Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-08

a mother came 10 tho gateway OF hohv-
en-. Sbe was aged and weary. Her body
was bowed, and hor face wrinkled and
withcred, for her burden had been the bur-
don of care and trouble and sorrow. 30
sho was glad TO DO done with life and 70
seek ut tho gateway OF heaven tho fulfill
Inent of the promise that had boon her sol
AGO through all the hard, bittcr years.
An angel met the mother at the gateway
and put her arms about the dropping hg-
urc and spoke gracious, tender words.
Whom seckest thouf" asked the angel.
II seek my dear ones, who caIne hithcr
before me-, !" answered tho mother. They
arc very many-my 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 mo but the thought
that should follow them In good time"
"Ycs; they are here, and they await
thee" said the angel. "Lean upon me-
dear mother, and will lead thee 10 them. I"
Then the angel led tho mother through
the garden Of paraG .sc, and the angel and
the mother talked as they walked together.
~ am not weary now" said the mother,
"and my heart II not troubled"
"It Is the grace Of heaven that rcstoreth
thee, dear mother" quoth the angel.
presently thou shalt be filed 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 againP'
gaith the mother. II 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'
tcnances 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 sne had en-
braccd her dear ones, looked at each OF
them separately once more, and then sht
said: "Ye arc indeed my beloved-my
mother, my father, my husband and my
| children! But there Is one who should b'
| of your company whom / do not see-my
babe, my little helpless babe that came
hither alone SO many, many years ago. Ny
| heart fainteth, my breast yearneth for tha
| dear little lamb Of mine! Come, let us g
together and search for her; or await mt
| here under these pleasant trees while
| search and call in this fair garden for m.
| dear, lost little babel
The others answered never word. Blu
! the angel said, II will go with thee, moth
| er, and together we shall find thy child" !"
| As they went on their way the ange
said: "Shall tell thee OF myself? For
was little helpless babe when I cam
hither to this fair garden and into thi
heavenly life"
| "Perchance thou knowest her. my pre-
cious lambkin!" cried the mother.
81 was q babe when came hither, " sal
| the angel "See how l am grown, an
what happiness hath been mine The com
passion Of divinity hath protected and fos
tered me and hath led me all these years 1
the peace that passeth all human under
standing. God hath instructed me in wi!
dom, and he shall instruct thee, too fC
all who come hither are as children in III
sight and they shall grow in wisdom an
in grace eternally."
"But my babe-my own lost little on
whom have not held in these arms for
many weary years shall she not still
my little babe and shall 1 not cradle h
in my bosom?" asked the mother
"Thy child shall be restored to thee,
said the angel, "for she yearneth for tn,
even as thou yearnest for her. Only wit
this difference, dear mother: Thy Chi
hath known, in the grace OF the heaven
wisdom, that ut the last thy earthly SO
row should surely be rewarded with Il
joys Of the endless reunion in paradise"
"Then she hath thought of me and lon
ed for me TO come, cried the mothe
"and my lost babe shall be restored al
shall know her mother againp'
"Aye, she loveth thee fondly," said Il
angel 'and she hath awaited thy comm
10, these many years. Presently thine ey
shall be opened, and thou shalt see b
standing before thee in her heavenly ia
ment, whittier than snow, and about h
neck thou shalt sec her wearing most pr
c;ous pearls-the tears which thou ha
shed, oh, lonely mother, and which a
the pearls the little ones in heaven gath
up and cherish as an adornment mo
pleasing unto God and them"
Then the mother felt that her eyes we
opened, and she turned and looked upC
the angel, and the mother saw that ang
was her lost beloved child whom she w
'seeking-not the holpless babe that 81
had thought to find, but maiden of SUE
heavenly beauty and gentleness as on
the dwellers in paradise behold and kno,
And the mother spread her arms and ga
great cry of JOY and folded her very dc
one to her bosom.
Then presently they returned togeth
to the others. And there was rapture,
acclaim in paradise, and it was to God
sweet plcasance that it was SO, for a mot
or and her beloved communed in the no
companionship of love everlasting.