The Ottawa free trader., 1886-02-20

baby's beneath the white lawn handkerchief
that softened the black gown. Dainty, soft,
clinging, lovely, even TO the time OF her
death, she was indulged by the young
even to extreme age. In cholera
epidemic she went where others
feared to go, encouraging by her quiet faith
or speeding by fervent prayer. She il
spoken Of in our town to-day as tho Angel Of
the Scourge. When she became enfeebled
by age, her children gone, her husband
in his grave, there were always young arms
TO support and young steps shortened TO
suit hers. When she entered room
il was as if youth bowed before her, 20 gentle
and 10 tender was every voice and every
word
At last abe fen asleep I'm stranger' Arms,
but tears, 50 sorrowful ~ thuse OF kindred,
bathed her dead face. Even yet the great
beds Of lily Of tho valley, and the pink hya-
cinth plsts, are kept intact by the people who
brought her home; the sweet shrubs tower
into trees, and the long line OF Glove pinks
bloom along the wall. They were dear MIA
W,lliamsons, and even those who never knew
her, know of her, and feel that strange inter-
est in her which, in life, she 50 universally i'll
spired. To all thoss young people, those chill
dren OF tho tOwn-old men and women them
selves now-Mrs Williamson has been an
ideal woman, sort Of beautiful saint, with
out blemiah. And the one thing
which they all can say OF her, s,
that she bore her own griefs uncomplainingly.
She thought of others misfortunes, when her
own pressed heaviest. She gave her life
freely 70 others and asked no return. What
wonder that in her widowed age God returned
70 her her sweet ministries, i'll the care and
afYeo ton of the whole community
When Aunt NIFTY Inskip died-her splen-
did dark eyes had been sightless for years,
and her busy hands been tied-what harder
10 bear than this To so active beingi She
had her senses though all the time, and friends
came TO cheer her solitude and to get advice,
and to while away the darkness. Two Of her
nieces were always with her as watchful and
tender Of her as If she were sick child.
When one set of nieces departed another pair
came They never spoke of 1t as duty, hut
as pleasure, some thing they looked forward
to with impatience-coming to Aunt NIFTY.
How strange it seemed to See strong, prosaic
Aunt NIFTY, who once could have routed the
town, caressed and petted and humored by
these beautiful women! They reJoiced that
ntf fiiIE was dS DIdth bS eNtI-~iiOt q Nhilc Hhc
in it--and she threescore; that her eyes,
sightless, were as large and brilliant as of old,
"She doesn't change one bit,' they said,
smoothing theold- fashioned scolloTs OF hair on
her temples, even when death waited at the
door, when she called to them startled, ard
said she felt strangely. They answered cheer
ily not to fear, for they were there They
held her old hands until she passed the river;
held her hands long after the pulses had ceased
in the cold wrists.
How strangely the years treat US mortals!
Mrs. Williamson had money, husband, chill
dren, servants, home, hut died without one
of them; yet, was not alole Aunt NIFTY
Inksip, without a right or tie on earth, that
might be counted such, was watched in her
feeblenesS, with devotion unequaIed with
what measure ye meet, it shall be measured
unto yOu.'
Their lives, so different, yet 50 alike; their
helpfulness and cbeertuineSs-the remem-
brance comes % me now, Us it never could
have come when was younger; it comes'like
promise, and benediction; II comfort, an as
guranCe to those from whom all has been
taken, and who stand poor, feeble, on the
verge of old age, in lonely world.-"E h.
in Cincinnati Commercial GRzetta.