Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-05-20

leviate my condition. But you see have
not wish ungranted. think what de-
lightful room this is In the summer
time, when the windows are open, I can
hear the birds sing and the voices Of little
children at their play. Iu the winter the
sun shines in that cheers me-"
The sun doesn't shine every day."
"No, and that is a mercy, because il is
so welcome after absence. On cloudy days
| think over the sunny ones, and remind
myself that clouds never last forever. IL Is
said that the saddest birds find time to
sing and it's true. Nobody is sad all the
time, or suffering all the time"
You are in the prime Of life others
Of your age are at work in the Masters
vineyard. Doesn'tit pain you that you are
doing nothing for Him2"
Ii did, at one time. | said, all I'm
good for is to make trouble for other peo.
pie, and use up my husbands money. But
it was made plain to me that they also
serve who only stand and wait. Il might
be, nothing but cold, Fat stone in side
walk, made to be trodden on, and ct for
nothing else. But if the Masters hand
put me there, ought not to complain that
lie did not let me form part Of palace in
stead. We can't all be servants some Of
US have got to be served; aud am one Of
them.p
"Do you expect TO get well 2"
"My physicians do not tell me what to
expect. know may live many years;
but | also know that may be called away
at any moment"
How dreadful Such life of sus-
pense!
" am quite used to it now. At FIRST,
did not know how to act when found |
might die at any moment. But afterwards
reflected that this is true Of every human
being / do not expect to do anything it
would not be fitting to do, just when the
summons came. And il is very sweet to
think that I may get my invitation and go,
without the grief and commotion my death
would have occasioned when my children
were all young and needed me-"
But your husband-could you bear to
90 and leave him alone2"
"My husband is older than l, aud hope
he may go first God has always been SO
good to US, that | think he will"
But you could not do without him.
You would be left entirely alone"
"Yes. But whenever my heart ached.
could remind myself that it was my heart,
not his, and rejoice that he was spared this
suffering. You see, everything has its good
side."
BY this time the ravens were exhausted
and few away.
And now let US see whether this faithful
sufferer was doing no work in the great
vineyard.
Here are six homes where she is quoted
, every day, almost every hour. Her chill
/ dren have all learned her song as she used
I to sing it to them in her nest, and they are
teaching it to theirs. Cheerful endurance
lights up and beauties every life. And
the influences going forth from these lives
u are beyond comparison. And here are
4 friends who love her only less than her hus-
' band and children do; who have watched
/ her all her life long, and have borne the
burden and heat Of the day, in humble
imitation Of the patience with which she
i bore hers. They have never heard mur-
0 muring word fall from her lips. They have
always heard her wonder what made God SO
I good to her wonder that, full Of discipline
as her life was, she had so few troubles.
n And they have gone away rebuked, with
4 lessons impressed on their memories that
!. should bear fruit she might never see, but
Il should be refreshing in every weary day.
# And those who were with her when death
a stole away three cherubs from her heart,
@ knew that it was not stoicism that made her
: refuse to complain, but thank God that she
n had had them for season, enjoyed them
while they were hers, and could feel that
Q they were safer, happier with Him than
0 they we're with her. Yes, when she wept
: over the little graves, she caught sunbeams
even then, and said, Though Ho slay me,
| yet will | trust in Him"
The truth is, our own hands have more
/, to do with shaping our lives than We fancy.
Y We cannot control Providence, nor ought
to wish to do so. But we can be willing to
r see the silver lining TO the cloud, to |" nurse
the Gagged sorrow till the captive sings" to
!, count up our mercies through those dark
!. days when the rain falls and is never weary,
knowing that it never rains always.
/. And now let US 90 back to the sick room,
. which, to its patient occupant, has so long
been prison.
She has grown old, and her strength has
!. greatly declined. She cannot talk much
now, and no longer hears earthly voices
But she knows what our eyes say to her
Y when our tongues are silent.
YES, knew you would come to me as
soon as you heard oft, it is 80 kind of you.
0 Everybody is kind wish had strength
q to tell you all about it, We had lived to.
l gether fifty years He died on our golden
}. wedding day He had been unusually we'll,
e and we had laughed together over our young
@ married life The children were oil here,
d with their children; the house was like q
Y beehive, every bee humming He said it
renewed his youth to see them; I'm sure
it did mine. Well, they all assembled here
e. in this room, and the children gave US
Il their presents. Their father told them all
,f about our wedding day so long ago, aud
every time he stopped talking, to rest lit
tie, said, Every milestone on our jour
5, ney marks mercy; there's new one
" And II will be 10 TO the end Fathel
smiled for you know 1 couldn't hear ,
tn word he said, but | always did say l hat
be meroies when other people had miseries
t. At last he had said all he had TO say. ans
20 Robert--you know my Robert is minis
teri Robert knelt down, with bis brother
and sisters and the children about him, 4
At pray. Father knelt just here by my side
r. with my hand in his. 1t was a solemn
N time. / was with them in spirit, though
> could not hear. But when they rose from
their knees, father kept on his. Wewaited
little while, and then Robert and Edgar
If went aud lifted him up. Well, thought
il would be thus. God was always so good
st to us he'd slipped away so gently that no.
d body heard him 60!
10 /" Don't grieve for me. The parting will
. not be for long. My old feet will soon gc
" totteriug after. God is keeping me here 4
little longer to give me time to tell my
70 friends oil about this crowning mercy, and
then shall 60. II has been q great
A shaking; but I think could hardly have
m borne to 90 and leave him alone"
"a As she falters forth these words, slowly
', and at intervals, her children and few
K dear friends standing about her watching