The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-10
IN PARADISE.

A mother came to the gateway OF heav-
en-. She was aged and weary. Her body.
was bowed and her face wrinkled and
withered, for her burden had been the bur-
den of care and trouble and sorrow. So
she was glad to be done with life and to
seek at the gateway of heaven the fulfill
nent of the promise that had been her SOL
ace through all the hard, bitter years.
An angel met the mother at the gateway
and put her arms about the dropping fig
ure and spoke gracious, tender words
'Whom seekest thou?'' asked the angel.
81 seek my dear ones, who came hither
before me, - answered the mother. "They
are very many-ny father, my mother,
my husband, my children-they are all
here together, and for many and weary
years have lived in my loneliness, with
no other things to cheer nae but the thought
that should follow them in good time
Eyes; they are here, and they. await
thee, said the angel. "Lean upon me,
dear mother, and will lead thee to Them
Then the angel led the mother through
the garden of paradise, and the angel and
the mother talked as they walked together.
II am not weary now, said the mother,
land my heart is not troubled"
''It is the grace of heaven that restoreth
thee, dear mother" quoth the angel.
Presently thou shalt be filled with the
new life, and thou shalt be young again,
and thou shalt sing with rapture, and thy
soul shall know the endless ecstasy of
heaven
''Alas, care not to be young againl'
saith the mother. st care only to find and
to be forever with my beloved Ones
AS they journeyed in their way COM
pany came to meet them. The mother
saw and knew her dear ones, even though
the heavenly life had glorified their coun-
tenances the mother knew them, and she
ran to greet them, and there was great joy
to her and to them. Meanwhile the angel
kept steadfastly by her side.
Now the mother, when she had en-
braced her dear ones, looked at each of
them separately once more, and then she
said: ''Ye are indeed my beloved-lny
mother my father, my husband and my
children! But there is one who should be
of your company whom 1 do not see-ny
babe, my little helpless babe TINT came
hither alone so many, many years ago. My
heart fainteth my breast yearneth for that
dear little lamb of minel Come, let us go
together and search for her; or await me
here under these pleasant trees while 1
search and call in this fair garden for my
dear lost little babeV
The others answered never a word. But
the angel said, II will go with thee, moth
er, and together we shall find thy child. -
AS they went on their way the angel
said: "Shall tell thee of myself? For
was a little helpless babe when I came
hither to this fair garden and into this
heavenly life"
"Perchance thou knowest her, my pre-
cious lambkinr cried the mother.
81 was a babe when I came hither, - said
the angel. "See how am grown, and
what happiness hath been mine The COM
| passion of divinity hath protected and fOs-
tered me and hath led me all these years in
the peace that passeth all human under
standing God hath instructed me in wis
dom, and he shall instruct thee, too, for
all who come hither are as children in his
sight and they shall grow in wisdom and
in grace eternally."
But my babe-1ny own lost little one,
whom 1 have not held in these arms for SO
many weary years shall she not still be
my little babe, and shall not cradle her
| in my bosom?" asked the mother.
"Thy child shall be restored to thee
said the angel, for she yearneth for thee
even as thou yearnest for her. Only with
this difference, dear mother: Thy child
hath known, in the grace of the heavenly
wisdom, that at the last thy earthly sor-
row should surely be rewarded with the
joys of the endless reunion in paradiseP'
'fThen she hath thought of me and long
ed for me to cOme,' cried the mother,
"and my lost babe shall be restored and
shall know her mother againP'
AYE, she 1oveth thee fondly,' said the
| angel, ana she ndGn awaited IDy coming,
10, these many years. Presently thine eyes
shall be opened and thou shalt see her
standing before thee in her heavenly raj
ment, whittier than snow, and about her
neck thou shalt see her wearing most pre-
ciOus pearls-the tears which thou hast
shed, oh, lonely mother, and which are
the pearls the little ones in heaven gather
up and cherish as an ,adornment most
pleasing unto God and them. -
Then the mother felt that her eyes were
opened, and she turned and looked upon
the angel, and the mother saw that angel
was her lost beloved child whom she was
seeking-not the helpless babe that she
had thought to find, but maiden of such
heavenly beauty and gentleness as only
the jewellers in paradise behold and know.
And the mother spread her arms and gave
a great cry of joy and folded her very dear
one to her bosom.
Then presently they returned together
to the others. And there was rapturous
acclaim in paradise, and it was to Gods
sweet pleasance that it was so, for moth
er and her beloved communed in the holy
companionship of love everlasting. Chi
cago Record.