Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-04-06
When Life Seemed Brightest.

When Life Seemed Brightest.
Seated in an easy chair before a vinecov-
cred window happy woman held a letter
clasped close to her heart, while she saw
visions and dreamed dreams of happy
future 1t was the quiet hour of the day
that comes to mothers, the time between the
Moons work that is done and the coming
home of the children from school. No hour
of the day seems SO quiet no resting spell
so restful. The quiet will be broken by
eager, happy voices, the demands of children
will soon make work again. And while the
mothers heart grows lighter in the presence
of her happy children, still to most women
the hour of quiet is a peculiarly happy one.
The letter that was so lovingly held to-day
was worn and soiled with much handling
il had evidently been read, not for any news
it contained, but because of the one who
wrote it and it was probable that the read
ing was daily pleasure. Blessed be he who
invented writing Messages of hope and
trust and love innumerabe are flying hither
and thither almost on the wings of the wind,
and each one drops into an expectant or
hungering heart and brings answering love
and peace.
Far off in the Colorado mountains, with
snow rejecting the July sun, man had
penned these lines to woman he loved.
And more than one thousand miles from
him she read and re-read them, kissed the
paper they were written on, and thanked
God that her lot was such happy one.
And daily when the hour of quiet came she
drew this letter from her heart and drank in
new strength and hope. 1t is passing
strange, this power that we call Love One
man, from among myriads OF men, is at
tracted to one woman from myriads of wo-
men, and the two hearts knit so closely
together that even death cannot divide them.
But, oh that death should have power to
even separate friends
Step on board of summer train and you
will find a majority of the passengers hurry
ing somewhere in search of health. They
who have lived on low lands are hieing to
the mountains; those on the mountains are
fastening to the sea; those on the coast are
flying to the inland farm, but all are seeking
health. For years the tide of health seekers
has been toward the dry lands of the west.
They arrive there in every condition between
the early and last stages of disease. The
little mountain towns of Colorado commence
their cemeteries with the corpse of one who
has travelled many miles for health, and only
arrived in time to die. Many of the best
off by their relatives to die here, but instead
they found life. | have listened to heart
rending tales of the anguish of relations who
brought loved ones there for health and
found, when it was too late, that the rarifed
air has only hastened death. | have talked
with strong men who told me how they were
carried TO the cars and, while the drops of
blood ran from their lips babe goodbye to
friends, and yet, through the invigorating
influence of the climate, were strong and
well now. Each hotel is hospital, and the
row of guests who gather under the shade
of the porch is simply a row of invalids or
convalescents.
From one of these hotels Richard Lane
had penned the letter to his wife that we
have seen held SO tenderly. Why disease
should have fastened its cruel fangs on him
was a mystery to his friends. But little
cough slowly became bad cold; slight
pain in the chest gradually grew to steady
pain; night of uneasy slumber changed
into nights of fever and facilitating per-
SEPARATION, and Just as he began to wonder if
he was not ill and had better do something
for himself, day of slight over-exertion
brought on night of hemorrhage, and the
ghost dreaded by all-consumption-cl claimed
him for its own. The peculiar horror that
holds the soul of a man in the prime OF life
who feels himself in the demons grasp can
not be described. He feels that the end is
so sure that he has only to prepare himself
for it. He does not find himself very ill,
but knows that there is but one end. At
forwards the angel of hope comes into heart,
and until death shall claim him he is never
without her; but at the first moment there
opens before him no visions of brightness,
and no ray Of light over the black gulf Of
despair.
Richard Lane had been in Colorado a
twelve month. The air when he first
breathed it seemed laden with life, and each
day he felt himself growing stronger. lie
purchased pony and lived in the open air
from sunrise to sunset. The ranchmen well
coined him, the farmers made him at home
in every house he went, and his life was
one of brightness, if one could be bright so
far from those he loved. He had for asso-
ciates some of the brightest minds in the
land; they like himself sojourning for
health there, and most of them, like himself,
with loved ones left behind. The brightest
hour of the day was that when the mail ar
rived; the shortest hour that when the
home letters were written. How CHEEKY
and strong grew the letters of him who as
suredly felt himself gaining strength and
life! Richard Lane had been careful to re
port his health no brighter than he knew il
to be, and waited to be quite sure before he
had written to his wife: 81 am almost
we'll" But after writing her to that effec
the letters grew jubilant, and in each ht
thanked God that he was not going to die
In that far off home no hour, no minute
Of the day but that his name was remem
bered and when the letters began to almos
sing a." Laus Deo," there was heart tina
read them and then wept with Joy On,
day the carrier handed her very thicl
package, which she opened with dread, bu
after reading never allowed it to leave her
Every day she took out the long letter ant
read it, and every night slept with it unde
her pillow. On the day we introduce he
she has Just taken her precious letter iron
her breast, closes her eyes for momen
while she sees the face Of the dear one VIII
wrote 1t, then tenderly opens the letter au
reads
"MY DARrIYG-My letters have been tellin
you that have felt myself growing stronger, bI
to-day can say more than that deare, am a
most well. know your heart will sing when 20
hear this, and wish you were near me TO hear a
the messages my heart is sending out to you OF
Lou, the world never looked so bright. have 81
here day by day with my heart crying out again
the future; picturing you and the children liyn
on and not there; thought of the children grow
ing TO womanhood and my hands not guidin
them, ana my neaft mas nearly broken nay
thought over your life as II would be without m
and Of the way in which you and the chidrt
would talk about me- OF the thousand things thu
would constantly remind you OF me, and ha,
felt could not die. One OF the saddest though
was that the little children would not rememb
me at all, and that thought was peculiarly sad.
would not tell you all these thoughts dear, II
had not the better one to tell with them and tn
Is that am not going to die Oh, the melody
these words Oh, the happiness in store for u
How good God isl Tell the children about It; II
them papa is coming home, and coming TO lo'
them and you he never loved you ali befor
Ah darling, one must stand near TO death
know how sweet love is, and have been there
many months that seem to myself as IL hi
been dead and were coming to life again "
will make 1t a new life, love. In the old one
lived for my business; in the new one will Ii
for you and our children. In one month mo
they tell me can safely leave, and in one mon
more ! shall go to you Count the days, love- (
shall count the seconds, Your own"
have given only part of the long lette
1t was song of jubilation it was indet
one coming from death to life
Only those who have trembed beside Il