South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-05-17

soo OUT on the tittio piazza IN front
or the house. The lily she had put
ont OF her life, just as she had put so
many hopes and joys. The sunlight
on her face hid . full view OF the gar.
den. With is tangled honeysuckle
aud roses. its stately lilacs and nod !.
ding columbine. With her hand over
her eyes. she went down the path,
psusing suddenly, and bringing the
other haad to her side as If seized
With sharp twinge Of pleurisy.
There. swaying lightly in the bree re,
coque,ting with brilliant humminp.
bird that Auttered about it's .potles IS
petals, wss perfect lily, the lily sbe
had given up rs bligh'e cd and tramp
led on the gravel walk.
Who had said Miss Martha was
ugly; who had said she seemed like
an ngre in den who was il hadsai,i
she had no heart, and i. was her lack
OF 1t that drove her only relative from
home? Let him look at her as she
gszcd on the lily.
A pink tint, growing deeper and
deeper, crep. into her faded cheeks !;
q light OF pleasure frightened her
dalling eyes; tremble of tenderness,
broadening into a smile, drove the
harsh lines from her lips. Miss Mar.
tha was transformed. Alb, It was not
needed that she leave the earth and
go up into the Mount OF Trarsfigu.
ration. God had revealed himself to
her in the flower. that had given a
theme TO his only Son when he dwelt
with the sons of men.
Tie breath Of the lily swept over
her like benedictiop, recalling the
days Of her childhood. when she
wandered in the dear 4Qme garden
amid the nOdding lily bells; when,
beside The knee Of her gray haired
father. she turned the leaves of the
great Bible and questioned about
tue cluster of blossoms eucirc!iny the
face OF the Virgin, and heard the
wonderful story OF the Anrunciation.
For years she had not prayed, or
male any confession OF faith, but FOL.
ding her hands. as she had done when
a child, she repeated With tremb Jag
lips.
i believe in God the Father Al
mighty, maker Of heaven and earth,
and 10 his only son, our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow.
They toll mol neither do they spin,
and yet say unto you that even Sol
omou in all his glory was not array ed
like one OF these
How could che ever have lost sight
of those, lis words-the Masrer'sp
A sen e of His great love grew upon
her as she went on down the path, q
strange elasticity in her step.
IL Is the most beautiful one ever
ssw.' she murmurei, passing her hand
caressingly beneath tue swsyipg bell
aud burying her nose in its depth,
regardless CT tie pollen. Can il be
possible that the loss Of the others
accomplished it's perlection2 have
beard that it does. Dear me, what
foolish woman ami Why, Col has
been peifectins me by taking the
Others out OF my life, and have given
no account to 1t. o, Jim, my broth
err
She stood long time gazing upon
the flower, unconscious of the fac.
that sue bad eaten no breakfas'. She
laughed softly, Stopping sud .enly at
the sound of her own content.
Il haven't laugbei for so long she
said. Il have been so foolish
Tho child that had passed on the
day before looked lOpgingly in a: The
wealth Of bloss ms, and shrank away
wait q minute, dear, said Hiss
Martha. The little one hesitated.
Just come in and get some fcwers.,
Sue had approached the gate and
was leaning over. The CHI Id glanc.
ed into he's face and without a word
reached out It's hand to her'sl Why,
she had not for years felt the touch
OF little 6ngers. but she clasped them
with the tenderness of mother and
drawing the golden head close, filed
the wee apron to OVERLOOKING with the
blooms. Then she paused before the
lily, and o wonderful transformation
OF character she plpcked It from lite
stem and placed it in the hand Of the
child, who c!ulched it, all unconeiou +,
OF the fact that in lis golden heart
nestled the FIRST tear Miss Martha
bad Sued Tor years. Her eyes must
have been SUFFERING from drought.
for they grew steadily brighter after
that shower. Lac that night the
light Deamvd from the sitting room
windows, aud Miss Martha sat writ.
ing, With a strange smile on her lips
and 3 new brightness in her eyes.
On the very next Sabbath she at.
tended church, aud she gradually
grew to spending social evenings
with her neigbbors. wbIle they bee 1me
conscious that sue was winning their
love, and, hardly conscious of the
change in her, blamed themselves for
having so long kept aloof from the
lonely woman.
Two years passed. AID the garden
was a wilderness Of bloom, lilies and
roses rivaling in beauty and perfume.
Miss Martha sat on the piazza knit,
ting and singing on old song she had
found beneath the rubbish Uf those
dead years. The gate latch clicked,
but sbe kept on with her song, think
ing some Of the children were com.
ing. Those little hogers had long
since learned the secret Of tho la'cb,
and II was no longer allowed to rust.
Up the pstb overarched by the asrir.