Middletown transcript., 1875-09-11

The family were very poor.
This was evident from all the suffer.
ings of their humble home, and from
the tone Of the young girl as she asked
anxionsly:
Will the food we have last longer
than tomorrow
L think not was the reply Of the
widow
Does not your faith begin to fail you
yet. grandmother 2 she asked as she
looked at her grandmother's counten-
ance.
why should it my dear? We have
not reached the extremity yet. Mans
extremity is Gods opportunity you
know
But the faith Of the young girl had
not been strengthened and developed
by life Of discipline and trial. She
knew not how to trust in an hour so
dark as this. All the evening she
tossed restlessly upon her pillow.
Withdrawing the curtain which shaded
the window near her bed. and looking
out, she suddenly exclaimed:
'Oh. grandmother brilliant lights
are cleaning from the windows Of the
great house on the hill. ''What does it
mean? The house has been shut up
ever since we lived here' !. ,s.
This reminds me- said her grand
mother. 'of what Mrs. More told me
to-day. She said that wealthy gen.
tleman had purchased the house, and
was moving in
: Alice gazed few minutes longer at
the bright light cleaning from the
windows, then, sinking back on her
pillow with a sigh, she said: roH |
How cheerful it looks over there
how different their home from ours + |
Her aged parent read what was pass
ing in her thoughts, and said: ~
Alice, my child, do not envy the in
mates of yonder mansion. Our sor-
rows, | trust, are preparing US for
brighter home than that. There is no
Mansion on earth, however pleasant Or
richly furnished it may be, into which
sin, suffering, and death have not free
entrance, But into the home towards
which we are journeying, neither weep
ing nor wailing can ever enter. How
glorious will be the light of that place,
which has no need Of the sun. neither
Of the moon to Iligbtenit,l for thelglory
Of God is the light thereof
Another day wore away, and the
widows little stock of provisions was
quite exhausted. As evening drew on
she sat by the bedside of the invalid,
endeavoring to sustain her by the repe-
tition Of those sure promises on which
her own eoul. rested. gH N4ifll
The gray twilight was fast deepening
into the dark shades Of night, and OBJ
jects we're becoming indistinct, when
the widow perceived the figure Of man
approaching her dwelling. She has
tened to light her last candle, and had I
barely time to do SO before gentle rap I
summoned her to the door, The door 8
being opened, o gentleman, apparently t
abeat sixty, entered the apartment, and
accepted the widows courteous invita-
ton to be seated.
L hope you will not consider this !
call as an intrusion, he said. I have
now become a neighbor Of yours. Yes r
terday I moved into the house yonder
On the hill-perhaps you will think I t
lay claim to the privilege Of making a r
neighborly call at an early day. But I
20 this claim I believe I may add
another, that Of former acquaintance Q
Indeed said the widow. in tone s
IF voice indicating some surprise, while
1t the same time she closely scanned .
he countenance of her visitor, to see if c
'he could discover any familiar linea- e
nent there. v
You do not recognize me?'
L do not n
Do you remember young mechanic ri
)y the name Of Mark Coleman, who
vas settled near you when you lived 10 a
B-Y D
oh, yes; | remember Mark Cole a
nan very WE'LL 9A45H4
We'll, / am Mark Coleman a
is it possible And you have come 81
o reside in the large house yonder.'
L have. You are surprised, but 81
Iou cannot possibly be more SO than l b
vas this morning, when asking one of
ny new neigabors who resided here. I al
vas informed that it was Mrs. Ives. the al
widow of the late General Ives. u
Mr.. Coleman sat for half. an hour b
onversing Of the past and the present d.
His manner was very kind and respect
ul When rising to leave be said: A
Now, Mrs ives, I have one request it
o make you. If should consider it h,
duty, and also great privilege, to
eturn some of the kindnesses of former ST
ears, beg you will not feel oppressed
nth the slightest weight Of obligation d.
D that account, but will regard it as to