Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-05-02
Little Lina's Way to Heaven.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

BY MARY KYLE DAlsl4AS-
Little Lina's father had been dead
for many years. Many at least they
seemed TO the child, who had lived
but eight brief summers, and now her
poor mother was gone also. She
should never see the broad, fair face,
the large blue eyes, the yellow hair
braided close about the head. again.
She should never watch the busy
fingers knitting again-knitting as
only those knit who work for bread.
There, under the brown mound Of
freshly dug earth, lay what Lima had
called mother, what had seemed to
her to be her lifelong guardian, her
shelter from every storm.
1t was to mother that Lima went
when she was hungry or tired or
troubled. Whatever she needed
mother could give-whatever she
wanted to know mother could tell
her. Now there was no mother, and
what was there in all the world?
Lima flung herself down upon the
grass and wept bitterly. She did not
know that the funeral had been the
cold and shabby one OF charity; that
it was unusual for any one to be
buried with only a poor little girl in a
shabby old dress and thick shoes for
a mourner.
When a poor neighbor, who would
have given more il she could, threw
a ragged black shawl over the poor
little German girls shoulders, she did
not know what it meant; but it was
cold, and she wrapped herself in it.
Now, all was oyer.
She had seen that strange bed, in
which her mother lay. put into the
earth. She had known that what
they told her was true-that her
mother was dead, and she had been
told that she was now In heaven.
Yes; that was where her father was.
Often they had come to that other
grave near by to put immortelles
upon it, and her mother had wept,
but told her that her father was in
heaven.
Both there together, why had they
left her behind? How could they be
so cruel? Even il heaven was a ter
rible place, she would be happier
there with them than in the cold,
lonely graveyard without them.
She had cast herself down sobbing.
and she lay there yet, when hand
touched her shoulder.
"Poor child" said a voice. You
know what it Is Also"
She looked up. An old woman
stood beside her, weeping.
"Have any Of your people gone to
heaven?" asked the child. as that
why you are crying?"
"Yes," said the old woman. "All,
all / ever loved; and now my only
son. They buried him yesterday. I
shall be cent to the poor house, / sup
pose. Well, it will not be for long.
But such a baby as you'll Is it your
mother?"
"Yes," said the child; mother and
father both. What shall I do? Why
do people go to heaven? What is
therep
"God and the angels" said the old
woman. "When people die they go
there-that is all know"
Where is it?" asked the child.
The old woman pointed upward.
"That," she said. is heaven"
"The blue?" asked Lima.
"The blue" said the old woman.
She believed it, too. At night,
when the stars shine, the angels look
down at US. Oh, they are very happy
there. Only we are miserable-left
behind"
She tottered away. The child sat
still upon her mothers grave. Then
she said:
at is very far, but perhaps might
get there somehow. The church
steeple now-that points straight to
heaven. II could only Chamber up
the steeple, / might get to heaven
and find mother and father"
Then she remembered hearing a
man say that ha had been up into
that very steeple. A bell hung there;
he had told her how large it was; and
stairs wound up to the tiny window
from whence one could see all the
country.
Yes. that must be the reason of the
church steeple. 1t was the way to
heaven. She would go to the church,
find the stairs and go up to the little
window. Then her mother would see
her. and reach down her arms, and
take her little Lima into heaven, The
child sprang up and wiped her tears
away on her apron. What need Of
crying. since she would see her moth
er so soon; besides, she must use her
eyes to find her way. She left the
grave on which she had wept; she
hurried past the other graves under
the frs and yews and willows. A gar
dener went to and fro, rolling the
gravel walk. "Poor little thing" he
said, as she passed him, 1T was her
mother they buried to-day. She does
not yet know her loss" He did not
know what hopes were In the child's
breast.