The Van Buren press., 1876-03-14
What Was Done in Six Days.


A widow sat in her solitude, one stor.
my winter evening, thinking over her
happy youth aud her desolation. The
: father and mother who had so tsnderly
cherished her were sleeping in the grave
the competence they had had vanished
like vapor in an unfortunate investment
and after that had fallen the heaviest
stroke Of all Her husband, brave and
noble hearted sea captain, had died in q
foreign land, and left her with an embar-
rasted homestead, and two little boys to
feed and cluthe and educate with her own
; weak hands. Tears fell on the white
hands that lay folded 20 helplessly on her
lap, as she thought or her early friends
with whom she bad played in childhood
They were prosperous and happy. Three
of them lived beside her, and the contrast
between their lot and her own, made hers
appear still darker. She began to imag-
ine that she was forgotten or slighted by
them. and, perhaps, forsaken by God,
also. She did not know that the blue
eyes Of one friend were often red with
tears for her; or that other eyes with yet
stronger sympathy, were kept wakcfu,
he long night with plans for her; and her
third friend was pleading with careless,
money loving husband, day and night,
not to foreclose the mortgage on her
home. She saw the clouds that gathered
about her prospects, bnt she did not see
the sunbeam that was almost ready to
dispel them.
The twilight grew deeper and the cold,
north wind IN aned wildly without, when
suddenly the door burst open, and her
boys rushed in. rosy from tho pond
where the big boys had been teaching
them to skate
Unwinding the warm, red tippets from
their necks, and pulling the mittens from
their benumsed hands, they began, bot,
at once, telling her of their success, and
Of the big fellows"
When the light of the fire fell on the
mothers face. Charlie saw traces Of her
tears, and going 10 to hsr srls IN hs,,lRsr lRressqa essssqa
hara,, and asked tenderly:
| :" What ails you, mothcri were you
too lonely when we we're out SO late 7"
mo, my DEAR" replied the lady, 'but
| have heavy care on my heart to night
and could not help crying.
"What is it, mother" asked the brave
little fellow. j" can't ! help you any 2
"No, my dear, not IN this trouble but
as you grow older you can help me a
great deal mean by and by to throw
when my hair gets gray and you are
~ wish was man, now" cried the
boy, stretching himself to his full height.
as If to anticipate the time. But what
made you cry. mothcr!'
Charlie, you know there is q mort
gage on this place which hoped to meet,
but can't do It, and am afraid We shall
lose our home. II could keep that we
could live with great prudence"
81 think we can do 1t in some way,
mother" said Charlie, passing one little
hand round her neck,
But, Charlie, il Is nearly thousand
dollars, and there are only six days to
raise it in"
"S.x days mothcr!' cried the boy, as
his eyes frightened with hope. "Why,
that's a long time to raise it in Only
think what Col did in six days He made
the world, and guess he can make that
!, little bit Of money in the same time"
al know he can, Charlie, you darling
boy and if he does not see best to do it.,
and we have to leave our home. will
thank him that he has left me my boys.
| can bear any poverty and cares with
YOU to help and comfort me, my brave
boy; trust the God who made whole
world in six days, and believe that He
will do what is best for us in this mat
i ter"
That evening the three early friends Of
this widow were sitting together at tea,
with their husbands, talking Of her. The
, gentleman who owned the mortgage,
J tightly all he owned
"Suppose,' said one Of the others.
eve Just divide that thousand among us,
, and let the family keep their homer"
The owner of the mortgage looked up
and started What! give her the thou.
, sand dollars outright ?" he asked.
"Yes, why not? God has spared US
} to our families, who might have been as
she is, to night"
!, After a moments pause, the creditor
replied, Well, that plan never entered
/ my Uctu, WuliC uaNS oSVu
how she would pay it. It's an awfal
} sum to give away, but declare I'll give
. up one third Of it. if you'll pay the two.
birds"
; His wife, whose heart WAS aching for
her friend, was amazed at this sudden
) freak of generosity, aud exclaimed: 30.
thank YOU more than | can tell, and i
propose to save that sum to you, in some
way, this very year" -
Before six days" had passed. that
widow was in possession of her home.
as well as having new faith in her early
friends.
He who made the world in six days,
had, as Charlie said He would" made
that little bit of money and what was
J far more miracle, He had drawn it ca
silly from heart usually shut against all
appeals for aid.
When some great mountain in our way
is to be levcled, and the time seems
wholly too short for the work. let US re-
member this boys words of cheer, and
take courage.
MISTRESS LET you go to evening
school. Mary Why. thought you could
read :" Mary-"Well. ma'aM, | does