Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-04-20

She sat there shrieking on in a strained,
weak voice, half in prayer, half in expostu-
lation. The wind rose higher and higher.
Aud the sea Numbered louder and longer. A
new terror seized her. II her husband should
recover from the bad turn which she had
suspected he had, and attempt to cross that
bridge now, he would be killed too. God
knew what new rents might be in it. When
her clock changed out nine, above tho
roar of the storm, she went into perfect fu-
ry of despair. Down she sank on those old
rheumatic knees that had not bent at her bid
ding for the last five years, and prayed as
she never had before.
In the midst of her agony great calm
fell suddenly over her
81 will go an light the lamp myself" she
said, in an awed voice. an He will 20 with me-
Slowly Sarah Reed arose on feet that had not
borne her weight for five years Every
movement was excruciating torture, but she
paid no heed TO it she seemed 10 feel it and
yet be outside of IL. She realized, as it were,
the separateness Of her soul and her spiritual
agony from all bodily pain.
She walked across the floor, went out into
the entry, and groped her way up the mar
row stairs leading TO the tower. She drag.
ged herself up the steep sides with terrible
determination. She slid apart the slide at
the top, and blaze of light almost blinded
her. Tie lamp tcds It,
Sarah Reed might have Aoated down those
stairs upborne on angels wings for all she
knew. Somehow, she was back in her sit
ting-room on her knees. Her husband found
her there half hour later when he stag
gered, pale as death and drenched to the skin,
into the room
Good Lord, Sarah who lit the lamp -
his first words were.
''The angel Of the Lord she answered,
solemnly raising her gray head.
II he'd turn over thar on the road bout
a mile out of Rye. I've Jest come to an got
home. Seemed to me I should die when l
thought of William. The bridge is pretty
well broke up. but l hung on 10 the side.
And Lord when | saw that light burnin
could ha come over q cobweb. Who came
to light it, Sarah z"
"The angel of the Lord" she said again
Don't you ever say il amt so, Jackson
don't you ever dare to try to make me stop
thinking it's so. I've been askn' the Lord
all these years for something to show me that
He was anywhar, an he has give it to me. l
crawled up them stairs"
"Iou went up them stairs Sarah 7"
Yes l went up TO light the lamp, an it
was lit. The Lord had been thar. It's true
about Him"
The pale old man went up to his kneeling
wife and raised her tenderly.
Don't you believe His angels lit it Z" she
asked, looking at him with anxious intensity
Yes, Sarah, do, replied Jackson Reed
The thought was steadily occurring to his
half-dazed brain, Abby Weaver, Abby Wea-
yer lit the lamp but Sarah Sarah need not
know"
The next morning Sarah Reed looking out
Of her window, saw little pure white rose
ou the bush beneath it,
Yes, meant to have told you it had bud
ded said her husband, when she exclaimed,
Il found it thar yesterday. Thars another
one too"
1t was lovely clear morning. Abby Wea-
yer, looking out of her window, saw William
Barstow pass by on his way to the light
house TO tell the old folks of his safety