River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-04-11

ans good for nothing unless some
things pulling at her heart strings
Miss Isabel wants a husband, or some
child, or some fellow feeling for some
body. If it's sickly. all the better. A
sick cats better than nothing for a
lone woman"
And David. well assured of his wife's
wisdom. nodded a sleepy assent.
The Easter morning came fall of a
glorious sunshine. Miss Isabel sat
down by her window, Bible in hand, to
read her morning lesson, of that other
morning in a far Judean land, when
the stone was rolled away from the
door and the angel came to the waiting
women with his wonderful promise.
But he comes not to me" whispered
the heart of the lonely woman, ''for
my dead hopes there is no resurrec-
ton"
When the church bell rang out IFS
sounding summons she obeyed its call
and sought the familiar pew.
Holy, holy, holy" sang the choir
with an earnestness that bore many of
the worshipers into sacred presence
'Tis the day Of resurrection" fol-
lowed the clear voice of the solOist. and
the tall lilies bent their heads, and the
green palms swayed gently in the soft
brcezes that fioated in. But TO all
notes of joy or promise Miss Isabel's
aching heart had but one answer:
There j NO Easter awakening in my
life. All it, joy lies in the past and
there j. neither hope nor need of me
more"
She gave but little heed to the sermon
Of her old pastor; there was too much
ring Of gladness TO suit her mood. The
hymn that followed was unnoticed at
first. but the last verse, in the clear
bird-notes OF the soprano. every word
distinct. arrested her attentions:
.To-dav the angels standing still
Beside the open graves.
The darksome gloom with their light they
TIA
A. thev speak o. the Lord who saves
christ conquered death in that bitter strife,
He wiz bring US Into eternal life"
Something dimmed the sad eyes sud-
denly Had lie then 50 loved her? and
what had She done FIR Him?
dear Lord. spoke the pastors voice.
full Of tender longing, If there is any
soul here unwilling that Thou shouldst
roll away the stone from the door.
wilt Thou have pity and show that
soul Thy>elf? II there is any heart
here that has buried all its good or all
it, worth Ia humanity under any stone
% self. wilt Thou in tender mercy roll
the stone away. and bid the dead come
forth Ia living work, and to God?"
And that word was for Isabel Mer-
riu Alone in hrs own room. she gave
the afternoon 20 a look at her stone.
From her sealed heart She drew out its
sclf-pitv. its neglect of others, and held
t'.em up in the light. She saw how
many taller 5 had been committed TO
ier. and tl.at She had buried them I'M
der her sci ishness. Deep humility took
possession If her that grew at last into
a longing desire that this Easter oay
might become her awakening.
That evening the glad praise service
seemed all for her After il she walked
huueward with the caller of the day
before.
.nid you say those Wright children
were going H. the Poorhouse?" she
asked ~ parting
Il suppose -. Yes, unless some one
offers To take them.
Miss Merrill found Martha in the
conservatory Strengthening up plant
the eat had thrown over.
'Nartl a. am thirty-fve years old,
am not?'