Omaha daily bee., 1874-08-21

began to be beautiful to her eyes. 1
think it is so with most of us. Brave
Leon was as full of childish happi-
ness as his little body could hold.
He made acquaintance with the
pigs, sheep, and cows at once, and
was soon on excellent terms even
with the old mother hens. He
watched the nests in the morning,
and ever and anon came running
merrily in, holding up a fresh laid
egg, and cackling to initiate the
brown hen that laid it. Isabel
thought she was happier than she
had ever zen before, glad with the
innocent, heartful happiness of child
hood.
One day Leon fell into the little
river, and before they could rescue
him the bright, sweet, loving child
WAS DROWNED.
Isabel would have torn her heart
out to bring him to life again, and
when that would not do she GOULD
have torn her heart out with
agony. The only joy, only hope of
her lonely life was taken away. She
cursed the hour she was born.
off your husband was only alive
to help you bear it, it wouldn't be SO
hard" said the mild, sweet-faced
old landlady. at appears like a
mans arm is strong to help a wo-
mar through troubles. I've had six
children, and I buried four of them
when they were little. 'Peared like
it would have killed me when I lost
them, only for my husband. He
held me up. There is no friend so
near to q woman as a good husband.
Forty years my old man and I have
held together, through good and
bad, and the older we get the more
good there is and the less bad, and
in a few years more, please God, it
will be all good, and no bad any
more" said the dear old lady, rev
erently.
Isabel wept bitterly. II have no
friend in the world, not one, now in
my trouble" she said.
The old lady held up her hands In
dismay.
Don't take on like that" she
said.
Her son came in and whispered
to her. She arose and went out
with him.
"Mother," said the young man,
"there is not e preacher within 20
miles of here. What shall we do
for a burial service? ?"
Again the old lady held up her
hands in dlsmay. "To be sure ~
she exclaimed. "But there's the
schoolmaster. John. He is a kind, |
Christian man, and will say it as
beautifully as any minister could.
HE OUGHT TO BE A MINISTER,
this day, and he's a lesson to them
as it is There never was so good
and wise a man in the settlement,
John, OR n the people loved so.
Get the schoolmaster, John"
They told Isabel, who was in such
a maze of grief, poor heart-broken,
lonely creature! that she scarcely
knew what they said. They had the
child's funeral in the school-house,
and all the neighbors, good, kindly
people, came to help her bury her
dead. In the school-house Isabel
covered her face, and scarcely saw
the tall, pale man in black who
stepped timidly to the open space
beside her boys coffin. He read a
chapter which is very blessed to be-
reft mothers.
"Suffer little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not, for of
such is the kingdom of God"
Isabel heard that, even through
the darkness of grief. Then the
schoolmaster sang a hymn. Isabel
started when she heard it. For the
voice which sang was a thrilling
sweet, rich tenor voice, and the
hymn was one in which Mother-in-
law sang at a child's funeral,
Isabel looked up, as the beloved
schooimaster advanced, and with
reverend hands uncovered the face
of her boy. He looked at her too, !
then, and also at the dead child in
the coffin. Then he began softly
and gently:
"This little one"-
fIb be COntinued.)