Omaha daily bee., 1883-09-05
The Violet WISE.

l am the eldest of six motherless chill.
dren, and at the head of my fathers
house. Consequently l have many cares,
and l am not as patient under them as
might be. One evening when very wea-
ry, / went to my dear Aunt Margaret as
l 80 often do when troubled. Just to
look at her face of strength and tender.
ness does me good. for it speaks of rest.
l found her arranging violets in q unique
and beautiful little glass vase. / had
often thought that vase had a story, for
she always spoke of it as her violet vase,
and no other lower was allowed O place
in it. When she had finished, | put my
head in her lap as was my habit.
II fear my little girl is heart weary
this evening"" she said
My voice was too full of tears to re,
ply. Softly she stroked my hair, and in
"a low sweet voice repeated these favorite
lines of hers:
1.-THE fretting friction of our daily life,
Heart WEAKNESS with loving patience
borne,
The meek endurance Of the inward strife,
The painful crown of thorns,
Prepare the heart for Gods own dwelling
place"
The tenderness of the tone and touch
soothed me. For awhile We sat in silence,
andthen she osked me if / would like to
hear how she was taught patience. So,
sitting in the soft evening light, i at last
heard the story of the violet vase.
"You know, dear child" she said,
"that my parents had only two children,
and that l was ~ years old when your
father was born. So for a long time !
was the only child, and might have been
q very happy one but for my besetting
sin Of impotence. My training only en-
~couraged it. Mother did indeed try not
to spoil me, but my father INDUCED ms
in every reasonable and unreasonable
within; so l never had patience to bear
the least disappointment. And as to
waiting for anything, it would throw mt
into n fever of impotence. AS i grew
older mother would talk to me seriously
aud tell me she was afraid God would
send some heavy discipline to teach me
what / would not learn in gentle lessons
and which we all must acquire to be
truly happy. When l was about IS there
came to our neighborhood, to visit his
aunt, a young sailor named Aleck Ran
dali. i found his society very pleasant,
and somehow we were thrown much to.
gether.
The time of his visit sped on, and at
last the evening came for me to tell him
good-by. We we're standing in our lit.
tie porch. My hand was full of %violets.
What will you give me TO take as a
keep sakeP he asked. i silently gave
him half of my %violets. He softly said:
Thank You Something in his tone
made me look up-something in his eyes
made me happy with a sweet content,
for l knew then that my womanhood was
crowned. But not for long did / feel
this content. For when he began to
speak of his plans-the two years voy-
age-the hope of claiming me afterward
my old selfish impotence rushed oven
me. l, who had never waited patiently q
week for anything, to wait two years
Neverl And ] told him so, and that il
he loved me he would not sail again
How grieved he looked. He said thai
he could not disappoint his captain; thai
it was too late to make othel
arrangements, but after the two
years he would certainly give up the sea
faring life for my sake and his mothers
He said perhaps he ought not to hav,
spoken, as he was not able TO marry a
once, but it had all been so sudden, ano
begged my forgiveness, He asked me
too, to wait for him, but j would no