Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-19
RESTORED.

A mother came to the gateway of heav-
en-. She was aged and weary. Her body
was bowed and her face wrinlzled 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, bitter 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 thouY asked the angel.
IT seek my dear ones, who came hither
before me, F." 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 arc 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 moth
er, ''and my heart is not troubled. F."
sit 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 again!"
saith the mother. II care only to find and
to be forever with my beloved ones. !"
AS they journeyed i'll their way a COM
pany came to meet them. The mother saw
and knew her dear ones. Even though the
heavenly life had glorified 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 children! But
there is one who should be of your compa-
ny whom / do not see-my 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 mine 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
babee'
The others answered never word. But
the angel said, II will 60 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 l was a
little helpless babe when came hither to
this fair garden and into this heavenly
life"
''Perchance thou knowest her. my pre-
cious lambkin!' cried the mother.
II was babe when I came hither," said
the angel. ''See how l 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-my own lost little one,
whom I have not held in these arms for SC
many 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, u
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" cried the mother
"and my lost babe shall be restored and
shall know her mother AGAIN."
"Aye, she loveth thee fondly." said the
angel, "and she hath awaited Thy coming
10, these many years. Presently thine eyes
shall be opened, and thou shalt see hel
standing before thee in her heavenly raj
ment, whittier than snow, and about hel
neck thou shalt see her wearing most pre-
cious pearls--the tears which thou hast
shed, 0 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 upor
the angel, and the mother saw that ange
was her lost beloved child whom she was
seeking--not the helpless babe that she
had thought to find, but a maiden of such
heavenly beauty and gentleness as only
the jewellers in paradise behold and know.
And the mother spread her arms and gave
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. Tx
| change