The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-29
RESTORED

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A mother came to the gateway of heav-
en-. She was aged and weary. Her body
was bowed and her face wrinkled aud
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 tho 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 thoup" asked the angel
Il 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 l have lived in my loneliness, with
no other things to cheer me but the thought
that should follow them in good time"
Yes. They are here, and they await
thee" said the angel Lean upon me,
dear mother, and Twill 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.
Il am not weary now," said the moth
er, land my heart is not troubled"
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 in their way COM
pany came to meet them The mother saw
and knew her dear ones. Even though the
heavenly life had glorifled their counte-
nanccs 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 sce-my babe, my little
helpless babe that came hither alone so
many, many years ago. My heart fainteth,
my breast yaarneth for that dear little lamb
of minel Come, let us go together and
search for her, Or await me hero under
these pleasant trees while l search and call
in this fair garden for my dear, lost little
babem
The others answered never word. But
the angel said, Il will go with thee, moth
er, and together we shall find thy child"
G nm hnp " 1,pa a.
"Shall tell thee of myself For was
little helpless babe when came hither to
this fair garden and into this heavenly
life"
"Perchance thou knowest her, my pre-
cious lambkinr' cried the mother.
Twas babe when came hther," 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 hithcr 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 have not held in these arms for so
many years--shall she not still be my little
babe, and shall l not cradle her in my
bosom?' asked the mother.
THY child shall be restored to thee"
said the angel, for she ycarncth 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,
land my lost babe shall be restored and
shall know her mother againS"
AYE, she lovoth thee fondly," said the
angel land she hath awaited thy coming
10, these many years. Presently thine eyes
shall be opened, and thou shalt sec her
before thee in her heavenly raj
lnent, whittier than snow, and about her
neck thou shalt see her wearing most pre-
tious pearls-the tears which thou hast
shed, y lonely mother, and which arc
the pearls the little ones in heaven gather
up ana cherish as an adornment most
pleasing unto God and Them"
Then the mother felt that her eyes were
opened, and she turned and looked unon
the angel, and the mother saw that angel
was ler lost beloved child whom she was
'ecking-not the helpless babe that she
had thought to find, but maiden of such
heavenly beauty and gcntlcncss as only
the dwclcrs in paradise behold and know.
And the mother spread her arms and gave
4 great cry of joy and folded her very Gear
1nc to her bosom.
Then presently they returned together
70 the others. And there rnc
acclaim in paradise, and it was to Gods
;wcot pleasancc that it was so, for moth
n and her beloved communcd in the holy
'omEanionship Of love everlasting -Ex-
,hange.