Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-07-16

Nurse. Nurse! l can't bear it!''
whist, whist, my bairnie! Don't
We go to think the Lord begrudges We
your happiness in the blessings Him
self has give We to enjoy. Don't We go
to misjudge Him so.''
'sOh! if He has taken Fred from me-
if He has shall hate Him, l shall
hate Him." cried Annie, wildly, clench-
ing her slender hands. ''Oh! if God is
so cruel, SO pitiless as that, / will never
love Him. never pray to Him again,
never, while live"'
"Annie. Annie! God help We, We
don't know what We are sayingw ex-
claimed the poor old woman, W. tn tears
dropping over her withered cheeks.
''How dare We call Him cruel. If He
bids We let go your hearts dearest.
what right have ye even SO to set your
will against Him as made We, and as
works all things together for your
good? My Jem says there's reason
in all the Lords doings; it's only our
eyes as is weak and don't always see
plain. It's wicked of We to talk so,
Annie, and l couldn't a-bear it, only
Jem says he is sure the Lord don't
listen when we speak that we don't
mean; and We don't mean what We are
saying now. Why, ye've just said
there's no blessing in the world as has
been denied We your life long, and yet
now We couldn't take one sorrow from
Him even if He sent it YER
''Only not this one?" sobbed Annie.
her face hidden in the old woman 5
dress. ''Only not this! l could bear
anything else: but only not this"
20. Annie! it's no for us to say
what shall be of the Lords sending
What He sends. good or bad, that must
we take; and it's no for us to choose
the what or the when. If one poor soul
lies dead yonder, then there's sorrow
come into the world somewhere by rea-
son of it. It's so that some one must
bear the grief We say We can not, nor
VIII not, bear. Is others stronger than
We, then, that We should be spared. and
your pain put on them? What right
have We, Annie, to claim to be spared,
and take no part in the world trouble?
The very trees has storms sent them
and stands up against them whilst they
can. So them that God sends this sor-
row to the day, whoever they chance to
be, must cen submit their wills to it,
and, as my Jem would say, may the
gracious Lord tighten it to the heart He
fixes it upon
The old woman bowed her head rev.
erently as she spoke, and Annie looked
up at her. half awed, though with
cheeks still wet with rebellious tears.
And Just there, some one stopped over
them and lifted the young girl to her
feet, softly saying her name. All what
voice of all Living could so say it save
one? 1t was as if her lover had been
given back to her from the very regions
of the dead, and, after an almost fright
ened glance at him, Annie threw herself
upon his breast, with an inarticulate cry
of relief and rapture. Perhaps when
souls first meet in Heaven they feel
somewhat as she felt in that moment.
But the young man gently unclasped
her clinging arms, and, holding her
bands in one of his, went nearer the old
nurse, and stood looking down at her
without speaking.
.'Oh, Mr.. Tredr' the old woman
cried, catching his hand, while look
OF such unsellish delight irradiated her
wrinkled face as absolutely TRANSPORTED
it. 1.-The Lord be thanked that it is not
We who have been taken!'
mo, not l." Fred said slowly, while
she. in the relief that seemed to set all
her senses free again, heard the cricket
chirp, and saw how the golden needle
of light had slipped away from her lap,
and felt it where it lay bright and warm
across her foot. s.Not l. he said, "but
another And there he paused again,
finding speech difficult, and laid his
hand on her shoulder as if to steady
her: and then, in despair at his own
in breaking the news to her,
he turned alb. uptly to Annie. ''Help
her if you can, Annie" he said. 'Tell
her. Jem was on the train, too. 1t is
her Jem who was killed"
The old nurse spoke never word.
Did she understand? She felt trem-
bling; but she did not weep. or moan or
move by hairs breadth; only sat with
her hands dropped helplessly in her lap,
looking unseeingly up at him who had
brought the news. 1t seemed as if the
silence could be felt. Annie had flung
herself on her knees by the old wom-
ans side again, and was covering the
poor old hand with vain kisses and
vainer tears. Her heart was full of an
pity, that took almost the
shape of self-reproach. What words of
comfort could she dare 20 speak to one
who was old. and weak, and poor, and
helpless, and who had lest, not one gift
out of many, but the one only blessing
she had?
For few moments the stricken
sat there speechless, aging visi-
bly, before their eyes in the first awful
shock of the bereavement. She was as
if she had gone deaf and dumb and
blind in an instant, or rather, Is if,
W tn faculties all overstralned AMI
.ense, she had been suddenly plungei
INTO 4 sphere with which theirs had no
But after time she
'oused herself with an effort, drawing
! long breath, and moistening her dry
Ups.
don't fret for me, children. she
aid, brokenly, with wan smile, NOV
ng her hand. tremb!ingly, to Annie's |
lair. ''Some one had to be taken, We |
zee, and some one has to suffer, aud it's
better than another; for I've not SO
ong as some to wait. It's near the |
closing of the day with me; the night |
yill be upon me soon; and l don't need |
he strength to bear it, as them as has |
mt begun the day. Don't ye fret
Annie; don't We fret, dear. The Lord |
las laid His burden upon me: but His |
land will be under when my old feet
ALL
She got up unsteadily, still smiling
hat faint, wan smile, and stood mo,
nent looking uncertainty about her, as