The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-05
Dea,h or the Old Wife.

She hal lain sll day in a strpor.
breathing with heavily-labored brea h;
but as the sun sank To rest in the far
of western sky. and the red glow on
the wall of the room faded into dense
shadows. she awoke and callei feeblf
To- her aged partner who WAS sitting mo-
t~ioniess b. the bedside. he bent over
his diving wife and took her wan, wrin-
kled hand in his.
is !, night7' she asked in tremulous
tones. looking At him with eyes that
SAW not
Yes" he answered. softly. lit is
growing dark"
Where are the children? she que-
ried; are they al in5"
Poor old man. how could he answer
her. the children who had slept for
long wears in the Old church-yarl-
who had outlived childhood and borne
the heat and burden of the day. and.
growing old, had laid down the cross
and zone TO wear the crown. be ore he
old father and mother had finished their
sojourn' ,
THE children are safe" answered
the old man. TREMENDOUSLY; don't think
of them. Janet. think Of yourselfi docs
the way seem dark?
MY trust is in Thee; let me never be
confoundei. What does II matter II the
way Is dark?
I'D rather walk with God in the
dark, than walk acne in the light
I'D rather walk with Him by faith
than walk alone by sight.
John. where's little Charlie?' she
h. H.. rnfpI Nr1z again m tho
pq,t. The grave dust of twenty years
had lain on Charles golden hair. but
the mother had never forgotten him.
The old man patted her cold hands.
hands that had labored 80 hari that
they were scanned and wrinklei and
callouSei with years of toll, and the
wedding ring was worn to a mere
thread of gold-and then he pressed
his thin lips to them. and cried. She
had encouraged and strengthened him
i'm every trial of life! Why. what a
woman she had been, What u worker,
What a leader in Israel, Always with
the Gift Of PRAYER or service. They had
stood at many Il dcath-bed together
closed the ewes of loved ones. and her
sat down with the Bible between them
10 read the promises. Now. she wa
about TO cross the dark river alone.
And it was strange and sad L the oil
man. and the yellow haired grand
daughter lett them, to hear her babble
Of walks in the woods. OF gathering May
flowers and strolling with John. OF
petty household cares that she had al
WAYS put down with u strong reSoiute
hand; of wedding feasts and death bed
triumphs, and when at midnight she
heard the bridegroom's voice. and the
old man. bending over her. cred pitt
fully. and the young granddaugh Inter
kissed her pale brow, there was u
solemn JOY in her voice - she spoke the
name of her children one To- one. ~ II
she saw them with immortal eyes. and
with one glad smile put on immortality.
They led the old mar Sobbing away.
and when he saw her again Tia" glad
morning SUI was shining. the air was
iubilant with the song 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 wait NJ for the
Sabbath bell. And she wore the same
best black silk. and The string of gold
beads about her thin neck, and the
folds of white tulle. Only o the
brooch with his miniature was wanting,
and in its place was a white rose and a
spray of cedar-she had loved cedar
she had loved to sing over her work:
% may | in His courts hc seen.
Like a young cedar fresh ami green
But what strange Transformation was
there9 The wrinkles were gone. The
traces of age, and pain, and WEAKNESS
were all smOothed out; the face had
grown strangely young, and a placid
smile was laid on the pale lips. The
old man was awcd BY this likeness 20
the bride of his youth. He kissed the
unresponsive lips and sail, softly:
You've found Heaven first, janet.
Dut YOU ~ ovrss~ So. mo soon It's our
first parting in over seventy years. but
it won't be for !onS-it won't be for
long,
And it was not. The winter SHOWS
have not fallen. and there is another
grave, and to-day would have been
their diamond wedding, We had
planned muc for it, and | wonder-I
wOnder-but no, Where they are.
there is neither marriage nor giving in
marriage. "-Detroit Free Press.