Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-07-04

After the meeting she asked the teach
er what it meant: and if she would
teach her and her little brother how. to
pray The teacher took The little hands
in her own, and told the two little chill
dren about Jesus, and how he loved lit
tie children and wanted them to be good
and would help them if they asked him.
Months passed; Oracle had learned to
pray, and often talked to her father
about the Christ-child, and wanted him
to pray but he only laughed and called
her his little saint.
One day Oracle was taken very Ill
the doctor was sent for, and when he
saw her, he said she was very sick
"Will die, doctor p
81 hope not
"Yor needn't be afraid to tell me,
cause I'm ready asked Jesus to take
me if he wanted me. :"
The father, who stood at the foot of
the bed, sobbed out, t.Oh, Oracle, you
don't want to leave your papa, do you?"
"Yes do, if Jesus wants me to come
cause he has the best right to me.
The customers came and went, but
the saloon keeper needed them not; for
his dear Oracle was on her little bed,
painting her life away. What cared he
for money now the light of his life was
going out ? One day, on his coming up
out Of his saloon, Oracle opened her
eyes, and turning upon him an implor-
ing look, said: "Oh, papa, is the saloon
open, ond the men there drinking?"
"Yes, darling"
do close it, papa l know l would
feel better if you will"
"Ill do it, darling-anything to make
you feel better" The saloon-keeper s
heart was almost breaking. The bar
keeper. was ordered to clear the saloon
and close the doors.
Darling, the saloon is closed" he
said, bending over her few minutes la
| ter.
THANK you, papa. 1t makes me
happy and better already" and glad
smile came into her suffering face. Ev-
| cry few hours Oracle would ask, sis
| the saloon closed now pr 3.f @s3
"Yes, darling" sTliI fzs 1855
/ care the shutters up?' lass
eyes, dear, they are up" t..Fs
The leader of the children's temper
ance meeting had been sent for at Ora.
cie's request, and had been with her al
most constantly from the first, and sat
chatting the hands that were growing SC
cold in death.
''oh, papa, wish you'd never open
the saloon again. Mamma, can't you
get papa to promise me never to oper
the saloon again ?"tfa 49, #sTs
sob, George, do promise your dying
child" sobbed the mother, who had new
er favored her husbands business.
The strong man shook like a reed
He could not speak for moment; ther
coming and bending over her, he said il
strange and husky voice:
"My darling Oracle, papa will neve
open the saloon again"
"Oh, papa, I'm so glad. I'll tell Je
sus when get to heaven that you hav
closed the saloon. And now, you mus
be good, and he'll let you come to tina
; beautiful place, too; and mamma ant
Alice can come"
There was glad smile on the dyin
child's face, that soon faded out int
lines of pain: but all at once, just a
the last, her face frightened up with
strange, unearthly brightness. and sh
: cried out joyfully:
ooh, mamma, look, look the ROOF
es full of angels. Papa, don't you Sc
b them? They are all about you !"
There was hush in the room. fc
4 the gates of heaven were thrown open
e let the pure bright spirit pass through
t Only the body of little Oracle was left
d the real Oracle had gone to live wit
f.! Jesus and the angels.
# The father never opened the salool
it The bar-room shutters have never bee
r taken down. The saloon-keeper has u
t only signed the pledge. but has becon
n a Christian, and expects to follow b
I Oracle to heaven after awhile.
: I i