Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-04-12

With mother the "Maior," and
Em'ly. The good pastor had agreed,
ana sunrise service" in the church
aero oss the way, our wedding was to be.
AT daylight we were dressed in oul
sunday best. Little Emily stood ir
the parlor, looking fair and sweet in
her pure white gown. Lilies of the
valley fastened her veil, and Easte,
ililes with their long stems, dropped
from her hands. She joined her love,
at the door, and their carriage drove
away to the church.
Somehow the story was out and
friends were already there. The or.
Sanlst was playing. The sweet notes
Droke the stiffness of the beautiful Sab.
bath morning. The church bells fol
early service In many churches had be.
gun to drop their music, here and
there, over the city. Little sparrows
tWlttered in the trees and in the old
Ivy as 1t chung to the walls of the
church- We thought as We walked
along In the morning light, of the
lonely woman, who, long years before
In Jerusalem sought the sepulchre tc
see where they had laid Him.
The sacred emblems of this glorioul
Easter day hung on the walls. The
white lilies stood in large bowl on the
table. and we whispered, "lt is like the
blind poets verses:
On. my garc en- full OF IIIiesi
bNhte 3S Peace and very tall
In your midst my heart so still Is,
IL could hear the least leaf falI'-
The flowers filed the air with frap.
rance, sweet as the alabaster box Of
precious ointment which was poured
on the Savior's feet. The little we'd.
ding party walked down the aisle, while
the organ played, and the birds sang,
and the sun rose up from the eastern
skv.
The Major looked, somehow, a
though the story of years, the secret OF
pain and separation, the terrors OF
battle and death must be told in this
one grand Easter song: ''The Lord il
risen to-day!" and into His hands we
commit our love, our tires! He looked
into the eyes of the minister and re-
sponded to the service like one in q
dream. Little Emily rested the bunch
OF lilies across their cIasped hands, and
her golden hair grew radient as the
sunrise fell across her head; she looked
upward toward the white cross of fiow-
ers and the purple violets before her,
aud smiled like one of the Marys who
had seen her risen Lord.
As they walked up the aisle, we fol-
lowed, with our impromptu choir.
The sun touched all our lilies with
glory, and we went out of Gods house,
"flled with peace"
An hour we spent at breakfast will
attempts at joyfulness. The horses
"a 70 hn
derly, with hat in hand, awaited his
bye, and God go with You, and at the
last our little Emily stood in the door
way, with her good-byes. No tears, no
slgGs-she sent her soldier off to battle
maybe to death, with such a smile as
makes men strOngi which steadies the
arm, and puts courage in the soull The
Major turned his face backward SO long
as he could see the little figure in the
doorway.
A shadow fell over our Easter Sun
day. We attempted to be heroicl We
chose exhilaratIng topics. Alas, they
tell lifeless. The Senator said bravely,
Emily, child, you are a precious
woman" After winch rather foolish
speech he mumbled something, took
his hat and walked up the street. Our
boarding house was quite still that
Sunday.
Aud this was in April. Major Davi
and his command went Southward
fighting all the way. Through all the
summers heat, Emily staid at home
watching reports of the battles. The
Major was wounded, and for three
months lay in hospital in Memphis,
Tenn. HIS wife went to him, and
nursed him back to health.
In Decem ber, just as we gathered in
the old place for another winter, she
returned to us radiant with Joy; the
Major was well, and able to join mis-
regiment. Another year she waited
for him, and the war was over.
He came home Colonel, aud won
der how many of the good people who
are often so beautifully entertained by
the fair-faced little lsdy-tbe Colonel's
wife-ever knew that to her "the great
est thing IN the world was love; how
1T was crowned and glorified by self
sacrifice and pain, one Easter Sunday
long agoi and how the bells rang, and
the sunrise came into their hearts, and
tho house of God blossomed with
Easter lilies, and she sent her husband
into the face of death, with the gladdest
OF all songs on earthl
'Christ, our Lord, is risen to-day"
- Union Signal.