The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1874-02-28
Is it Safe to Trust :?
BY MARY MONTREAL.


little ones, joined one of the first COM
panies that emigrated from New Eng
land to Kansas,
Pioneer life ard its privations, to.
gether with sickness and the death of
all the family except the mother and
one daughter little Agnes-diSSppllpd
these hopes, but did not rob the widow
OF trust in her heavenly Father.
In the Autumn of 1850, the year
known In Kansas as the famine year,
she was reduced to great want. Her
destitute condition could not be attribut.
led to any lack of effort on her part.
She Lad paid with her own work for the
plougling Of her large fields In early
Spring, and her own hands covered the
seed when Agnesdropped it in the hills.
Through all that long GUNNER she had
longed and waited -vainly waited for
the needed rain. Much of the seed that
she had planted was blown from the
dry, dusty field by the strong wind, and
the little that came up soon sc0rched
and died. Winter was approaching,
and she had no food. She would not
borrow of her neighbors, for they, too,
were destitute. She could not 60 down
into Egypt to buy corn, for she had no
means of transportation and no money
to put into her sacks mouth.
She was usually cheerful, but at this
time there was acloud resting upon her
spirits; yet this cloud had the "silyer
lining" of faith.
1--WE will eat our supper now, darl-
ing" she said, one evening, as she
placed two heavy, wooden chairs by her
rude table.
"We haven't got anything to eat"
said little Agnes.
"Yes, we have, DEAR" said her
mother. "We have some very good
corn bread and some coffee. And here
is some gravy, too, that dipped off of
the water that We boiled our last meat
in. am afraid there are II great many
people WHO have not as good a supper
as this, tonight. We ought to be
thankful that we hive so much as we
have, and do not need to go to bed
hungry"
But little Agnes could not believe
there was any gratitude due for so poor
a meal. Il want something more. l
want some meat" she said.
II think the Lord will give us meat
before long. 1 know he has not for
gotten us. Listen to the rain, my
daughter, and thank God that we are
nicely sheltered. We VIII thank him
for the coed rain, too. 1t is what we
have prayed for all Summer, and though
it did not come in lime to give us food 4,
this year, it will help to prepare the
ground for next years crop. We must
thank him for that"
"Yes, mamma, hut If the Lord has
cattle on thousand hills think he
could let us have some Of them as well
as not, and it seems to me he ought to
do it,"
"Don't you think, darling, that Mr.
Tall ought to give you some money?"
mo, mamma, lie does not owe me
any,"
Neither does God owe us anything,
and we must not C, mplain When he
does not give us all we would like to
have. IT Mr.. Call should give you a
dime, would you thank him or would
you fret because lie did not give you
quarter"
"a would not be so ungrateful. 1
would thank him for the dime"
Then when God gives us health, q
comfortable house, and food enough 10
keep us from suffering with hunger,
shall we complain because he does not
give us more? viii you treat your
heavenly Father worse than you would
treat neighbour"
AS they were partaking of their
coarse Giral in silence, Mrs. Davis said
10 herself: "rhe Lord will provide in
his own time; but how long must l
waltz"
The sainted martyrs are not Il c only
ones whu cry: "llow long, . Lord,
how lJng?" Ealtfp has many weary,
aching hearts that echo back the cry;
slow long?"
There was a knock. The widow
hastened to open the door, for nobody
must be lett standing outside IN that
oitiless storm. A neighbor was there
with package in his hand.
"Please accept this from my wife,"
he said, 'and | have good news to tell
you. The people OF the North and East
are going to send Us aid. There will
be load OF provisions here, for dis
lributiOn, in less than q week"
The package was taken to the table
and opened. Little Agnes clapped her
hand, exclaming: Its a spare rib; a
nicely baked spare rib! God will pro-
vide. believe 1t now" When the
widow again sat down to the table she
did not say: "How long?" but with
lighter heart and brighter face, she ex>
claimed: "rhe Lords promises are
sure, and it is safe to trust. ."-Chgistian
- yVnrl,