The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-12-04
The Voice of God.
Ry FLORENCE Leyeaux.l

| A cruel wind blew the rain around
| them. 1t dashed it into the mans face
so that it trickied down his chin and fell
on the brown head trying to cuddle against
his coat.
| A feeble cry broke every now and then
| from the little fellow-a cry of protesta-
ton and alarm. .'Daddy-Daddy-crue
| Daddy. Take me home-take me honie"'
| shudder shook the man from head to
| foot. A sob rose IN his throat-he could
not speak. His arms went more closely
around the little body leaning against him.
| and he began to move on slowly and TO
move with the crowd.
Daddy, daddy, take me home."
"Ah Christ"
1t was not an oath. but the pitiful. ap-
pealing cry of a broken spirit. The man
in him was crushed and tortured; his heart
was bleeding Itself to death.
Love for his wife and child had given
this man a soul. Evil passions had burnt
themselves out before the fire of that pure
devotion; mighty tenderness had sprung
up with the light in his baby's eyes
Wonderful future schemes for the hap
piness of mother and child had filed his
leisure moments and made the music Of
his life. He had worked bravely and
cheerfully. he had been tender and true
and patient, and his love had taught him TO
pray.
He had been at pcace-and happy.
And now his heart was broken.
The cruel wind blew the rain around
them and dashed ii coldly into their faces;
but other drops that were not rain fell on
the curly head of the child.
When a BRAKEMAN weeps there are tears
of blood that well up from his heart and
heal the wound below.
The fretful wall OF a little voice, the
frightened clutch of chubby fingers only
made the agony more intense. There is
no peace to be found in anything when de-
SPAR first rushes with all its force into a
human soul
'I want my mother.''
"Baby-haven't told you-you've got no
mother!
The noise and the glare are left behind
at last There long. silent street and
a narrow bridge, and dark water creep
ing beneath. Here there is quiet to think
in at last.
BY the edge of the wall is a seat cut in
the stone. The man sit down in one cor
ner of it, and after looking carefully to
make sure that the boy sleeps, turns round
SO that he can watch the deep water be-
low.
1T will be mortal cold,' he tells himself,
"and awful just at first. But then Ii will
soon be over and better and easier than
years Of pain. God would punish him,
of course, but only him. He would under
stand how sorely he had been tempted,
and he would not make the punishment
too hard. He would let him be with his
boy at last Hadn't they only got each
other?'
The child moved uneasily, and the man
bent over him caressingly, anxious even
at such a moment that nothing might be
the matter. He peered at the closed Ids
and pushed some hair back very tenderly
from the high, moist forehead.
''God bless him. he thinks. Then, ''He
sent him this sleep; He didn't mean him
to know. II VIII be just like going to bed
for him. but with beautiful morning at
the end"
In minute it should be done.
1t was terribly cold. Like stabbing ice,
and being drawn down into a great crack.
But after the rush and horror of 1t the
stiffness came. 1t was lonely in this valley
of shadow and darkness and space and
solitude. But when it was past there
was a new light everywhere.
The spirit of this man watched and wait
ed He had lost his child in the valley, but
did not doubt ne made one of the many |
radiant beings gliding quickly past him
with their heavenly guides.
At the end of long time he reached the
shining gates, and through the bars he
heard sweet music and caught glimpses OF
an eternal paradise
Such rejoicing he had dreamed of some |
times when on earth but ii brought him |
no peace or comfort now. He stood mo- |
tionless, waiting and fearing he knew not
what, when his eyes lighted on child an |
gel standing watching near the gate; and |
in that pure and lovely countenance he |
recognized his son.
But the joy that leaped into his face faded |
as suddenly as it came. There was great |
ard terrible reproach In the eyes that met |
made him weep.
where is my uother?'
81 know not-now could I know? left |
her long ago upon the EARTH
''She has passed the Valley OF the Shad- |
ow since Where is she now?'
ALAS, 1 can not tell. We parted long /
ago.
but TO thee vast given her soul to bring |
to the throne of God What hast thou to i
say?'
II have nothing to say"
'The love of all the world dwelleth be-
yond the gates. Hast thou love to plead
thy cause?'
81 left the earth because the earth was
full of sorrow. My trouble was greater
than I could bear
"You fled from pain-but God did not call
thee here. God had appointed thee a pre-
cious task. To those alone who pass
through the furnace of living pain can
the crown of peace be given. Would 1
might help thee. but none can save thee
now. As thou forsook thy trust, so has
thy God forsaken thee"
Then ne knew his worst forebodings were
fulfilled. He stretched out his arms and
would have cried for mercy. but heaven
grew dim and far away. and with it the
sad face of the speaker vanished forever
from his sight Then cold. bitter blast
rushed down upon him and he was cast
shuddering upon his face.
Daddy, daddy. awake,
With a start the sleeper opened his eyes
and looked up On the seat where he had
been lying his little boy had climbed and
was now Juggling with all his small might
at his fathers coat and peering down hor-
ror-stricken into his face.
20, daddy. daddy I've finished al my
prayer-but you wouldn't wake-I couldn't
make you wakei''
Never mind. my little dsrling-never
mind il now. Were going home-we're to
go back home-after all. o. Sammy, Sam
my
Still later. but on the same night. a mar
footsore and weary, sat by a window,
watching.