Richland beacon., 1888-10-06
and. Oh. how dark the room was ,h., hIaca

and, Oh. how dark the room was that kIacl
mornng-aud knslt By youY chair" The
'aee OF Mrs. Agnes was now hidden on he,
husbands shouider-'and, Oh, prayed no,
OUT loud, FOR ! could not speak, but in v bis
pers row snd then, and then tears rushing
Just as they'd wanted to rush all those hours.
And. by-and bye-it was the queerest thing
great peace and comfort came over ne. and
great sh ming faith seemed to draw near
and Oil my soul. And 1t Is here ret dear. "
she lifted her face. pale with intense feeling,
her eyes b'i:ht and vida aud fsr-sce.ny, and
laid her hand uppn her breast.
Il feel that you arc going to live fer years
know that you are not going to leave me,
VIII, dear. until | am a white haired old wo
nan slipping about 10 cloth shoes and wear
Ing white lace caps" and Agnes began &c
smile little.
'Biess your dear hearth was oil VIII coud
say. The tears were tumbling down his
checks and sparkling merrily In the freight
"But this isn't all OF the queer thing"
Agnes continued. "Ali that morning-all
that dsv, in fact, had q faint dim, pcrsis-
teat feeling OF being among pine trees You
may smile, and welcome, but rs Q fact-and
impression OF breezy, balsamic fragrance,
AMI of little Eiils.des stepped Ia sunshine
How much better such piac, for Will, came
The thought, than that dusty Old editorial
rooml Aud so, thiuking Of the pines, got
10 thinking OF brother Jinmr. Aud then |
arote 10 him concern ng the heaithfulness OF
pine forests, and said that perhaps we might
pay him visit, and-n0, Sir, not one word
"bout business, or anything Of tho sort and
back came his rep!y-hIs ofYer-and here We
are,'
VIII, with Agnes drawn closely to his side
ooitei long aud thoughtfully into th, fire.
That he was feelin, better and stronger, and
gaining In brcathiD.-pOwer ever day, he was
well aware. The complete change IN his work
and wars OF liying-tbe muscular exercise
The pure aromatic ar-thc carly bours-thc
plentiful sleep-tnc appetiziuy taste Of things
cooked before the primitive ire-.t would be
'Ingu ar indeed II these things did not vie d
him beaeft-for a tim., at leastI But what
had brought him to these thng,i and why
had his wife's little confession thrilled hm 50
Strangely lie hal always been a square
thinking, sQuare-acting sort Of fellow. aui his
mind toward spiritual aud undemonstrated
things had never been exercised vcrJ much
II tinctsred, however. with III: ias hson able
skcptcisn OF the age, no one knew IT. lie
was too kind hearted. too large minded To
scott at an, belief that could make even one
soul the happier and the better; aud 10. him
self he kept silence.
As he looked into the fire, a 20, Ion OF q
stick fell down aud lay Smouldering ut some
distance from its blazing comrades III Il
goes out, pn follow Tom and Eb,', was his
thought, IF it lights up again. I'll live, and |
Agnes is right"
The little embcr smoujered on, frightened |
Tor moment and then seemed to die out |
L ierlv. A shade crept over Wills face We |
tli have s2ect Of superstition hidden away /
; 'Ine = here In the strata OF hard common |
sense. Then he smiled slightly, think M to
''mseif-'It would bc pretty small sort Of !
Providence who wou i 90 about doing little
tricks OF that kind" Then under pressure OF
,ome unaccountable wave OF feeling he bowed
his lead and said aloud-'Lori. l believe
help Thou rny unbeliefr'
A bre' z; came rushing through the pines:
he chimney drew a long Eieath; the fallen
'mber qnivercd and snapped and sparklcd,
ini In moment was envclopcd In fame. II
'hone dszzlnsly into Wits eyes as he lifted
ais head.-Emdy H. Leland in .NGramkee,
ii