The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-10-26

appeared to be Just as ne nau IaSG seen
it, and he could not bring himself to
believe that his mother, who had en-
braced him at parting only three months
before, was now sleeping in the cold
grave.
He glanced toward the window. The
lamp was there in its accustomed place,
but it was not burning. The boy ap-
preached and gazed upon it. The wick
was blackened and crisped, showing that
it had been lighted; but the oil was en-
tirely exhausted, showing how it had be-
come extinguished. Silently the devoted
son regarded this evidence of a mother S
remembra and love; and then, turn
ing to the neighbor he asked:
"Loring, how long has my mother
been dead?"
s.She was buried only yesterday"
could you not have kept her body
until came?"
'No; we did just as your mother in
structed us to do"
"How was that?"
"For a week before her death your
mother kept that light burning in the
window"
"She expected my return?"
eyes"
"Well, go on"
give days ago your mother called me
to her side. and then asked me to bring
her the light. 1 did so. She gazed
upon it, and smiled. Then she told me
to fill it afresh and trim and light it. 1
did so. and she told me to set it in the
window"
BLESS her-bless her" sobbed the
boy.
when / had replaced the light, she
said: In an hour l shall be no more. l
should like to see my dear boy once
more, but / fear shall not be able to do
so. Bat keep that light burning IN the
window until the oil is exhausted, and it
goes out of itself. Then. and not until
then, place my body in the grave. If
nv boy arrives, he will see the light if it
be still burning, and will hasten here.
He will gaze upon my pale, cold face,
and read there the words of blessing l
would speak If no light be burning, he
will know that his mother is no more;
and, bending over my grave, he will
weep and mourn my loss. But tell him
I am not lost. Tell him to look up to
the blue arch above him, and in heavens
window he will see the light which his
mother placed there, burning brightly
signal and beacon for him. Saying
this, she died"
"And you did as she requested?"
eyes; the grave was made in the
grove yonder. At sunset yesterday the
lamp went out, and we then placed her
poor body to rest"
Frank Ludlow did not sleep that night,
but set himself to work to beautify and
ornament the spot where slept that dear
clay. When morning dawned the fresh,
green sod covered the mound, and
flowers had been planted upon it. This
done, with heavy heart, the lad set out
to rejoln his ship.
When he entered the cabin, the cap
tain asked.
"Well, Frank, was the absence of the
light explained
Eyes, SIR"
"Why was it not burning?'
1T has been transferred, sir, to one OF
the windows of heaven. ] shall only see
it when I have made my last voyage
across the dark river"
Frank set about his duties with appar-
ent cheerfulness; but it was evident that
he was heart broken.
The ship was again upon its return
voyage from New Orleans. It was op.
, posite the point where stood the lonely
i cottage and where slept the mothers
clay. The entire ships officers and crew
surrounded the couch # the dying boy.
a He asked:
Captain, are we not near the cot
tage?"
Yes, Frank"
d But can you see the bright light
burning?"
Z 1T is not burning there, Frank"
i "But it is burning up yonder, for
q can see it."
The brave boy did not speak again.
e He smiled, and his spirit passed quickly
Z away.
q Did he aot see the light his mother
had placed in the window OF his heavenl,
8 home, even before he had reached it?