The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1886-03-05


breaking the news to her, he tnrn.
ed abruptly to Annie. "Help her
if yon can, Annie" he said. "Tell
her. Jem was on the train, too. Il
il her Jem who was killed.D
The old nurse spoke never a
word. Did she understand She
felt trembling; but she did not
weep or mourn or move by a hairs
breadth; only sat with her hands
dropped helplessly in her lap, look.
ing unseeingiy up ut him who had
brought The news. 1t seemed as it
the silence could be felt. .Anmie
had flung herself on her knees bY
the old mn's side again, and
was covering the poor old hand
with vain kisses and vaimer tears.
Her heart was full of an intOlerable
pity, that took almost the shape of
selfreproach. What words of com.
tort could she dare to speak to Cne
who was old, and weak, and poor,
and helpless, and who lad lost, not
one gilt out of many, but the one
only blessing she had I
For few moments the stricken.
woman sat there speechless, aging
vlsihly before their eyes in the first
awful shock of the bereavment.
She was as if she had gone deaf
and dumb and blind in an instant,
or rather, as if, with faculties all
Overstrained and tense, she had
been suddenly plunged into
sphere with which theirs had no
communication. But after time
she reused herself with an effort,
drawing long breath, and moist:
ening her dry lips.
"Don't fret for me, Children" sue
said brokenly, with a wan smile.
moving her hand, trembingly, to
Annie's hair. "Some one bad to be
taken, We see, and some one las to-
suffer, and it's better than anOttE.
er; for I've not so long as some to
wait. lis near the closing of the
day with me; the night will be
upon me soon and l don't need tho
strength to bear il, as them as has
but begun the day. Don't We
fret, Annie; don't ye fret, dear.
The Lord has laid His burden upon
met but His hand will be under
when my old feet fail.'
She got up unsteadily, stu smil.
ing that faint, wan smile, and stood
"a moment looking uncertainty
about her, as ii trying to find her
self in this strange world she was
lost in, and, suddenly, the chirp of
the cricket smOte her ear, like s
familiar sound from the friendly
old world OF the past, linking then.
and now together. The conscious.
ness came slowly back into her
eyes as her look wandered out over
the lawn aud the trees beyond, and
then seemed to pass on TO some
point fuIther still, perhaps beyond
earth altogether, beyond death,
beyond space and beyond time.
She seemed quite to have forgot
the presence of the others.
"Ay, ny W she mnrmured, softly,
- Pve not SO long to wait as sore.
The Lord is full OflOve and mercy.
It's better | than another. And
better Jrm than one, may be, less
ready"
And with that she turned and
went into her little, desolate home,
and closed the door aud the two
left outside looked at each other
silently, and then went mutely
away together, saddened through
all the happiness of their reunion.
By what inserutable justice had
bis sorrow passed them by to fall
IN her ! W hat is the mystic sign
hat SO often turns aside the angel
It woe from the abode of the happy
o sheathe his sword afresh in
learts that have already blel Is
{ because they who have suffered
most are stronger to endure again,
icing the quickest to discern the
hidden blessing in the stiug, aud
he surest of making it their own9
Who can tell Life Is full Of
problems more HnanswembIe than
his.-Grace DeRiO Litchfeld, iR
u