American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-03-22

g No strength! Have you sought sus-
tanning powerP' Mrs. Adrian spoke
with winning earnestness.
81 have prayed for comfort, but none
came" said Mrs. Loring. sadly.
Praying is well; but it avails not,
unless there be also doing"
"Doingq"
"Yes, the faithful doing of our duty.
Sorrow has an antidote like this.''
Mrs. Lnriug gazed intently upon the
face of her monitor.
"When the last heavy stroke fell upon
my heart" continued Mrs. Adrian,
" shattering it, as it seemed, to pieces,
| lay for a little while stunned, weak
and almost helpless. But as soon rs
thought began TO run clear, said to my
self: is there nothing tor my hands
to do, that you lie here idle3 Is yours
the only suffering spirit in the world?'
Then thought of my husbands sorrow,
which he bore SO silently and manfully,
striving to look away from his own grief
that he might bring comfort to me. is
it not in my power to lessen for him the
gloom of our desolate householder !
asked of myself felt that it was, and
VIII, next he returned home at the day +
decline l met him, not with face of
gloom as before, but with as cheerful u
countenance as it was in my power to
assume. l had my reward saw that
had lightened his burden, and from that
moment half the pressure of mind was
removed. Since then l have suffered
my heart to brood idly over its grief, but
in daily duties sought the strength that
is never given to those who fold theil
hands in fruitless inactivity. The re
moval of my children lightened ali home
duties, and took away objects of love
that felt must be in a measure restored
had the mothers heart still. And so
sought out q motherless little one, anC
gathered her into the fold of my love
All, madam! this is the best bal
sam for the bereaved and bleed
ing affections that can tell Of To mt
it has brought comfort and reconcileG
me to losses the bare anticipation o
which once made me beside myself witt
fear. Sometimes, las l sit with the tende
babe l now call my own resting on m,
bosom, thought of heaven goes pleas
antly through my mind, and pictur
to myself the mother of this adopted
child as the loving guardian of my owl
babes, now risen into the spiritual king
dom of our Father. | Can not tell yol
what a thrill of delight such thoughts Il
times awakeni"
Mrs. Loring bowed her head upon he
bosom and sat in silence for some mo
ments. Then she said:
You have read me a lesson from
which hope to profit. No wonder m,
heart has ached with undiminished pain
| have been selfish in my grief. Their
is nothing now to live for L have re
peated TO myself over and over again
until I believed the words.''
Nothing to live for!" Mrs. Adrial
spoke in a surprised voice. In the i'm
age and likeness of God we were al
made; and, if we would have the los
beauty restored, we must initiate Got
in our lives. He loves every one with
divine tenderness, and is ever seekin,
to bless US. If we would be like hin
we must love each other and seek eac
others good. He has given US the abil
ity to impart blessings, and made tru
happiness to depend on the exercise O
this ability; and if we fold our hand
and sit in idle repinings, happiness
not possible. How fully have l proves
this!"
"And God helping me, will prov
the opposite" said Mrs. Loring, speak
ing from the warmth of new impulse
"Long enough have l been sittin!
under cloud"
"While the bright sun shone ia
above in the clear heavens" added tn
friend, with smile of encouragement
May we see this babe you hav
called your own?" said Mrs. Loring.
The little one was brought, AMI a
she lay tenderly clasped to the bosom o
her new mother, giving even more 0
blessedness than she received, Mrs. Lor
ing, after her lips had touched, with
lingering pressure, the pure forehead
said:
"Your action has been wiser and bet
ter than mine, and you have had you
reward. While the waters of love Law,
grown stagnant in my heart, sending u
murky exhalations to darken my sky
| vours have hpen kent sweet and prrn I.
mirror the bending heavens. l thanl
you for the lesson"
She wore different face on returning
home than when she went forth so r.
luctantly. There was rift in the over
shadowing clouds, and a few rays o
sunshine came warmly down. Ever
the inception of good purposes hat
moved the long pulseless waters, ant
the small nipples on the surface wer,
catching the light.
A few weeks of unselfsh devotion t,
the life duties awaiting her hand ON al
sides wrought wonderful change il
Mrs. Loring. In seeking to be usefu
to others, her heart was comforted; ant
when into that heart, ever yearning will
= mothers undying love, babe, lief
helpless and friendless in the world
was taken, the work of consolation wa
completed. She sat under a cloud M
longer. Above her arched the beauti
full sky, bright through the Cheerful
day; and when the night of grief fol-
the loss of her precious one returned, a.