Omaha daily bee., 1890-04-06

to understand him. When Agatha
came up to the room an hour on two later
the tears were still wet on his checks.
Early the next morning Agatha was
awakened by the sudden sound Of the
closing Of a door. For few moments
she gazed idly about the room at the
furniture in the half-light which fell
through the window. wondering sleepily
what was the cause OF the noise. Like a
thrust from a knife blade, there returned
upon her the heartsick recollection Of
those dawns through whose gray shad-
ows she had watched in hopeless agony
only a short time ago.
With stincd moan. she put out her
hand toward Hurry's cot. but the little,
warm head of thick. light hair that she
expected to feel was gone. Startled. she
raised herself in bed: the bells in the
steeple We're ringing clock, and Harry
was not there
His clothes hung ON their chair, but
pair of thick woOllen shoes and n
heavy, white shawl were missing. The
! lilies, too. were not in their vase.
Agatha dimly remembered her per-
mission so hcedlessly given. Hurrying
to the window, she could make out, in
the distance, small white form thread
ing its way among the graves in the
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with frantic haste. and ran aftOr her
brother across the wet grass.
The eastern sky was already begin
ming to glow when she reached the foot
of the low hill where her father was
| buried. a little kneeling figure stood
out against the reddening background.
The shawl had dropped from the boys
shoulders, and the long branch OF lilies
lowered above the reverently bent head.
He was praying while he watched.
Agatha ascended TO his side. Some
thing in the time and place. and in the
rapt inspiration of the uplifted eyes,
silenced all frightened remonstrances.
Folding him in the warm shawl, she
llnelt at his side.
Tranquil and hushed the broad valley
lay before her in the shadows of the blue
hills; n few light clouds hung above
them. and the morning sky was shot
with gold and crimson.
The spirit of the day fell upon Agatha,
and the child's faith, beautiful and
strange. flooded her heart with unwonted
light. AS she knelt there, waiting for
her beloved to pass in triumph, a lofty
pride possessed her soul; she felt her
kinship with one of that radiant host
whose souls seemed to be floating up
ward with the resplendent eastern
clouds.
Slowly the red disk of the sun began
to appear, and, moved by common inn
pulse, Agatha and Harry rose to their
feet.
He shall have greeting worthy of
him!'' thought Agatha.
Quick, before he is gone" whispered
Harry, laying the flowers gently along
the grave, and beginning to sing:
.Christ the Lord is risen today,
Sons of men and agels say"
But suddenly all the air>was filled with
melody. and the sweet child's treble was
drowned in Agatha 5 wonderful voice:
Raise your joys and triumphs high
Sing. We Heavens, and Earth reply
Out over the still fields rang the glo-
rious old hymn, and all the crimson
clouds melted away as the great golden
sun swung majcStically from the hill
tops into the clear sky.
Lo! our Suns eclipse is DER;
Lo! He sets in blood no more!
A gust of wind came up from the val
ley and rustlcd among the dry leaves
overhead. To Harry it was the rush of
those mighty wings so fearfully longed
for. Startled, he seized his sisters
hand and the song died away upon his
trembling lips; but Agatha's voice
scared on mistaken:
Death in vain forbids His rise;
Christ has opened Paradisel
When the last verse was sung the day
shone everywhere around them and the
birds were softly twittering in the
bushes. A shaft of sunlight Illuminated
the white flowers on the grave at their
feet, and to Agatha the world was once
more beautiful.
They stood for moment in silence
and then she drew the little boy gently
toward home.
The Lord is risen, he said solemnly.
And from the bottom of Agath as full
heart the answer camc
''Hc is risen, indeed"
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