Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-08-17

and memory as the old ivy ard the yell
low sunfiower that stood sentinel along
the garden walk, and the forget-nc-
nots playing hide and seek mid the
long grass. The father who used to
come I'm sunburnt from the fields, and
sit down on the door-sill and wipe the
sweat from his brow, may have gone
to his everlasting rest. The another,
who used to sit OF the door a little bent
over, cap and spectacles on, her face
mellowing with the yicissitudes of many
years, may have put down her gray
head on the pillow in the valley, but
forgot that home you never will.
Have you thanked God for IT. Have
YOU rehearsed all these blessed rcnlinis-
cencesr Oh, thank God for Il Christian
father; thank God for a Christian moth
er; thank God for an early Christian
altar at which you were tallght to
kncCl; thank God for an early Christian
home.
| bring to mind another passage in
the history Of your life. The day came
when you set up your 0wn household.
The days passed along in quiet blessed-
ness. You twain sat at the table morn
inS aud night and talked over your plans
for the future. The most Insignificant
affair in your life became the subject
| of mutual consultation and adyiSement.
| You were so happy you felt you never
could be any happier. One day a dark
| cloud lowered over your dwelling, and
il got darker and darker; but II OF
that cloud the shining messenger or
1 1ENI Iu1x,,I,.t 10 tY,T t.rn 10 an lnlnDr-
tai spirit. Two little feet started on
an eternal journey, and you were 10
lead them; Il gem to flash in heavens
coronet, and you TO polish it; eternal
ages Of light and darkness watching the
starting out of a newly created being.
You rcioiced and you trembled Mt the
responsibility that in your possession an
immortal treasure was placed. Ion
prayed and rejoiced, ald wept aud
wondered, and prayed and reJo'ceh
and wept and wondered; you were earn
est in supplication that you might lead
IL through life into the kingdam of
tod. There was a tremor in your earu-
estness. There was a double interest
about that home. There was an add
tional interest why you should stay
| there and be faithful, and when in n
few months your house was tlled with
| the rausic Of the child's laughter you
were struck through with the fact that
you had a stupcndous mission.
Have you kept that vow? Have you
neglected any Of these duties? Is your
home as much to you as it used To be:
Have those anticipations been 2ratttted.
God help you to-day in your sole nm
Renaissance, and let his mercy fall
upon your soul if your kindness has
been i'll requited. God have mercy on
the parent, on the wrinkles of whose
face is written the story of a childs
sin. God have mercy on the mother
who, in addition to her other pangs,
has the pang of Il child's iniquity. Oh,
there are many, many sad sounds III
the sad world, but the 'saddest sound
that is ever heard is the breaking Of a
mothers heart. Are there any here who
remember that IN that home they were
unfaithful? re.there those who wan
f, dered off from that early home, and left
the mother to die with a broken heart.
oh, | stir that "reminiscences to-day.
But some of you have not always had
a smooth life. Some Of you are now in
the shadow. Others had their troubles
/ YEARS dEO, lOu dit d bitlt WYNN VI
what you once were. / must gather up
the sorrows of your past life, but how
| shall l do it? You say that is impossi-
bic. as you have had so many troubles
and universities. Then I will take just
two, the first trouble and the last trou-
Bile. AS when you are walking along
the street and there has been music in
the distance, you unconsciously find
yourselves keeping step to the music, so
when you started life your very life
was a musical time-beat. The air was
full of joy and hilarity; with the bright,
clear oar you made the boat skip; you
went on until all life grew brightr, un-
til, after awhile, suddenly a voice from
havn said Halt and you halted:
You grew pale, you confronted your
first sorrow. You had no idea That the
flush on your child's cheek was n I'M
healthy flush. You said IL cannot be
anything serious. Death in slippered
feet walked around about the cradle.
You did not hear the tread: but after
awhile the truth flashed upon you.
You walked the floor. Oh, If you
could, with your strong, stout hand,
have wrenched the child from the do
stroyer! You went to your room, ana
you said, God, saw my child! God,
save my child" The world seemed go.
ing out In darkness. You said: II can
not bear Ii. / cannot bear it."You felt
as If you could not put the lashes over
the bright eyes, never to see them
again sparkle. Oh, If you could have
taken that little one in your arms, and
with 1t leaped into the grave, how
gladly you would have done it. Oh, il
you could have let your property 81,
your land and FOUR storehouse go, how
gladly you would have allowed them Il
depart IL you could only lave kept that
onc treasure!
But n day there arose from the
heavens a chill blast that swept over
the bed room, and instantly all the
light went out, and there was darkness
thick, murky, impenetrabic, shudder.
ing darkness. But God did not leave
you there. Mercy spoke. AS you were
about to put up that cup to your lips,
God said, let it pass" and forthwith,
as by the hands Of angels, another cup