The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-05-23

II
She had lain all day in stupo
! breathing with heavily labore'
breath, but as the sun sank to res
|in the far off western sky, and tn
. red glow on the wall Of the room
faded into dense shadows, she awok
and called feebly to her aged part
ner who was sitting motionless BY
1.-THE bedside; he bent over his dying
wife and took her wan, wrinklet
hand in his.
SIS it night" she asked in trem'
ulous voice, looking at him with eye
that saw not.
"Yes," /" he answered softly. at ie
growing dark"
"Where are the CHILDREN? she quer'
lied. Are they al 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 children and borne
the heat and burden of the day, and
growing old, had laid down the cross
and gone to wear the crown, before
the old father and mother had fin
ished their sojourn.
"The children are safe" answered
the old man tremulously; don't
think of them. Jane think Of your
self; does the way seem dark 2"
"My trust is in Thee; let me
never pe confounded. What does it
matter if the way is dark?"
"Id rather walk with God in the
dark than walk alone in the light. "
'I'd rather walk with him by faith
than walk alone by sight,"
"John where is 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
that had labored SO hard that they
were scanned and wrinkled and cal
loused with years of toll, and the
wedding ring was worn to a mere
thread ofgold and then pressed his
thin lips to them and cried. She
had encouraged and strengthened
him in every trial in life! Why
what woman she has been What
a worker! What a leader in Israel.
Always with the gift of prayer or
service. They had stood at many a
death-Ded together-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 river alone.
And it was strange and sad to the
old man, and the yellow-haired
grand daughter left 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 always put down with
a strong, resolute hand; OF wedding
feasts and deathbed triumphs, and
when at midnight she heard the
bridegroom's voice. and the old man,
bending over her, cried pitifully,
and the yound granddaughter kiss
ed her pale brow, there was solemn
Joy in her voice as she spoke the
name of her crildren one by one, as
if she saw them with immortal eyes,
and with one glad smile put on inn
mortality. They led the old man
sobbing away, and when he saw her
again the glad morning sun was
shining, the air was jubilant with
the song of birds and she lay asleep
on the couch under the north win
dow where he had seen her so often
lie down to rest, while waiting for
the Sabbath bell. And she wore the
same best black silk, and the string
of gold beads around her thin neck,
and the folds of white tulles.-Only
now the brooch with his miniature
was wanting. and in its place was a
white rose and a spray of cedar
she had loved TO sing over her
work:
'Oh, may in His courts be seeen,
Like young cedar fresh and green."
But what strange transformation
was there? The wrinkles were gone.
The traces of age and pain and wea-
riness were all smoothed out; the
face had grown strangely young and
placid smile was laid on the pale
lips.-The old man was awed by
this likeness to the bride of his
youth. He kissed the unresponsive
lips and said softly:
you've found Heaven first, Janet;
but you will come for me soon! It's
our first parting in over seventy
years, but 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 much for it, and | wonder
but no! Where they are there is
neither marriage nor giving in mar
riaUa