The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-01-06

and commonplace as they had appeared
to her unsympathetic vision, seemed sud
denly TRANSPORTED by their partnership
of common childishness with the Babe
of Bethlehem. and her heart turned ten
derby toward them in spite of their I'M
attractive exterior, as, the services ended
she watched them file hurriedly down
the aisle, their eager little faces scarcely
yelled under the prescribed look OF hum
bic decorum that could not completely
hide all their glad anticipation of the
coming Christmas feast.
| "Ihose snawIs are tim and Scanty;
they shall have some new ones before
next Sabbath" wrote Loves finger on
the secret tablet of her heart; and with
an ansv ering nod and smile to the mod
est SALVATION of the minister's sister, she
was about to pass through the door into
! the crisp outer air, when IL cloud OF
faded black drapery barred the way and
| IL hand. small. pinched and bare, caught
trembliugly at the fringe OF her mantle,
while voice broken and weak, yet with
an only too well remembered thrill in its
tones. whispered the timid inquiry,
Helen. sister. don't you know me?'
An hour before, Helen Thornleigh
MOulu lltNc tbil ilci Sdl iiSHtS nom uiiuo
woman's grasp, and with coldly unre-
cognizing eyes have passed silently on
her way. but now Il gentler mood swayed
her, and trembling from head to foot,
with thrill of womanly tenderness, she
looked down into the wan, sunken face,
from which all the old fatal beauty had
long since faded out, the once 1.-the and
graceful form now bowed and angular
with suffering and want, and the mean,
scant garments that scarce kept out the
winters cold; and never was music
sweeter or more in harmony with the
blessed spirit of the day than her words:
Come home with me-" And as she saw
the look of painful uncertainty upon the
wanderers face, she added, with closer
clasp OF the trembling fingers within her
own softly -gloved palm: 1.-The past-our
past-is dead, sepulchred beyond resur-
rection, and now let this day of universal
love and goodwill be the sealed
stone at its tombs mouth, that neither of
us shall ever seek to roll aside
A rush of grateful tears was her only
answer; but it was enough, and the re-
united pair, for the first time, perhaps,
in their lives, thoroughly comprehended
and understood each other.
There were no wordy protestations Of
repentance, no well-rounded sentences
expressive of forgiveness and mag
unanimous overlooking of past sins and
treacheries. The past, with its bitter
bitter harvest. was literally and truly
dead and buried, and never. by word or
look, did the reconciled sisters, now
happy and content in their chastened.
wise-directed lives, ever refer to that
darkened blank whose heart pangs God
alone may know.
And Parson Soulbridge still prepares
his annual Christmas sermon with the
same prayerful care, the same scholarly
research. the same earnest faith in its
possible usefulness. that even the thinly-
filled pews that still meet his now failing
vision cannot dim; for who knoweth
which shall prosper-the late or early
sown? And even one appreciative nearer
may bring forth wain-load of golden
sheayes to bless and crown his harvest
hour.