The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-27

dark ewes speak volumes as you LooA
down into their depths they SPEAK 10
you of suffering one moment put 1ne
next thev flash out triumphantly ana
as we bend to catch the words his lips
endeayored to frame his little harsh
voice seems to have grown melodious'
as he whispers to himself, Simply to
Thy Cross I Cling"
Billy, grown taller and stouter, SITS
by him on the bed, looking down sor-
rowf1llv. tenderIy, into the little sui
ferer's face.
sBilly," said Johnny, stroking
BilIy's coarse hand with his little frall
fingers Billy" he repeated soitiy, 1
embarrassing the hand, dear Billy, ne
whispered, as he put it to his little pale
lips "It's a way he has" Billy had
said one day to lady who called. q" he
seems to think so much O me, sald
Billy, with emotion, "me as never done
nothin' for him, poor little Johnny,
| cept little turn now and then, When 1
could sarve him, and rubbln o MS
back when it would get to achln "us
ser'n usual. I'd a gin him money II
I'd had it to give and then Johnny
had interrupted him with-"O, Billy,
you can't buy love with money-not
the love you give me. You've loved me,
Billy, when no one else would youve
even loved the hump on my back, and
were al'avs kind O. tender to me, al'ays
putin himself atween me and the
| stones that the boys as never knowed
me would throw; why, ma am, John
ny had said, turning over to look at the
lady, Tim no relation to him at all ;
| he picked me up in the street one day,
when some one in the crowd knocked
me down and he's been pickin' me up,
and standin' up for ME, and lovin' me
like. ever since.
tThe Lord only knows what I'd a
done without you," groaned Billy.
"Johnny's been bright spot, as it
were, in my life. One of them mission
ladies got him to go to Sunday
school, and he was so full of it,
nothin' must do but I should go
too. If johnny ever had anything
good in his life, he wanted I should
share it with him. After he had been
a few times he came hobblin' up these
steps as fast as he could, and rushed in
here to me. 1 thought door had
been suddenly opened to let in the sun
light: but when [ looked at Johnny's
face it was so bright it would have
frightened me, had he not looked 50
wonderful happy. I most thought it
was an angel, though I didn't much
know what them was then. Billy,
said he to me, Billy, I've found it all
out ! I know all about it !! Oh, Billy,
| it's better'n dreams shan't mind it
now; I'm SO happy, Billy 2
. though the boy was little touched
like, so [ smoothed his hair and said,
Yes, Johnny, you don't want to go to
much for you they tire you all out.
He says, Billy you are s1eepin'i wake
up; Billy, I'll tell you wot cross is, -
and then it flashed on me what it all
meant. Crosses pint ahead and
up'ard, as you said, Billy, but they
mean somethin'-crosses mean some
thin. They amt just to look pretty,
and fix up with posies and gilt They're
hedUy, crosses is, and we've all got 'em
to carry. But crosses amt never light,
Billy; they've all got heft to 'em, and
we're to bear 'em, and carry 'em, cause
Jesus wants us to. He carried His
cross, Billy, and I've been shirkin' mine
all my life. He never complained and
I've fretted SO much at mine. But
shan't ag'in, Billy. It is better than
those dreams I used to have. God
thought enough O. me to give me a
cross to bear, and I'm proud now, in
stead of being so ashamed, for God put
it, there, Billy it's just as he wanted
it, or it wouldn't be there. God knows
it's all right. I've only to carry it in
this world we are to have crowns in
the next, if we're faithful. The next
world is heaven said he. After that /
took to goin' to Sunday-school, too, and
we've been ever since until Johnny got
sick. Indeed I don't know what ]
| should have done without him, ma'am.
He's helped me along he's sent his
little prayers ahead O. me and all around
me he's comforted me when money
was scarce. Oh, he's carried his cross
bravely, ma'am, and helped me ugwith
mine besides"
But Johnny lies dying now, and Billy
sits there alone with him looking down
sorrowfully into his face.
Billy, said Johnny, it's almost
over. Bring me the little cross" And
Billy brought it-a plain, poorly-pro-
portioned little affair which Johnny had
whitfield out with his knife. Oh, it's
meant SO much to me, Billy. I never
could speak a hateful word when I
thought of it, or felt it in my pocket
It's as ugly as this, said he. meaning
his hump but when see God in it, it
seems beautiful. His voice grew
fainter. Billy, I've tried to carry my
cross, tried to lift it as high as He
wanted, or never could have carried
this little wooden one in my pocket
'twould have seemed sneaky like" He
spoke with difficulty, slowly, falteringly.
' Billy, He died on the cross-on-the
cross. If you are ever proud, be
proud O. that. It's the cross that holds
the gates O heaven open for us, Billy
for me and you. 'Twon't matter about
our bein' boot-bIacks there we shall
git in, Billy--1aot somehow or other,
but straight through the gate. Jesus
will-let-us-in. I'm-goin'-now-
Billy : going = to = get my-crown
Carry-your-cro cross-a - littie-longer
Billy y-Jesus he-lp-y-ou-s save
/ YOU"
/ He's gone. No, bark he's still
whispering Chilly the : angels
are-getting g-my-crown. Twas
right under my - cross - Billy =
B-i-l-l-y'-and he bends over him bul
Johnny never finished the sentence.
!. His little aching body had found rest
his cross of suffering had been ex
changed for crown of glory.
The old widow enters and finds Billy
swaying to and fro, and moaning t6
himself: "He's gone he'll never
love me any more p and through he
fast-falling tears, she says: "Sucl
| love as that boys for you don't di,
with the body, depend upon it. H'
: loves you yet-purer and stronger thai
: ever" And who can gainsay it?