The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-10
RESTORED.

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
burden 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
ment of the promise that had been her sol
ace through all the hard, sitter years.
An angel met the mother at the gate
way and put her arms about the dropping
figure 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-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 me but the thought
that I should follow them in good time. .
Eyes. They are here, and they avail
thee, f." said the angel "Lean upon me,
dear mother, and will lead thee to them. y
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 moth
er, land my heart is not troubled
cit is the grace of heaven that restoreth
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 againl"
saith the mother. II care only to find and
to be forever with my beloved ones
AS they journeyed in their way a com
pany came to meet them. The mother saw
and knew her dear ones. Even though the
heavenly life had glorifled their counte-
nances 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 embraced
her dear ones, looked at each of them sepa-
rately once more, and then she said: 'Ye
are indeed my beloved-my mother, my
father, my husband and my childrenl But
there is one who should be of your compa-
ny whom do not see-1ny babe, my little
helpless babe that 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 search and call
in this fair garden for my dear, lost little
babel"
The others answered never 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:
'Sha1 tell thee of myself? For 1 was a
little helpless babe when I came hither to
this fair garden and into this heavenly
1ife.'
''Perchance thou knowest her, my pre-
cious lambkinI'' cried the mother.
81 was babe when came hither," said
the angel. ''See how am grown and
what happiness hath been mine! The com
passion of divinity hath protected and fos-
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."
s'But my babe-ny own lost little one,
whom have not held in these arms for so
many years-shan she not still be my little
babe, and shall I 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 paradise
"Then she hath thought of me and
longed for me to come, y cried the mother,
land my lost babe shall be restored and
snail know her mOLner agalnE'
AYE, she IOveth thee fondly,' said the
angel, land she hath awaited thy 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, o 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 a moth
er and her beloved comnuned in the holy
companionship of love everlasting Ex-
change.