Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-07-19

| eJS' sSuhy uPoh tne lnNallQ, often
plucking shy1y but tenderly at the pill.
lows upon which she rested, or, over.
come with grief, bent over her power.
less and ema ciated hands, mingling the
scalding tears with his burning kisses
even then she had smile for them. and
no worldly anxiety was visible in her
pale, sweet face; for as heaven shed its
glorious light over her features faith and
hope filled her heart and robbed the
thought OF death Of its hcrrors. A love-
ly autumn day was drawing to an end.
The sun had just disappeared behind
the tops of the forest trees; the ether,
with its light, motionless clouds, glowed
III rosy hues, and shed soft golden
light over foliage and field, and over tho
cabin OF tho Lincolns. 1t was yet day
light, and the little family formed a
quiet and sad group before the house.
Legrand, who, during the first stage of
Nancys illness, had repeatedly called at
the house Of our settlers, now wandered
again among the Indians of the far West:
no one was present but the father, the
suffering mother and her two children.
1t Was Sunday evening, too. Abe
had already on many Sabbath under
taken his mothers holy Office of reading
the scriptures to the pious and godly
family. Now, again he sat upon a log
near Mother Nancy, the old family Bible
on his knees, reading the Gospel in q
soft but clear voice. His little sister
knelt beside the roughly improvised
couch OF the mother, looking dreamily
into her pale face and sunken eyes, while
one of the thin hands of the patient
woman rested upon the daughters curly
head. Father Thomas leaned against
the tall sycamore, whose mighty
branches shadowed the log cabin and
the sorrowing little group. His broad
chest, across which his arms were fold
ed, heaved and betrayed the feelings of
the husband. He gazes motionless into
his wife's almost transfgured couutc-
nance, over which at that moment
the evening cast q roseate hue.
At times his lips moved eonvusively, as
il unable to repress the anguish that
cramped his heart His fearful eyes ex-
pressed the terrible grief and solicitude
OF the plain but deeply-feeling pioneer.
Mother Nancy's earthly moments were
numbered. This Thomas could not dis
guise from himself. He saw it by the
momentary, light, scarcely -perceptible
commissions of her emaciated body by
the change that had taken place during
the last hour in her beautied, gentle
face by the eyes that became more and
more glazed, and only now and then Lit
up with an expression of love and anxiety
for her dear ones.
"Stop reading, Abe" he murmured,
trembling with apprehension; it wor-
ries your mother"
"No," breathed Mrs. Lincoln, in brok-
en- sentences; sit seems as though an
gels-werc singing psalms--as though
tho entire glory-of the other world were
disclosed to me-yes, thus-thus l al
ways wished to die-the blue heaven
above me-you at my side-and Gods
word on my lips. Your hand, Thomas"
The husband bent over his wife and
took her right hand, which she was un-
able to lift.
Abe had been silent. He now looked
into his mothers face, hastily closed
the Bible, and sprang up from the log.
"Gracious God my mother is dy-
ing I" he stammered, and reeled, pale
and trembling, to her side, while Sarah
uttered o cry, and, falling on her knees,
buried her face, over which the tears
were streaming. in the lap OF the dying
woman. But Abe embraced his mother
and held her in his arms, as though,
poor boy he could in that way stay the
soul of the so dearly-loved mother.
"Don't cry" she whispered. I" Is
death not q relief to me? am pre-
pared. l feel that l shall remain with
you, even when am gone. L shall pray
for you in heaven-and-shail see you
all again. Be virtuous, Sarah. Re
main honest and brave, my Abe-honor
and love your father he will bring you
up as Christians can die contentedly
and you-Thomas-"
"My Nancy-my wife !" stammered
the strong man, now thoroughly over
come.
al have been faithful to you,' she
continued, in feeblcr tone, "and you
have done your duty. Thanks for all
your kindness to me- And now-God
be with--you all"
The noble woman endeavored to utter
n few words more of love, but they we're
lost in an unintelligible murmur. One
more glance she cast on all around her
and then her beautiful eyes, formerly so
radiant with love, became dim, the lips
trembled for the last time. Death had
come to her like sweet sleep; serene and
holy TRANSPORTATION lay over her quiet
features a smile lowered around the
Inns. Life had fled !; but Nancy Lincoln
resembled softly-sleeping one, over
whom TIE last faint rays of the sun shed
their mild, rosy hue. The children
knelt weeping at the feet OF the iifeless
ho5v Thomas Lincoln still retained.
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