Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-05-18
HEAVENS WHISPERS.

poorest of Gods children inhabit, girl of
ten looked out through the cracked and
dirty panes at the great white moon ris-
ing up from its bed so far towards eternity
that man has never discovered its loca-
ton.
Was she ten or thirty? One could
hardly have told in the dusky room light
ed only by the rays of the moon-by
heavens own lamp. The fingers were so
thin and long that you would have shud-
| Gered. The face was so wan and pale
that your thoughts would have gone
back TO some dark evening when you
tremblingy skirted graveyard and
caught sight of head stone standing out
alone in the gloom OF night. And such
eyes Great round eyes, which gistened
( and sparl;led as eyes never do till heavens 3
gate has opened just enough to let the
living catch a glimpse of such joys as man
cannot ever dream of unless the angel of
death whispers in his ear.
Like great ship suddenly rising out OF
the fogs of the ocean came the moon. 1t
| brushed away the dust and cobwebs and
crept through the window, every beam
and ray and silvery streak seeming to be
FURNISHED the brighter in the struggle. A
haggard and despairing mother was on
the street, begging for bread. The fire in
the old stove slum bered. II cricket
nestled in the old house, ii was in some
warmer corner-in some Of the gloomy
rooms where it now and then caught the
laugh of child or cheery cry from the
street. 1t was very still.
at is cold in here" whispered the
moon, as its beams danced over the rag
ged old quilt which covered the girl.
"We have not had warm fire for days
and days-we are very poor ~ replied
the child, as she put ont her hand to catch
and detain one of the shivering rays.
There Is nothing in the old cupboard
nothing but few old dishes !" whispered
the moon, as it rose Il little higher and
looked in at another pane.
"Mether was sick yesterday and could
not go out" explained the child. 81
have been i'll for weeks and weeks, and
we have come very poor"
"No fire no wood-no medicine-no
light-no furniture but an old chair or
two and table it is terlibleW whispered
the moon. II have only been up an
hour, and yet ] SEQ into hundreds of
rooms in this great town-see warm
rooms, the table spread with good things
fires burning cheerfully and people smil-
ing and happy. Who comes to see you? ?"
"No one !" sighed the child. ut is
weeks since saw any face but mothers. ."
a cloud crept between the old window
and the bright moon, shutting out all its
light. 1t sailed slowly on and or, and af-
ter time ell the glory came back to the
panes, and the moon said
II counted thousands of Christian men
and women. They are seated in warm
rooms, or are on the street in costly
clothing. They look happy and content
ed. They have plenty to eat and wear.
| Some have given to something or other
called charity-something where one per-
son contributes loaf of bread and it goes
| through three or four hands and reaches
no one in particular. Some have given to
some foreign mission, ms they call it. |
don't exactly know what it is, but it's
something to buy Bibles for people who
cannot read, while you and scores of
other intelligent and God-knowing and
God fearing children are dying of hunger
in the shadow Of grand church spire.-
And none of these people have brought
you food or fuel ~
"None ~ slowly answered the child
"And you are cold ?"
1--WE have only this old quilt"
"Child," whispered the moon, MS it
flung more rays Of silver over tho pale
face, "vou are dying Food and modi-
cine and care would have saved you. -
There was no one in such city rs this
no ono in the tens Of thousands who have
plenty and to spare, who would step aside
to enter this door and give charity to the
deserving ard suffering Has a clergy
man been here to pray with you ?"
mo" softly whisped the child.
"Dut they pray with men who are to be
hanged they sail across the ocean to
pray to heathens-;hey enter mansions
and llneel and pray for those whose ear
rings alone cost enough money to give
you food for years.
There was silence. The girl looked at
the moon in dreamy way with her great
round oyes, and the moon grew to be a
ball of silver as it asked:
"Do you ever dream Of heaven %
Every night-every time | sleep ~
answered the girl, while u soft smile
crossed her face.
"And your mother ?"
"She kneels here every night and thanks
God that we are not worse off than we
are I"
"Harl1, now ~ whispered the moon do
you hear anything 2"
"I-I heart hear-why, it is musicr'
she answered, lifting her head to catch
the strains.
"Is it sweet music ?"
at is blessed it is grandw she gasped.
"And now tell me what you SEQ %
whispered the moon.
"Gates-gatcs Of gold-a light grander
than all the sunshine in the world--peo-
ple--no, angels-it must be heaven"
"It is" solemnly answered the moon.
Tn the darkness hand pushed open
the door-feet echoed IN the bare room,
and n happard. nnle-fnoed woman bert