St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-11-19
Death OF the Old Wife.

one HUI ldlu oSty Ill q otupSAs
breathing with heavily-labored breath;
but as the sun sank to rest in the far
off western sky, and the red glow on
the wall of the room faded into dense
shadows, she awoke and called feebly
ITO her aged partner who was sitting mo-
tionless BY the bedside; he bent over
his dying wife and took her wan, wrin-
kled hand in his.
''Is it nightp' she asked in tremulous
tones. looking at him with eyes that
saw not.
EYES," he answered, softly. cit is
growing dark
"Where are the children?" she que
ried; are they all imp"
Poor old man! how could he answer
her; the children who had slept for
long years in the old church yard
who had outlived childhood and borne
the heat and burden of the day, and,
growing old, had laid down the cross
and gone to wear the crown, before the
old father and mother had finished their
sojourn!
1.-THE children are safe," answered
the old man, TREMENDOUSLY; ''don't think
of them, Janet, think of yourself; does
the way seem dark?'
.'My trust is in Thee; let me never be
confounded. What does it matter If the
way is dark? :.
"Td rather walk with God in the
dark, than walk alone in the light
'pd rather walk with Him by faith
than walk alone by sight
John, where's little Charlie?' she
asked. Her mind was again in the
past. The grave dust of twenty years
had lain on Charles golden hair, but
the mother had never forgotten him!
The old man patted her cold hands,
hands that had labored SO hard that
they were scanned and wrinkled and
calloused with years of toll, and the
wedding ring was worn to mere
thread of gold--and then he pressed
his thin lips to them, and cried. She
had encouraged and strengthened him
in every trial of life! Why, what a
woman she had been! What worker!
What leader in Israel! Always with
the gift of prayer or service. They had
stood at many a death-bed together
closed the eyes of loved ones, and then
sat down with the Bible between them
to read the promises. Now, she was
about to cross the dark river alone. =.
And it was strange and sad to the old
man, and the yellow haired grand
daughter left them, to hear her babble
of walks in the woods. of gathering May
flowers and. strolling with John, OF
petty household cares that she had al
ways put down with a strong resolute
hand; of wedding feasts and death-bed
triumphs, and when at midnight she
heard the bridegroom's voice, and the
old man, bending over her, cried pitt
fully, and the young granddaughter
kissed her pale brow, there was
solemn ioy in her voice as she spoke the
name of her children one by one, as if
she saw them with immortal eyes, and
with one glad smile put on Immortality.
They led the old man sobbing away,
and when he saw her again the glad
morning sun was shining, the air was
.jubilant with the song Of birds and she
lay asleep on the couch under the north
window where he had seen her SO often
lie down to rest, while waiting for the
Sabbath bell. And she wore the same
best black silk, and the string Of gold
beads about her thin neck, and the
folds Of white tulle. Only now the
brooch with his miniature was wanting,
and in its place was white rose and a
spray OF cedar-she had loved cedar
she had loved to sing over her work:
"Oh. may in His courts be seen.
Like a young cedar fresh and green"
But what strange transformation was
-thereo The wrinkles were gone. The
traces of age, and pain, and WEAKNESS
were all smoothed out; the face had
grown strangely young. and a placid
smile was laid on the pale lips. The
old man was awed by this likeness to
the bride of his youth. He kissed the
unresponsive lips and said, softly:
you've found Heaven first, Junet,
but you'll II come for pe soon! It's our
first parting in over seventy years, but
It won't be for long-it won't be for
Iongn' &5
And it was not. The winter SHOWS
have not fallen, and. there id another
grave, and to-day would have been
their diamond wedding! We had
planned much for it, and l wonder-I
wonder-but no! Where they are,
there is neither marriage nor giving in
marriage. r--Detroit Free Press. =.