Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-07-16

''Only not this onep' sobbcd Annie,
her face hidden in the old woman's
dress. "Only not thisl ] could bear
anything else; but only not thisr'
30, 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. II one poor soul
lies dead yonder, then there's sorrow
come into the world somewhere by roa.
son Of IL It's so that some one must
bear the grief ye say yc can not, nor
WIN not, bear. Is others stronger than
We, then, that ye should he spared. and
your pain put on thcmP What right
have We, Annie, 30 claim TO be spared.
and take no part in the world $ trouble?
Tho very trees has storms sent them,
and stands mp 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 tho
gracious Lord tighten il to the heart He
likes II upon"
The old woman bowed her head rev.
erently as she spoke, and Annie looked
up at her. half awed, though with
checks still wet with rebellious tears
Aud 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 il save
oneP IL 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, aud, holding her
hands in one of his, went nearer the old
nurse. and stood looking down at her
without speaking.
"Oh. Mr.. Frcdln ,he old woman
criod, catching his hana, while look
OF such unselhsh delight irradiatcd her
wrinkled face as absolutely transiigured
il. 1.-The Lord be thanked that il Is not
We who have been takcnw
mo, not 1, " Fred said slowly, whilo
she. in the relief that seemed to set all
her senses FREQ again, heard the cricket
chirp, and saw how the golden needle
Of light had slipped away from her lap,
across her foot "Not l." he said, "but
auother.n And there he paused again.
finding speech difficult, and laid his
hand on her shoulder as II TO steady
her; and then, in despair at his own
cowardice in breaking the news to her,
he turned abruptly to Annie. "Hclp
her if you can. Annie, he said Tell
her. JUm was on the train, too. 1t is
her Jem who was killed
The old nurse spoke never a 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 helplcssly in her lap.
looking unseeingly up at him who had
brought tile news. II seemed as il the
silence could be felt. Annie had flung
herself on her knees BY the old WON.
ans side again. and was covering the
poor old hand with vain kisses and
vainer tears. Her heart was full Of an
into,erablc pity. that took almost the
shape of self-reproach. What words Of
comfort could she dare to speak to one
who was old. Gnd weak. and poor, and
helpless, and who had lost, not one gift
out Of many, but the one only blessing
she had?
For few moments the stricken
woman 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, as IT,
with faculties all avcr-trNned and
tense, she had been suddenly plunged
into sphere with which theirs had no
"a a Il
reused herself " tn an effort, drawing
n long b.cath, and mOistening her dry
lips
Don't fret for me, children" she
said. brokenly, with wan smile, NOV
ing her hand, tremblingly, 10 Annic's
HAIR "Some one had to be taken, We
see, and some one has to suif.r, and it's
better l than another; for I've not so
long as some to wait It's near the
closing Of the day with me- the night
will be upon me soon; and ! don't need
the strength to bear il, as them as has
but begun the day Don't yc fret,
Anne; don't We fret, dear. The Lord
has laid His burden upon me; but His
hand will be under when my old feet
fail"
She got up unsteadily, still smiling
that faint, wan smile, and stood mo
ment looSing unc .rtainly about her. as
il tying to find herself in this strange
world she was lost in, and, suddenly,
the chirp Of the cricket smote her ear,
like familiar sound from the Fl .ndly
old world OF the pa t, linking the then
aud the now together. The conscious
ness came slowly back into her eyes as
her look wandered out over the lawn
and the trees beyond. and then seemed
to pass on to some point furtheP still.
perhaps beyond earth altogether. be-
yond death, beyond space aud beyond
time. She seemed quite to have forgot.
ten the presence Of the others.
''Ay ay!' she mumured, softly. "rYe
not so long to wait rs some. The Lord
Is full of love and mercy It's better ]
than another And better Jem than
one. may be. less ready
And with that she turned and went
into her little, desolate home, and closed
the doo,; aud the two lett outside
looked at each other silently, and then
went mutely away together, saidened |
through all the happiness Of their re-
union. By what inscrutable justice had |
this sorrow passed them by to fall on
her? What is the mystic sign that 50
often turns aside the angel OF woe from |
the abode Of the happy, TO shesthe his /
sword afresh in hearts that have already /
bled? Is il because they who have SUIT |
fered most are stronger to endure again, |
being the quickest to discern the hidden /
blessing in the sting, and the surest Of |
making it their own?
Who can tell? Lie Is full Of prob /
lens more unanswerable than this F.
Grace DeDio Litel.fed d, IN NJ T. hide
pendent
Watering Horses.
Horses working in the field require
Mntering morn than thrnn fimna a har