, 1882-01-13
Death of the Old Wife.

She had lain all day in a stupor, breath
ing with heavy labored breath, but as
/ the sun sank to rest in the far. off western
I sky, and the red glow on the wall of the
room faded into dense shadows, she
awoke and called feebly to her aged
partner who WAS sitting motionless by
the bedside; he bent over his dying
wife and took her wan, wrinkled hand in
his.
us it tnight?" she asked in tremulous
tones, looking at him with eyes that saw
not.
Yes" he answered softly. 1T is
growing dark
Where are the children" she quer-
ied are they all in?'
Poor old man, how could he answer
hcr?-the children who had slept for
years in the old church yard had
outlived childhood and borne the heat
and burden of the day, and, growing
old, had lam down the cross and gone to
wear the crown, before the old father
and mother had finished their sojourn.
The children are safe" answered the
old man tremulously; 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"
"Id rather walk with God in the dark,
than walk alone in the light"
I'D 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 man patted
her cold hands, hands that labo'ed so
hard that they were scanned and wriAkled
and calloused with years of toll, and the
wedding ring was worn to mere thread
of gold-and then he pressed his lips to
them, and cried, they had strengthened
him in every trial Of life. Why, what a
woman she had beenl What workerl
What leader in Israel. Always with
the gift of prayer and service. They
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 daugh-
ter left them, to hear her babble of walks
in the woods, of gathering May flowers
and strolling with John, of petty house
hold cares that she had always put
down with a strong, resolute band OF
wedding feasts and death bed triumphs;
and when at midnight she heard the
bridegrooms voice, and the old man
bending over her, cried pitifully, and
the granddaughter kissed her pale brow,
there was solemn Joy in her voice az
she spoke the names of her children one
by one, as if she saw them with immor-
tai eyes, aud with one glad smile put on
immortality. They led the old man sob
bing away, and when he saw her again
the glad morning sun was shining, the
air was jubilant with the songs 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 black silk, and the string of beads
about her neck, and the folds Of white
tulle Only now the Eroch with his min
iature was wanting, and in its place was
a white rose and II spray OF ceder-she
had loved cedar--she had loved to sing
over her work:
ooh, may in his courts be seen,
Like young cedar flesh and green"
But what strange transformation was
there! The wrinkles were gone. The
traces of age, and pain, and WEAKNESS
were smoothed out; the face had grown
strangely young, aud placid smile was
lain on her pale lips. The old man was
awed by this likeness of the bride of his
youth. He kissed the unrespOnsiye lips
and he said softly:
you've found Heaven first, Janet,
but you'll come for me soon! It's our
first parting in more than seventy years,
but it won't be for long-it won't be for
long"
And it was not. The winter snow had
not fallen, ana there is another grave,
and to-day would have been their dia-
mond wedding! We had planned much
for it, and | wonder--I wonder-but no |!
Where they are there is neither marriage
nor giving in marriage ge.-Detroit Free
Press.