Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-06
rHE HoUsE AT MrDNIGHT.
A Lady sermon FIRST preached n Good
While Ago.

t WHITE 49,
Robert u BHrdete.
How quiet the house is at midnight,
The people who talk and laugh and sing
in it every day are asleep, and the people
who fell asleep in it long ago come back
into it. Every house has these two classes
of tenants. Do we love best those with
whom we can laugh and talk and sing, OF
the dear silent ones who come so nolselessly
TO our side and whisper to rs IN FAINT,
sweet, faraway whispers that have no
sound. so that we hear only their very STILL
ness.
am not tired, but my pen is weary.
1t falls from m fingers and raise my
head. l start to leave the table and my
ewes fall D o a little book lying on the
floor. 1t is a little First Reader" lie
left il there this afternoon. / remember
inst how I was impatient because he could
not read the simple little lesson-sueh an
EASY lesson-and | told him 1t was a waste
of NV time to teach him, and pushed him
away from me. l remember now. see
the flush come into the little tired face,
the brave. cheerful look in his eyes-hls
mothers brave, patient cheeriness, strug-
Cling with his disappointment and PAIN.
/ see him lie down ON the floor, and the
little face bend over the troblesom little
lesson, such a simple, easy lesson, any paoy
might read it. Then, after a little struS-
ole alone, it has to be given up, and the
bafled little soldier, with one more appeal
ing look toward me for re-enfOrcements,
signs and goes away from the lesson ne
cannot read to the play that comforts MN
And there lies the little book, just rs he
left il. All, me, l could kneel down and
kiss it now Us though it were alive anu
loving.
Why, what was my time worth to me
to-dayP What was there in the booE
wanted to read one-half so precious to ME
as one cooling word from the prattling lips
that ouivered when | turned away. l hate
the book | read. | will never look at II
arain. Were il the last book in the world
| think | would burn it. All its gracious
words are lies. l say to you, though all
men prize the book, and though an hour
AGO I thought it excellent, l say TO you
that there is poison in its hateful pages,
Why. what can | learn from books that
baby lips cannot teach me? Do you know
| want to 90 to the door of his room and
listen: the house is so still; maybe he Is
not breathing. Why, if between my book
and nv boy | choose my book, why should
not God leave me with my books! My
hateful books. ,
But | was not harsh. Twas only a little
inpatient. because, you see, his lesson
was so easy, SO simple. All, me, there
were two of us trying to read this aite''
noon. They were two easy, simple lessons.
Mine was such a very simple, easy pleasant,
loving one to learn. Just a line, Just III
tie throb of patience, of ~gentleness, OF love
that would nave made my own heart glow
and laugh and sing. The letters were 50
large and plain, the words so easy IL the
sentences so short. And |! Oh, pity me,
| missed every word. l did not read one
line Alright. See, here is my copy now, all
blurred and blistered with tears and heart
ache, all marred and misSpelled and blotted,
I am ashamed to show it to the master.
And vet | know he will be patient with
me: / know how loving and gentle he VII
he. WHY, how patiently and loving all
these wears ne Has DSCh NN'NAhhC -
simple lesson | failed upon to-day. But
when my little pupil stumbled on 4 single
words my time, then so much more
precious than the Masters that | cannot
teach the little lesson more than once?
All, friend, we do waste time when We
plait scourges for yourselves. These hurry
Ing DAYS. these busy, anxious, shrewd, am
bilious times of ours are WASTED when they
take our hearts away from patient gentle
ness, and give us fame for love and gold
Tor kisses. Some day, then, when u nun
gry souls will seek for bread, our sellSt
god will give us a stone. Life is not {
deed, profound, p%erplexing problem. 1t II
a simple, easy lesson, such as any chile
NAV read. You cannot find its solution
i'm the ponderouS tones of the fathers, th'
philosophers, the Investigators, the thee
rists. 1t is not ON your b~Ookshelves. Blu,
in the warmest corner Ofthe most unletteC
heart it CLOVIS in letters that the blind may
read; a sweet, plain, simple, easy, loyin:
lesson. And when you have learned II
brother ofmine, the world will be bette
and happier.