Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-01-18
A CRUSHED VIOLET.

out into the streets. The way of the golden
day seemed never so far away. No friend
was near, and strangers seemed stranger
than ever before as they came in the
| gloomy way and passed to the shadows
behind her On and on to the busy streets
she passed. The shop lights cast q daz.
cling glare as tho buyers and sellers bar.
! tered with the zeal of gain. In the battle
Of the world she had borne with hunger
and with want till she fell beneath the
crushing wheels, giving more than gold
could buy or love restore. The horror vi
a happy day remembered was in her heart /:
the horror of the days of deepening gloom
more horrid grew.
Vice has no friends, only companions
Virtue turns 10 virtue; it bears no love
nor thought of pardon or forgivng
She wandered on. A dog came running
10 her side and licked her hand Its warm
touch was the first token that anything
in all the world could turn in kindness
unto her again. The rumble of the stecplc
chimes was dying away as she crcpt into
the shadow of sacred pile. Gay light
shonc through the pious pane, u picture OF
the cross was painted in the varied light
sufferer was bending low beneath it,
weight Tho organ pcalCd forth glorious
] u
The fashion of the world was there and
critics Of the holy world. twas a carnival
Of s"nsuuu- joy. Against the cold gray
stones she pressed her aching heart. No
rest, no light and hungcrcd and alone
80 Cod she cried, as she sank upon the
ground and subbCd through WEAKNESS to
rest al am so poor there is no place for
me. " She was Iikc n bird with broken
wing vocing sorrow in starCss night
till sleep fell gently on her tear stained
eyes.
Once again she was in the lowered
home by the riverside Tho valley
stretched back TO the larch crowned hills
Bird voices came and twittrrpd in the vine
that trail"d beneath her window The
dcwdrops plistcncd on the glowing bclls
as the sun first kissed the summer morn
The simple ways of the country glen be
came the innocence of nature : day. EUi
mother spoke soft words Of love and drew
her gently to Unfolding arms. She wa.
home again and singing with the joyous.
ness of the beautiful. But the day ended
her journey was begun.
At first IL seemed uncnding spring, ana
all was ilowcrland, but roughcncd road
| confronted her and night hung low. She
brTvcd the storm that wore upon her way
The clouds could not aiIrightcn. for her
heart was brave, but the lightningS flashed
around her, and the rain fell in torrents
She must seek for shelter and gain the
food required. \ voice spoke unto her
Here is joy the blind can never see and
peace and plenty; tarry in this promise
land" UnknOwing wrong, unthinking
harm, she picked the red buds from tn,
thorns; the poison flew to her startled
hnp Ipui all Ia.
dashed out in the storm again, and tn,
voice that had charmed her laughed her
tears TO sCOrn. On where the torrent ragged
she rushed, but the hollow laugh still
whistlcd ON the wind Drcnchcd and
bruised and torn she beat against the
rocks as n iluttcrCd bird in its prison cage,
but all was cold and dark and drCar She
was in the land of death, still mindful OF
the iiOwCrlund where sunbcams fell
Alone, forgotten, desolate, almost blind,
almost undOnc, n voice said, Come.
She looked. A hand, far up the way
seemed reckoning her, and tender eyes
they Were once beneath the cruss-shonC
! down into her soul. Her answer was
smile Its JOY awoic her
YEARLY, with fright and chill, she wan.
dered back to her attic room The steps
creaked aloud as she CROPPED her way in
the dark The dCws of sleep were long in
coming but at last her eyes were closed
with smile upon her brow. On the NOR
row she would wander homo and lay hei
heart on her mothers heart and tell her
all
Tho gray dawn came, and the stars
went out, and the sun came up from the
gold fieeced waves and chased away the
shadows from the valley fields a stray
beam crept into an attic window and rest.
ed on the brow of restless sleeper
Though the harvest day was ut its height
it was winters night to her The chilling
damp had gathered strength and claimed
Il right to stay. 1t wovc itself into her
life, and letters clasped her heart. She
knew not Of the many days she lay and
wore her strength away, A kind old soul
attended her and gave the best n scanty
storehouse could afford. The worst seemed
past, and thoughts were cast that she
would rise again, but weeks went by and
still the hope of life was bounded by u
silkcn cord. The day would rise and night
would fall, the sunlight and tn" shadow
come and pass away. Now she could not
wander home. Would they come to her!
just for little while. Oh, II they would
smile on her again, she could gladly breast
the sullcn stream. There are times when
the gloom al earth IL deeper than the IN
yelled future!
A lcadCn day followed u lradcn night
A peaceful sleep, peaceful light and the
end of the journey was near. Bending t.
catch her waking gaze n heart of love was
kneeling ] do not know, and would
not tell what all was said. ! only know
mothers love is deeper than any stain
and reaches high rs the throne of God
And il must have been near TO tho brow
of the Hill she bore her willing child as she
murmured low the secreG of her fading
life.
"Oh, mother | have heard the word
Forgiven swectly whispered in my car
through many nights of pain. II seemed
TO come down from the stars and through
| the little broken pane at break of day
NI.IIL A...i..D