The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-01-19
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
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.
SIS it night?" 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 quer-
led; are they all in?"
Poor old man! how could he answer
her?-the children who had slept for
years in the old church yard-who had
outlived childhood and borne the heat
and burden of the day, and, growing
old, had lain 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
COMPOUNDED. What does it matter if the
way is dark"
"I'd 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 wrinkled
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 been! What a worker!
What leader in Israel! Always with
the gift of prayer and service. They
stood at many deathbed 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 ped triumphs;
and when at midnight she heard the
bridegroom's 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
Il. =, kl,o =, mo, ~ bar oh lIrap ono
by one, as if she saw them with immor-
tai eyes, and with one glad smile put on
immortality. They led the old man sob
bling 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 hroch with his min
iature was wanting, and in its place was
q white rose and spray of ceder-she
had loved cedar-she had loved to sing
over her work:
"Oh, may in his courts be seen,
Like young cedar fresh and green"
But what strange transformation was
there! The wrinkles we're gone. The
traces of age, and pain. and WEAKNESS
were smoothed out; the face had grown
strangely young, aud a 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 unresponsive 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 wont be for long-it won't be for
long,"
And it was not. The winter snow had
not fallen, and 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.-Detroit Free
Press.