Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09
How the Sunlight Came.


The SUNLIGHT sometimes came into the
room, for the sunlight was made for the
poor as we'll as the rich, and it will pour
in through crazy shutters and over the
bare floors just as cheerily as II filters
through lace curtains and breaks into
golden fragments over velvet carpets.
And Gods free air came to the desolate
room as well, though when it had crossed
the decaying roofs and fingered for mo-
ment on the weather. beaten sills il was no
longer pure.
DO you know what poverty iss A
gaunt, starved woman, with great black
eyes, which had look of hunger and
terror. as ifthe shadow of fate had ciutched
her throat. A bare room--not bare, be-
cause ii contained an old stove,
wretched bed, broken chair, bench,
and--but nothing more, The gaunt,
starved face woman had bread to eat
bread and nothing else A bare room
bread and water, That is poverty. That
is what brings to the heart that feeling of
loneliness and grim despair which Is
poisoned out of life or quenched, like
tlickering light, in the green waters Of the
river which creeps softly past the city and
carries every burden of SORROW and woe TO
the bosom of the lake.
Why did this woman hves Had life
one charm for her? Perhaps she asked
herself these questions as she sat with her
face in her hands and looked out upon the
cold, cherries day. There were no tears
In her great black eyes-only such a look
ofwoe and despair that the world should
have been there to see 1t and to have it
painted on their hearts.
Mother!n
A httle, wasted form on the wretched
bed-a bony hand on the ragged quilt
4 voice which told of hunger and pain and
weary waiting.
She bent over him, and for moment
mothers love shone in her eyes, and her
wrinkled hand rested on his pale face
with such tenderness as only a mother
has
Lift me up and let me see the sun.
shine, he whispered, trying TO put his
arms around her neck.
There is no sunshine" she whispered
in reply, sob in her throat.
Kiss me, mother, and call me when
the sunlight comes again, v he said.
She knew that he had been dying
for week--sinking slowly and surely in
10 eternity, but she had no friends To call
in-~she could only weep over him and
pray God that she might soon follow.
With a gasp and sob she pressed her
lips TO has forehead, then turned away to
struggle with her despair and her great
sorrow.
The cloudy, cherries day faded into
dusk. She reused herself for Il moment
and peered through the gloom to see If
her boy still slept, and then she whispered
with her thoughts again. And such
thoughts!
When the darkness covered the bare
floor rs with mantle, and when she
could no longer see her own poverty, the
boy suddenly cried out!
Motherl mother! The sunlight has
Gomez
Not yet, dear Ned--not yeti Itisnight
now
" But see the sun--it lights all the
room--it blazes into my iacc' he called
"There Is no sun--it is cold and dark".
she sobbed,
And IL grows brighterl and hear
such sweet music and ! see little Tom
my" he whispered while through the
darkness she saw his white face grow ra-
dianl,
lyon are dreamingr she sohbcd
at was such Il bright sun! The music
was so sweet" lac whispered, clasping her
hand.
Tits dark--it is nightl'' she gasped,
but he did not hear.
The sunlight had truly come, but IL was
the sunlight-the golden rays reflected
from the gates Of heaven, and not the sun.
light ofcarlh The mysterious curtain
hiding the valley Of death had lifted for
his spirit 10 pass under, and woe had been
leit behind,
And of herr Ask the shadows Of night
ask the river When they found his
little dead body she was not there, They
cannot find her If she Is dead God did
not judge her harshly Detroit Free Press.