Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-03-16
HEAVENS WHISPERS.
BY NJ. ouAn.

b1 M QUAD.
Lying upon such bed as onl,
the starving poor ever know of-iI
such bleak, gloomy and ghOstl,
room as the poorest of Gods childreI
inhabit, a girl of ten looked ou
through the cracked and dusty
panes at the great white moon
rising up from its bed so far towards
eternity that man has never dis.
covered its location.
Was she ten or thirty? One could
hardly have told in the dusky room,
lighted only by the light of the
moon-by Heavens own lamp. The
fingers were so thin and long that
you would have shuddered. The
race was so wan and pale that your
thoughts would have gone back to
some dark evening when you trem-
blingly skirted graveyard and
caught sight Of a headstone standing
outin the great gloom of night. And
such eyes! Great round eyes, which
glistened and sparkeled as eyes
never do till Heavens gate has
opened just enough to let the living
catch a glimpse of such joys as man
cannot even dream of unless the
angel of death whispers in his ear.
Like a great ship suddenly rising
out of the fogs of the ocean came the
moon. 1t brushed away the dust
and cob webs and crept through the
window, every beam and ray and
silvery streak seeming TO be burn
ished the brighter in the struggle.
A haggard and despairing mother
was on the street begging for bread.
The fire in the old stove slumbered.
If cricket nestled in the old house,
it was in some warm corner-In
some of the gloomy rooms where it
now and then caught the laugh of
child ora CHEEKY cry from the street.
1t was very still.
$ 1t is cold in here,'' whispered
the moon as its beams danced over
the ragged old quilt that covered the
girl. 49, t4....,
We have not had warm fire
for days and days-we are very
poor" replied the child as she put
out her hand to catch and detain
one of the shivering rays.
. There is nothing in the old cup
board-nOthing but a few old dish
es," whispered the moon as it rose
a little higher and looked in at
another pane. ms.. aa
Mother was sick yesterday and
could not go out,'' explained the
child. "I have been i'll for weeks
and weeks, and we have become to
be very poor" aaq
No fire-nO food-no medicine
no light-no furniture but an old |
chair or two and a Tablet is ter
riblew whispered the moon. "I |
have only been up an honr, and yet I
/ can see into hundreds of rooms in !
this great tQWn-see warm rooms,
tables spread with good things
fires burning cheerfully and people /
smiling and happy. Who comes to /
see you % .,.,-..u
No one ~ sighed the child. att
is weeks since saw any face but
mother's."
A cloud crept between the old
window and the bright moon, shut
ting out all its light. 1t sailed slowly
on and on, and after a time all the
glory came back to the panes, and
the moon said ::
6 counted thousands of Christian
men and women. They are seated
in warm rooms, or are on the streets
in costly clothing. They look hap
py and contented. They have
plenty to- eat and to wear. Some
have given to something or other
called charity-sOmething where
one person contributes a loaf
of bread, and it goes through three
or four hands, and reaches no one
in particular. Some have given to
foreign mission, as they call it, /
don't exactly know what it is, but {
its something to buy Bibles for
people who cannot read, whilescoreS
of other intelligent and God-know-
ing and God-fearing children are
dying of hunger in the shadow of a
grand old church spire. And none
Of these people have given you food
or fuel?"
" None! slowly answered the
child.
"And you are cold ?" I
"We have only this old quilt"
" Child - whispered the moon,
as it flung more rays of silver over {
the pale face, 'tyou are dying. Food
and medicine and care would have ]
saved you. There was no one in
such city as this no one in the
tens of thousands who have plenty
and to spare, who would step aside t
10 enter this door and give charity ]
10 the deserving and suffering. Has '
l clergyman been here to pray with $
you?" I
mo-" softly whispered the child. q
I" But they pray with men who t
ire to be hanged-they sail across |
he ocean to pray with the heathen y
they enter mansions to pray for |
hose whose earrings alone cost {
enough money to give you food for ~
years "a r
There was silence. The girl e
ooked at the moon in a dreamy e
way with her big round eyes, and Q
he moon grew to be a ball of silver Q
Is it asked: ta t
Do you ever dream of Heaven ?' t
Every night-every time / v
leep," answered the girl, while a a
oft smile crossed her face. q
" And your mother" Ii
She kneels here every night, Il
md thanks God that We are not a
worse off than we are !" K
"Hark, nowp' whispered the C
noon. ''Do you hear anything" u
I'll hear-I hear-why, it is
music ~ she answered, lifting her t
lead to catch the strains. G
4" Is it sweet music ?'' G
&c II is blessed-it is grand !" She e
,asped il
"And now tell me what you see ~ n
whispered the moon. i
+" Gates gates of gold-a light t
'rander than all the sunshine in the
vOrld-people-no, angels-it must
,e Heaven !"
" 1t is" solemnly answered the .