The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-12-10

humble house where he had seen so
many happy days, it appeared to him
that he could hear his mothers voice
calling upon his name. He fancied
that he could hear her footsteps cross
ing the apartment to meet him. But
she was not there. He entered the
room where the signal had usually
been placed, and gazed earnestly
around. Everything appeared to be
just as he had last seen it, and he could
not bring himself to believe that his
mother, who had embraced him at
parting only three months before, was
now sleeping in the cold grave.
He glanced toward the window. The
lamp was there, in it's accustomed
place, but 1t was not burning. The
boy approached and gazed upon it.
The wick was blackened and crisped,
showing that it had been lighted; but
the oil was entirely exhausted, showing
how 1t had become extinguished. ST.
lently the devoted son regarded this
evidence of a mothers remembrance
n love, and then, turning to the
nelghbor, he asked: "Loring, how long
has my mother been dead?"
She was buried only yesterday"
Gould you not have kept her body
until / came?"
mo; we did just as your mother in.
structed us to do"
How was that?"
For a week before her death your
mother kept that light burning in the
window"
She expected my return?"
Eyes"
well, go on"
Five days ago your mother called
me to her side, and then asked me to
bring her the light. I did so. She
gazed upon it, and smiled. Then she
told me to fill it afresh and trim and
light it. l did So, and she told me to
set it in the window"
Bless her-bless herr sobbed the
boy.
When I had replaced the light, she
said: In an hour 1 shall be no more.
l should like to see my dear boy once
more, but I fear I shall not be able to
do so. But keep the light burning In
the window until the oil is exhausted,
and it goes out of itself. Then, and
not until then, place my body in the
grave. Ii my boy arrives, he will see
the light if it be still burning, and will
hasten here. He will gaze upon my
pale, cold face. and read there the
words of blessing I would speak. If
no light be burning, he will know that
his mother is no more; and, bending
over my grave, he will weep and
mourn my loss. But tell him I am not
lost. Tell him to look up to the blue
arch above him, and in heavens win
dow he will see the light which his
mother placed there, burning brightly,
a signal and a beacon for him. Say
ing this, she died."
"And you did as she requested"
yes; the grave was made in the
grove yonder. At sunset yesterday the
lamp went out, and We then placed her
poor body to rest"
Frank Ludlow did not sleep that
night, but set himself to work to beau
tify and ornament the spot where slept
that dear clay. When morning dawn
ed, the fresh, green sod covered the
mound, and flowers had been planted
Upon it. This done, with a heavy
heart, the lad set out to rejoin mis-
ship.
When he entered the cabin, the CAP
tain asked:
"Well, Frank, was the absence OF
the light explained"
Eyes, sir"
why, vas it not burning?"
cit has been transferred, sir, to one
of the windows of heaven. l shall only
see it when 1 have made my last voy-
age across the dark river of death"
Frank set about his duties with ap-
parent c~heerfulness; but it was evident
he was heart-broken.
The ship was again upon it's return
voyage from New Orleans. 1t was op-
posite the point where stood the lone
ly cottage and where slept the mothers |
clay. The entire ships officers and
crew surrounded the couch of the dy-
ing boy. He asked:
Captain, are we not near the cot
Eyes, Frank?"
"But can you see the light burning?"
"It is not burning there, Frank"
"But it is burning UP yonder, for I
see it,"
The brave boy did not speak again.
He smiled, and his spirit passed
away.
Did he not see the light his mother
had placed in the window of his heav-
emily home, even before he had reached
it?