Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-10
NO. 6.


about twelve hundred dollars, and won the
love of a teacher in one of the grammar
schools of the city, they were united in mar
riage, the place at Buena Vista purchased and
the work Of raising flowers for the Boston
market commenced.
Mrs. LeFarge was also an orphan. and the
young couple found in each others society
that happiness for which they had so long
yearned. But il was to be saddened by afflic-
ton. In the spring of 1880, just when the
flowers were putting forth their brightest
blooms and being touched by the Masters
pencil with unriyaled colors, the young wife
was losing that greatest of heavens gifts-the
power of sight. Despite the best medical
skill the mist deepened into twilight, and
then into impenetrable night.
Though the light of his life had gone out,
the husband never murmured but, picking
up the tangled threads of life where he had
dropped them when his great sorrow first sp-
peared, he devoted himself with renewed en-
ergy to see that every want was met and every
wish anticipated. Such devotedness, such
selfforgetfulness, had never witnessed and
the memory of the genteness Of this man
toward the woman he had sworn to love and
cherish through life's uneven way, comes to
me this morning fragrant with the principle
Of holy living.
And she q? She appreciated il all, and would
put her poor thin arms around her husbands
neck, and, caressing him, lavish on him all
the wealth of her ardent nature.
She failed rapidly in health, and at the time
l became acquainted with her was confined to
her room.
One afternoon, while Paul was in Windsor
transacting business which demanded his per-
sonal attention. and was remaining at the
request of both, to read and aid in passing
the time, Mrs. lie Fargo suddenly stopped in
her work-she was always busy with her
needles-gazed at me intently with her sight
less eyes, and said:
Don't you think Paul the grandest and
sweetest name in the world?'
replied l thought it was a noble name.
"Paul-Paul!" she murmured "wbat o
grand man: the first Paul the Bible PAUL
the prisoner of Hope. How earnest, how
eloquent, how brave amid the accusations Of
his enemies; how gentle to the sorrowing;
my heart goes out to him, as, standing before
the king, he reasoned with such resstless ell
oquence and power of righteousness and Of
judgment to come, that Agrippa, ruler though
he was, Drawing the taunts of potentates and
giving voice to the language of his heart,
spoke those imperishable words-his glory
and his shame Almost thou persuadest me
to be a Christian
See him again in Imperial Rome, in dun
geons low, chained down; yet that matchless
faith which neither shipwrecks, nor stripes,
nor prison bars, nor brutal beasts could
shake, arose trumphal over all. Yes. no
fought the fight! was obedient unto the
heavenly vision! kept the faith
And my Paul" here her voice sank 10 .
low quaver. II fear 1 almost worship him;
so kind, SO gentle, so good. Preparing with
his own hands his frugal fare, reading 10 me
until his voice grows husky, and feign sleep
to give him needed rest-then with the door
aiar to his toll amid the hoWers
80, l sometimes think everything is all
wrong. Why did God make US with such ca
pacity for joy-and suffering am often
tempted to believe there is no over-ruling
Providence. 1 could enjoy so much, but
am nothing but a burden, burden not only
to myself, but to Paul.
Ibid you ever stop to think" she contin-
ued, what terrible thing it is to be blindH
To be shut out from Gods beautiful world,
to never look upon the face of those you lover
To live in one eternal, rayless night, cropping,
cropping after the morning that never comes?
But, after a pause-''it toM come
sometime. There is heavenly day; city
which maketh glad; and best of all, those
who enter go no more out forever"
She sank back upon her pillow and re-
mained quiet for so long 1 became alarmed,
and rising hastily, took a step toward her
but she anticipated me by saying as calmly
and peacefully as though Just awakened from
a refreshing sleep:
Il have one favor to ask you. would not
ask it, but you have been so kind and can
not leave the request with neighbor, none
of whom have been my confdants."
Anything l can do for you, Mrs, lie Fargo,
will be pleasure"
Thank you," she quietly replied, ''it is
this: When you hear of my death-you need
not start nor offer any encouragement, for l
am not to be deceived in the matter and
know l am failing rapidly, and but for the
thought of leaving Paul it would be q blessed
release-when you hear of my death, (and
Paul shall promise me you hear soon) after
its occurrence, desire that you request my
husband to select as one of the hymns to DO
sung at my funeral, the 965th hymn; you
will find it in the collection on the table near
you.
To leave no chance for an error, please
read the first lines.
l turned to the number and read, with con-
fiictng emotions, the same words which
came to me that oft-remembered evening,
from the camp beside the river at Claremont;
The soul that Jesus hath leaned for repOse,
He will not, He will not desert to its foes;
That soul though all hell should endeavor to shake,
He'll never, no never, no never forsake'
You promise me-"
The message bearing the sacred trust re-
posed in me, together with an expression or
my heartfelt sorrow, has been sent to the
stricken husband, who stands beside his all
of earth to-day.
can do no better than to close with the
inscription on ly-leaf of a well-worn testa-
ment written in a wandering hand and
pressed on me that memorable afternoon by
both husband and wife as bade thsm adieu
in that cottage on the heights of Buena
VISTA
Blessed they that do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree OF fe and may enter
in through the gates into the city.
John N. Tees in LookpOrt (N. ~ Union.