The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-03-11
DEATH OF The OLD WIFE.

DEATH OF THE OLD WIFE. &
! She had lain all day in a ,stnpor
breathing with heavily labored breath
but as the sun sank to rest in the far.
off western sky, and the red glow, on
the,waIi of the room faded into dense
shadows, she awoke and called feebly
to her aged partner who was sitting
motion1ess by the bedside ); he bent
se0xer his dying wife and took her wan,
wrinkled hand in his.
lis it night?" she asked in tremu.
lous tones, looking at him with eyes
9 that saw not. .
1'h "Yes," he answered softly ut is
growing dark" a3a
Where are the children ?" she
queried; ''are they all in ?"
-. Poor old man how. could he an
swer her?-the children who had slept
for long years in the old churchyard
who had outlived childhood and
borne the heat and burden Of the day,
andigrewing old, had laid down the
cross sand gone to wear the crown,
before the old father and mother had
finished their sojourn- rss ~ ~sx i n .
",The children are safe, ~ answered
the old man TREMENDOUSLY; ''don't think
of them, Janet, think of yourself does
the way seem dark ?' .54
"Ny trust is in Thee let me never
be COMPOUNDED. What does it matter
ifthe way is dark ?''
I'D rather walk with God in the
xiarK, than walk alone in the light.
I'D rather walk with him by faith
than walk alone by sight"
sfi"John, where's little Charlie ?" she
asked. Her mind was again in the
past. The grave-dust of twenty years
had laid on Charles golden hair, but
the mother had never forgotten him
The. old man patted her cold hands
hands that had labored 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
hiathih Alps tothem and cried. She
Asd.eneouraged andstrengthened him
in every toll of life. Why, what a
woman she had been! What a worker!
What leader in Israel! Always with
the gift of prayer or service They
had stood at many death-bed TO-
gether-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
riYsT alone Biz lC0-l w
Add it was strange and sad to the
old man, and yellow-haired grand
daughter left to them, to hear her
babble of walks in the woods, of gath
ering May flowers and strolling with
John, of petty household cares that
she had always put down with q
strong, resolute hand of. wedding
feasts and death-bed triumphs; and
when at midnight she heard the bride
proom's voice, and the old man bend
ingpysr her,cried -pittifully, and the
ySpAg granddaughter kissed her pale
brow. there was solemn joy in her
vol as she spoke the name of her
children one by one, as If she saw
them with immortal eyes, and with
one glad smile put on immortality.
They led the old man sobbing away,
and when he saw her again the glad
morning sun was shining, the air was
iubilapt with the song Of birds, and
she lay asleep on the couch under the
north window where he had seen her
80 often lie down to rest while waiting
for the Sabbath bell. And she wore
the same best black silk, and the string
ofsDad beadsIabo6t her thin neck, and
the folds of white tulle. Only now
the brooch with his miniature was
wanting, and IN it's place was white