The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-11-28

For thou. alas! must die.
''Sweet rose! in air whose odors wave,
And color charms the eye;
Thy root is even in the ground,
And thou. alas! must die.
''Sweet spring. of days and roses made
Whose charms for beauty vie;
Thy days depart Thy roses fade
Thou too alas! mnst de-
"Only a sweet and holy soul
Hath tints that never fly,
While 1ow'rs decay, and seasons roll.
1t lives. and cannot de-"
AS the soft tones died away, Mr.. Blanch--
ard wiped the binding tears from his face
He had come home determined to end his
own and his children'S lives. but in listen
ing to the song the thought of eternity
arose within him. If his earthly existence
was misery. what would eternity be for his
soul that cannot die.'
He thought of his deceased wife as an,
angel spirit watching over him and his chill.
dren from heaven where 'tears are dried
and grief unknown" He found himself
uplfted on the wings of faith. and with his
spirits eyes saw his wife reckoning him to,
live for a better and nObler life. Falling
on his knees in the dark hallway, he
thanked God from the bottom of his heart
that his eyes were opened and the terrible
brink on which he stood was revealed.
Earnestly he pleaded for strength to resist
temptation and live again; to live for his.
mOtherlesS children and for the glory Of
God.
He arose. strengthened and powerful,
left the bundle on the floor. and entered.
A miserable talIow candle cast dim, lu-
rid light around the room. and revealed
Tame sitting in chair with the baby
asleep in her arms.
| AS she perceived her father, she arose,
and softly placed the sleeping child on the
bed. Then, for the first time. she saw the
tears in his eyes. and putting her thin arms
lovingly around his neck, said compassion
ately:
Poor papa! Poor. dear papar'
MIR. Blanchard pressed her tenderly to-
his breast. and cOnvulSive sObs shook his
frame. His voice was too thick for utter
ance and in silence he prattled and ca
ressed her Silently their tears mingled.
and reverently he breathed a prayer for
forgiveness for his gross neglect of his Its
| tie daughter.
And God. who ever hears and answer,
prayers. heard his supplicatiOn and sent
sweet repOse to him. and he smiled through
his tears with joy and gladness.
After this they retired for the night he a.
UCtlcI dIU dlHt q happier Cnllu LlldIh
she had been since her mothers death.
The sun rose bright and clear the fol-
lowing morning and cast his rays over the
crisp and sparkling snow.
There was knock on the door.
MIR. Blanchard opened the door, and was
handed letter by the pOstman.
He broke the seal and read:
MIR. ARTHUR BLANCHARD:
Please call at No. 2412 Blake St. at your
earliest convenience. as | wish to make ar
engagements with you for all oil painting of
my daughter. Enclosed please find the.
sum of twenty five dollars in advance.
Respectfully
ORvILIE b. LIE Due.
Fervently thanking God for this oppor--
tunity to do something, he put on his coat
and hat and went out to purchase eatables
for the Thanksgiving dinner.
In short time he returned with basket
filled with potatoes. bread, butter. cheese.
eggs and a fat turkey, and several delica-
cieS.
That day. as he sat down to the richly
laden table with his two children lie was
indeed happy man. Little Tame was SO
happy that she cried for joy and said some
of the strangest things imaginable.
The sun had never before shOne so
brightly as it did now; the bare walls looked
more inviting than usual. and the very
Goals glowing on the hearth diffused more
warmth and cheer tlan was their wont. A
sweet feeling of repose and peace pervaded
the atmosphere within and without. and
never did any three people sit down in such
TRUE happiness. nor did ever more heart
felt prayer of Thanksgiving rise from any
heart than that which rose from the heart
of those ii ting at the table on that thrice
blessed Thanksgiving Day. q.
BE Careful Where You Step.
A OOh1omop ,,L