7 meet her there? God
knows l am not tit for the blessed place
where her angel spirit has gone, but
with His help 1 mean to try for it.
Many time has she begged me to stay
away from the ale house. Why didn't
1 do it? God forgive me. I'll never
enter one again.
1t was Saturday night, and James
turned his face llomcwards with fixed
determination to visit his old hatnts M
more, for his little Annie's sake. lie
fingered u moment by the churchyartl
gate, and g;szcl upon the sacred SPOT
where her dear form lay, then, with
strengthened resolution, he pursued
his walk.
Mary gazcd in mute astonishment at
seeing her husband returning 50 ,lnusu-
ally early, AMI hustled about to prepare
his tea. The little ones clustered round
him, but be- pushed them aside, and
strobe up to his bedroom and lock cd tho
door. A choking sensation kept rising
Ill his throat. Ilc threw himself down
by the bedside and buried his face in
his hands. Great sohs came swelling
up from the depths of his agonizctl
heart, and with them was mingled tho
pcnitent prayer, "God bo merciful to
inc a sinncr!'
Sunday morning came, and James
prepared to accompany his wife and
little ones to church. Mary looked on
i'll ;.stonishcd silence, for something III
her husbands expression warned her
that she had hotter hold her peace.
Years had passed away since lie last
entered within those walls. His heart
thrilled with I. new and strange emotion
as he stood upon the door step and gave
one longing glance ut the grave Of little
Annie. The tiny mound was covered
with SNOW, and piercing north wind
blew kecnly around. The children
seemed pinched with the cold, James
thought, as lie took his place among
them, anil OH, how sud and care. worn
Mary looked, and I'LL through him. He
bowed his he I'll and gro,llcd inwlrlly.
All his past life came up in review be-
fore him; whole days spent among his
boon companions i'll the ale-llousc,
whilst his wife and little ones were shiy-
,ring for want Of fire md clothing.
Mary was growing hard and cold she
never smiled, and oven tho children
we're afraid Of her. lie Thought of the
lime when she was bright, trusting
girl, full of life and love, and youthful
igor. All she was sOrrow. worn anu
weary now.
When night came, and Mary prepared
o lake the children to bed, james,
ail, half Itsitatingly, "Stnp {. minute,
wife; bring them here to me. Get the
Bible, Mary, and let us read together.
That holy book has Of late been too
much neglected i'll this house. Orr lit
lc child loved it; it was my mothers
light to the skies, and, God, helping
nc, it shall DC minr!'
Mary gazcl 1T him in utter silence
mt her face lost none of it's hard. stern
EXPRESSION. That bitter stony look of
lcrs went right home to James heart.
lie took the Holy Book from her and |
lis hand trcmblcd violently. All!
hose wcll-worn pages, underlined and |
(iscolored. What I: flood of old recnl-
cctions came over him as he locked ut |
hem. 1T was my mothers Bible,
wife, he sohlsl, us his head fell upon
t.. He thought of the time, long, long
lg", when she hal taught him from the
sacred volume; when he kncIt ut her |
Get in prayer, and walked with her,
land in hand, to the house of God. |
Nh! he was. old III the worlds wicked |
Ways now, and where was she? In the |
Fathers home above, will, his little |
Annie in glory.
The children gathered runM ut the |
sight Of their fathers deep distress, but
Mary busted herself clearing the sup
Der table. Then james read, in trcm- |
bling accents, few words of a Psalm.
md then knclt down in the midst of hi,
title ones, anil offered up such plead
ng prayer us had never been heard be-
ore within those wallis. And the littl9
,ncs rainSlel their tears his, with bu-
Wary only bllstlcl the more, and look
I'll harder and sterncr than ever. But
chord was touched III her heart that
vent vibrating through every fibre Of
'cr being. James had prayed for her,
lis poor illuScd Mary; ny, had solemn
y vowed before God to ill-trcat her no
'lorc Words OF love and forgiveness
prang to her lips, but her pride and
he outraged woman-*pirit within her
rushed them back, and she appeared
whilst her heart was almost
breaking.
And now june; was left alone in an
ts:'ny Of communicated emotions. No
light '"*,mrd on him. His iniuuitics,
black -uytu. rose I'D before him in