Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

the clock would signal the closing hour
OF the year, and twelve months would
have flown since John, the husband OF
the repining wife, LEFT his home TO
seek livelihood for his wife and
family In the gold-gathering sections
of the Great West. During all the time
OF his absence, Mary Allen had not
heard from her husband; she knew
nothing Of his wherea bouts. nor wheth-
81 or not he would ever return. Had
he persisted on the great American des-
ert, or had he drlfted on with evil
companions and cast aside those whom
he once loved so dearly, ana for whom
! he had set out to gain II livelihood?
| These We're questions which flashed
| vivdly across the mind Of the dis
tressed woman as she sat In her hum
BILE cabin listening to the textbook Of
4 fheir ancient looking time piece, while
her three little ones nostled snugly in
their warm cot. dreaming of New
Years which they had heard their
mother so often speak about.
Poor womanl She had toiled with all
the drudgery Of which she was capable
daring the 365 days Of the year just
closing, in order to properly clothe and
feed her little ones, and so busy had
she been that few moments had given
| her the chance to sit in her low-backed
| chair and ponder MS She was now pom
derng. Few times indeed had she
ever thought of her husband being un-
! true to her, or even unmindful of the
charges that he had sworn SO devouty
to care for and protect. Did John still
| cherish in his heart the love that once
held sway for his wife and little ones?
| was he the same devoted father he
once was, when he would sit by the
| open flreside and there prattle with
the children as though he were one of
them. or had he, If living. become
| hardened like the class of men he had
set out to mlngle with, and forgot all,
yea all, of home, children and wife?
The more Mrs. Allen pondered over
these things the more nervous she be-
came, feeling as she did that all was
not just right-that John had either
met an untimely ending or he was not
himself Why had he never written
since his departure? He had promised
to, for his last words to his wife as he
| fondly kissed her goodbye We're,
Mary. be cheerful: will return short
ly: be good to the children ] will write
you and tell you just how ] succeed"
Had he forgotten his promise? No,
no, 1t could not be. John had too good
heart for that. He was too devoted
to his family circle to so estrange him
| self. He must have met with some un-
loolled-fo calamity, for iii all his
cagerness to seek out a livelihood for
his dear ones, he could not. no, would
1 not. heave such a burden upon them
as that of forcing them to drag along
through a whole twelve-month with
out any tidings of the man they so
much dotted upon.
The children were now in deep
sleep, except that every now and then,
the wanderings of the mind would
cause them to become restless and
make them humble to themselves,
words which were not distinctly audi
Bile to the fond but fretful mother.
The hands of the old fashioned clock
continued their journey around their
figured dial and only & short time re-
mained until the bells in the church
towers would begin to augur the pass
ing of the old, the opening of the new.
What a vast difference in the environ
ments of Mrs. Allen to those of two
years before, when the husband was a
prosperous town merchant and in suf-
ficiently good circumstances to sur
round his charges with everything
that tended to mark the beginning of
new year with joy and gladness!
These were conditions for reflection.
These grated upon the poor woman $
memory and drove her to that state of
mind wherein many are led to pro-
nounce this life not worth the living.
But such a sentiment, however, found
not Judgment in Mrs. Aliens heart.
She was too broad minded for that
too charitable, too mindful of her lit
tie ones, and too hopeful that perhaps,
after all, John would some day return,
and surround her and the babies with
all the happiness and joy that his heart
was prone to bestow upon them.
| nf
was a solemn stiffness pervading the
neichborhQod of the Allen household.
The mother wept in her deep reflection
but she had not given up hope, despite
the thoughts that in two hours had
fitted through her memory with light
ning-like rapidity. She retired just as
the church bells began to toll and In
their Jingle, solemn prayer went up
| in which the Father was petitioned tc
grant unto that family the knowl-
edge whether or not their mainstay
John Allen, had met with an untimely
ending, had forsaken those whom he
once loved, or had been placed in sucf
circumstances as to make 1t impossi-
, bic for him to communicate with them
That petition was a fervent one anc
escaped from the lips of Mrs. Aller
with quivering earnestness that be
tokened sincerity of the deepest type
20 gracious and most merciful Father.
said she, grant unto us this night TIL,
Holy Spirit We are DESTROYS of know
ing what has become of one who once
= loved us SO dearly-John Allen--bu
who left his family circle just yea
ago, to seek for them a livelihood II
the mining sections of the Great West
Has he perished Father? Has it beer
Thy Will to thus deprive us of on
nsainstay-our earthly provider? L
so, grant o Lord that Thou wilt maxi
known unto us that such is the case
at the same time giving us the powe
and endurance to withstand the try
ing ordeal If he has not been thur
removed, grant us, o Father th'
knowledge of his whereabouts, that il
our sorrowing hours, we may find con
ISOLATION in knowing that he still lives
ttlmt he is still true to us. albeit tina
w have not heard from him since hi
departure"
The conclusion of this praye
brought resignation to that faithful
woman. Her countenance beamed witt
happiness, as she uttered the word
Amen" and although she spoke no
another word, 1t was clearly eviden
that her humble petition had fallen OF
attentive ears and that a response
though, perhaps. inaudible, had cam
as am answer even before the praye
was finished. That night Mrs. ALE
slept well, and in the morning tn
same beaming countenanoe that he'll
sway when her eyes had closed 4
sleep, was still in evidence, and a
Mary, Johnnie and Katie were lifted on
of bed each received a loving kiss fror
| Oh