Smyrna times., 1885-10-14
" When Jordan rolls,
When Jordan rolls,
o blessed am de day,
When Jordan rolls"

When Jordan rolls"
How could she sing, and how could
her face wear the sunny look amid all
the trials and sorrow Of her life? Had
her troubles been my own my heart
would have been broken, my lips been
dumb.
"How can you sing..so, Maria, when
your lot in life is so hard?" l asked one
day.
claw, Missy" she replied, " hits de
singin' dat helps along. Wen l done
sing bout my Lo'd's glories it RELY
peers to bring me right down to whar
old Jordan do reely roll. An den,
Missy, you knows de Bible say mos
pertickler in one place, Let not yo'
heart be troubled no. let hit be atfeerd.'
To be shuah body cayn't keep dar
sinful hearts from bein' troubled but
mine amt nebbah yet been de least bit
afeerd bout de final outcome OBJ it
all. It'll be all right wen Jordan
rolls, missy, wen Jordan rolls"
Her faith and trust put to shame the
doubts and fears that too often assailed
my own heart in the midst of my life
ofease and pleasure.
But one Monday morning Maria
failed to appear, and we missed her
sorely. 1t was not that the great pile
of unwashed garments needed washing.
We could do without them for another
week if necessary. But it was a kind
of "blue Monday" and we wanted
some one to dispel the gloom. No one
but Maria could dispel it. 1t seemed
to me that my own headache and a
tendency to be irritable would vanish
if Maria would come and sing
when Jordan rolls"
AT 10 o'clock put on my hat and
gloves.
"Some of those numerous children
are i'll, likely" 1 said. "Tll just 60
up and see if 1 can do anything for
them, and let Maria know that il
makes no difference about the wash
ing"
found things in a pitiful condition
at Maria's poor, tumble-dOwn old log
house. Diphtheria had broken out IN
the neighbOrhood and the crippled
child and the poor blind one alsc
were dead and were buried. Maris
herself was lying on an old bed dan
gerously i'll. She had worked beyond
her strength all Summer, and typhoid
fever had appeared.
Several sympathizing colOred wo
men were in the wretched little room
doing what they could for her. Her
surroundings were miserable, pitiful
Her husband sat in n corner with {
frightened look on his face. He wa!
sober for once, and seemingly sorrow
full.
"I am so sorry for you, Maria,"
said. "Why did you not let me know
of your trouble? I would have come
sooner had 1 known about it."
The old bright smile came into he
face, the bright look to her eyes.
Il hated to trouble folks" she said
"beside, missy, Use had de great hell
all de time. Hain't nebbah been wild
out dat a minnit. Couldn't get lOni
nOhow widout hit"
The great help and comfort of tn
One who is "pitiful and of tende
mercy " had been with her, was within
her then. A new and strange lOol
came into her face. My own veal
! heart sank with fear; hers seemed
lifted up with courage and faith. Sh,
: feebly motioned her frightened hus
band toward her. The ragged ant
sobbing children gathered around tn
bed. There were tears in her eyes, bu
, the old bright smile was ON her facC
o With painful effort and faltering vOic
she took up the old refrain
: 20, I'll be happy there,
y When Jordan rolls;
Ny Lords glories TO to share,
When Jordan rolls"
5 The words died away in whisper
n the Lords glories were very nea
: Her tear-dimmed eyes looked Ou
n hopefully over the jasper sea-JOrda
II had rolled.-FTee Press.
y -=-lss--
4 Never Give Up.