, 1886-06-05
THE HEAVENLY WINDOW.
The Aged Wanderer and Her who had
Gone Before.


ing an old man with snow white hair, bent
frame and tottering steps, was wandering
about the streets of Cheyenne. His sin
gular actions attracted the attention of n
curious observer, and the venerable figure
was followed and closely watched. Pas.
sing slowly about the sidewalks, the aged
man would stop suddenly and c~lasping his
trembling hands, look upward with an ca
ger, imploring expression in his faded eyes.
Leaving the sidewalk he would then pass
to the middle of the street ard once more
turn his regards Heavenward.
With a a mingled sentiment of awe and
and pity in his heart, the %curious observer
left his position of espisal, and approached
with reverence one, who in the sere and
yellow leaf, so evidently bore the burden
ofa great sorrow. AS he heard the al-
preaching footsteps, the old man tur ned
quickly about, and ia the thin,
piping voice OF many years. said,
Have you seen my Lucy then appar-
emily forgetting the question, he
had just asked, returned to his rapt con
temptation of the blue vault of n beautiful
heaven.
Quietly approaching, the curious OBJ
server took the feeble arm Of the old man
and walked with him up and down the
silent streets.
The feeble gaze was ever directed above,
and from the sunken lips came at inter-
walls, in accents of simple faith, MY Lucy
is in heaven, and | am going to her. y
Soon the curious observer had familiar
lied the aged pilgrim with the strange
presence, and was listening to his confid-
ing prattle of second childhood, from
which was embodied the following tale.
Twenty-Five years ago there lived in the
b.oad Mohawk valley Charles Garrison
and Esther, his wife. There had been
born to the couple one daughter, now in
the opening blush of a lovely maiden
hood, and about whom the proud and
happy parents had east the c%linging ten
drills of an idolatrous affection. Lucy
Garrison was known far and wide as the
Flower of the Valley" and the glance
of admiration was the only look that met
hers. But Lucy, as modest and retiring
as the far blossoms she typifed, still
lived only in maiden meditation. But
there came a sutton at last, to whose
loving look Lucy's heart spoke a full
response; a sutton bold and true; one who
had struck gallant blows for his %country's
flag and won a commission upon the
stricken field.
They were married, and Lucy entered
a new home, g%loriied by the light of her
husbands love. In one year that home
was a thing of the past. In giving a
second Lucy to her husband the life of
the fair young wife passed away. The
husband, MORALLY stricken, soon followed
her he loved into the country no man
knoweth of, crmmending their baby to
her grandparents. The little girl grew in
beauty and grace. She was the lost Lucy
returned again, and was the one object
and thought of the old people. At Ii
she, too, was known as the Flower
lovely and tender as her mother who had
gone before.
But a scourge of sickness passed
through the valley of the Mohawk. The
aged grandmother laid down her life staff
and with her hand in that of her grand
daughter, went too into the unknown
Then the old man was stricken; Lucy
knew no rest. Exhausted by night vigils
and anxiety, she, too, yielded to the dis
ease, and when the old man arose from
his bed his Lucy had lain for three weeks
by his wife in the old village c%hurchyard.
The shock produced upon his mind a sin
gular and affecting result. Sane on all
other subjects, be imagined that Lucy was
calling him from heaven. He could not
see her, but he could hear her calling, and
he was persuaded that if ne Travelled far
enough he would eventually see a heaven
ly window open in which his Lucy would
appear.
In pursuance of this tender hallucina
ton, he had come from New York to
Wyoming, and when the attention of the
curious observer was attracted toward him
was looking for the heavenly window in
the blue, star jeweled arch bending
above Cheyenne. The deep and compass
sionate train of thought excited in the
mind of the curious observer b. the MARIA
ton of his venerable companion was in
terrupted by the hurried approach Of a
gentleman TO whom the wanderer
seemed well known. With an exclama
ton of thankfulness the new conner ten
derby linked the arm of the old man in
his own, and turning toward the curious
observer, addressed to him a few words
of courteous inquiry. The curious OBJ
server replied by a recital of what had
TRANSFERRED, and was warmly thanked by
his listener. "The old man is my uncle, ~
said he, and what he has told you is
true. | accompany him on his travels
in search of the heavenly window. We
wander on foot, and to-nigh; he retired
early, being much fatigued. Awakening
a short time ago, | missed him, and much
alarmed began to search for him Thanks
to your kindness he has not been per
mitted to wander far. In the morning We
will resume our journey to the west, and
will continue the search for the heavenly
window until the pure spirit of the old
man goes in quest of it unclopged by