Connecticut western news., 1880-06-02
Old Jen's Faith.

v further than she was old and poor, and that the boys sometimes hooted her on the streets for hag, and people passed her by without Q second glance. If she had been heather in far off Africa every effort would have been made to save her soul, but as she was washerwoman and beggar at home, she had no soul to save. At least, no one seemed to think so. Wasn't it curious that never @ man or woman had 8 kindly word for that lonely old woman until an hour before her death? Think of the number of churches and clergymen and Christian people in Detroit, and then wonder that no one had ever stopped this lonely exile on the street as she hobbled along, and took her trembling hand and said:
 "Poor old woman, how fares 1t with thee? Have you any sunshine in your last days, or has the world given you burdens and shadows and tears and heartaches? ?" .,..,.
 But no one halted her-no one looked into her eyes to, read her. sorrows---no one cared more for her than for the dogs which trotted past them on the street, The other. day as night was coming down, mere accident brought strangers into a room so full of dreariness and so lonely with shadows as to make the heart ache. In that drear room old Jen had been dy
 ing by inches for days, and now death sat beside her on her wretched bed. It was little that human hands could do for her, but when words of sympathy fell upon her ears-when she felt the pres sure of hand and that some one pitied her-all that wild haggard look went out of her face in moment, and was replaced by soft lines and the eyes full of tears.
 "I-I didn't believe there was any one in all this big world who cared for me !'' she gasped, as her tears came afresh and she wiped them away to look in won der at the sad faces around her.
 "Iknow that I am in the shadow of death," she said, as the silence grew long, l" but I am not afraid. For dozen years have starved and shivered, and been an object of. scorn and contempt not kind wish-not all effort to better my life. It cannot be worse beyond the dark river" ... .-... .,... .~ .+,
 "And shall we bring some one to pray with you ?" -' . '''' ....,-..a
 "Itwould be mockery, " she whispered. "Churches have not been for me. Prayer meetings are not flor ibeggars. Il have cursed the boys when they hooted at me. I have hated people who. had more than I had. Lying here on this old bed, hungry and cold, I have some times doubted that there was God or a heaven. I have been wicked, but-but I was old and poor and weak, and all the world seemed to hate me p
 Tears came again., and after while she said: 'But there is God and a heaven. I have faith in both. Years ago my first born was taken from me by death. He was but child, knowing no sin, and he is there among the angels. He will ask God to forgive me. When I cross over the dark river he will be first to meet me on the heaven-lit shore. Oh! I know he will, for I was his. mother, and I know that God will forgive me, for the life he gave me has been drear with sorrows" 70
 As the minutes ticked away her face grew white, and had 8 tender, womanly look. Her eyes no longer had that story of life's sorrow in them, but instead had gleam of triumph. It was 8 triumph of lone old woman's faith over the con- tempt of the world. She seemed to have fallen asleep, and when the watchers were wondering if she would wake again on earth, she suddenly threw up her arms, clasped her hands and gasped out:
 "My Jamie has pleaded for. me, and l will not be kept out of heaven! I have sinned, but all the world was against me p
 On her face when she lay dead on her bed of rags, was such smile of peace and joy and contentment as seldom comes to mortals Within. that poor old body was soul after all, though the | world had denied it,-M Quad.