The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1875-01-28
The mans face darkened with sud

She trembled little, but she answered
quietly;
"Yes, father"
"And he says you're going does he, the
way your mother went. Don't you be-
lieve him; you shan't go; my love shall
keep you alive. Hasn't it kept you now,
fourteen yearsP Why the doctor said
you wouldn't live the first time he laid
you in my arms but you have lived, and
here you are, and here I'll hold you.
Hasn't my love kept you so long3"
"Your love and Gods love, father.
But what if he thinks now that it is time
for me to be going homeY"
And then they sat on, silently, for a
long, still hour, and the wood fire burned
brightly, and now and then brand drop
ped on the hearth; that and the storm
without were the only sounds that broke
the stiffness, save once OF twice, a great
gasping sob tore up from Dams deep
chest AT last, he bent over, and turned
his girls face toward him, and looked at
it with eager eyes.
at will be sorrowful world, lamb,
when you are not in it-when there is no
one waiting at the door, and no light in
the window"
She looked up, her blue eyes full of
tears.
Father, you have told me sometimes,
how the thought that | was waiting made
it easy for you to get home, when the
storms beat ever SO hard, and kept you
from turning into the store or tavern.
"Yes, lamb, but what will keep me on
my way when you are gomez" he asked
bitterly.
II thought of the times you had said
that, father, after DR. Peters went away
to-day, and wondered if it was not Gods
love that was going TO take me to the
heavenly home, SO that it would make il
easier for you to come Ill wait for you
there, and won't be lame any more, and
] II come 10 meet you when you get on the
thresholds ! never could here-strong
and free, father Won't it make il easier
for you 10 come, in spite of storms, and
not turn aside by the way when you know
I'm waiting there, just as sure as ever
waited here?"
But the father said nothing. lie held
her 10 his aching heart, with a grasp that
almost hurt her, as if 10 ease his pain
held her till bed time came, and then car
ried her to her room, and left her there
with a long, sad, silent kiss.
Once alone, the passion of his agony
clenched him in its grasp; but he suffered
no sound to escape him which should
her ears. Rigid as stone he sat before
the fire, and never needed when the room
grew cold, and the last brand burned out
and fell into the gray ashes
After that, he never returned to the
subject lie saw that she failed every
day, but he could not talk about it, and
she understood him too well TO urge him
Every day he went TO his work, now was
not the time 70 fail, when she needed un-
wonted luxuries, and might need them, no
one knew how long. Every night he
came to her, his face pallid with apprehen
sion At last she grew too weak 10 sit up
any more, and lay patiently on her little
bed, bearing without a moan her tortur-
ing pain, and never forgetting at night 10
have lamp put in the window-the bea-
con light for the father coming home.
Just at the last there was time when
all knew that the end was near That
week ber father did not go TO work.
There was money enough for all she
would ever need in this world.
So motionless, except when he could
do something for her comfort, he sat all
day by her pillow and watched her, save
when sometimes his agony grew too great
10 be borne aud he had to rush away
from her, out under the desolate sky,
where the winds were blowing, and shrek
out the madness Of his woe TO the pitiless
heavens.
Eunice watched him too. in her turn,
with loving, anxious gaze, but she saw no
hope In his face. She knew that he was
hardening bis heart There came night
at length, when he was with her alone
A woman who had been watching had
fallen asleep in the other room. Dan
would not wake her, he was greedy Of
every moment in which he could have
his child TO himself So he sat, as usual
looking at her silently, and she as silently
gazed back into his face with her great
far seeing blue eyes At last she said
"Then must not wait for you there
father? You won't Gomez"
He looked at her with startled gaze
He had never looked at the matter 10
this light before. She waited moment
and then went on
u thought you'd want to come father
] thought you would see how God meant
TO draw you TO him by taking me first
And thought could die easy, feeling
sure that you'd come, and then wait there
little while. But you won't see Gods
love, and you won't feel that I'm waiting"
Something touched bis heart, at last
her look, perhaps, or her tone of piteous
pleading, or all these combined. He sank
sobbing on his kness, beside her
"God pity mel God forgive me
Wait for me there, lamb. Ill surely
come"
Does not our story ftly end here, where
Eunice's work is ended? Her life went
out after that, painlessly, and quietly
Her hand was 10 her fathers to the very
last, and he murmured in answer to the
appeal in her dying eyes.
"1'll come, lamb, surelyp
He buried his girl beside the mother
but to him she is not dead. He believes,
simple, literal soul, that Gods love has
given him one of the many mansions, and
that she waits for him there at it's win
dows her face Illuminated by light that
will never grow dim orfade away