The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1899-02-10

L 90 not really Ot1.cNc lAC CIA ID
a place as some people describe it to be-
The scene changes. Father Is sick. Inc
doors must be kept shut. The deathwateh
cb;rps dolefully on the hearth. The chill
dren whisper and walk softly where once
they romped. Passing the house late al
night, you see the quick clanc!nS OF llGnts
from room to room. II Is "a! over Oe3iu
in the summer house!
Here is al aged mother aged. but not
infrm. You think you wjlfhave the Joy OF
caring sOr her wants q good while yet. As
she goes from house to house, to children
and grandchildren. her coming IS a drop
ping OF sunlight in the dwelling. Your
children see her coming through the Ian.
and they cry, "Grandmothers co ne"
Care for you has marked upon her face
with manv Il deep wrinkle, and her back
stoops with carrying your burdens. Some
day she is very quiet. She SAYS she Is NOT
sick. but something tells you you will not
much longer have a mother. She Will Sit
with you no more at the table nor a. th.,
hearth. Her soul goes out SO gently you
do not exactly know the monen OF its go
ing. Fold the hands that have done 80
MANY kindnesses for you right over the
heart thai has beat With love toward you
since before you were born. Let tho pill
grim rest. She is weary. Death in the
summer house.
Gather about rs what we will OF comfort
"a AL "hC N"N l"AS
comes, he does not stop to look a: the
architecture Of the house before no comes
in, nor, entering, does he wait to cx-
anime the pictures we have gathered
on the wall, or, bending over your
pillow, he does not stop to see
whether there is color in tho cheek Or
%Rentleness in the eye or intelligence in
tho brow. But what Of that? Must We
stand forever mourning among the
graves OF our dead? No! No! The people
in Bengal bring cages Of birds TO the graves
Of their dead, and then they open the cages
and the birds go singing heavenward. SO
l would bring to the graves Of your dead
all bright thoughts and congratulations
and bid them sing Of victory and re-
dempticn. I stamp on the bottom OF
the grave, and it breaks through into
the light and the glory Of heaven. The
ancients used to think that the straits
entering the Red sea were very dan
gerous places, and they supposed that the
wrecked that have one through those
straits would be destroyed, and they were
In the habit OF putting on weeds OF mourn
ing for those who had gone on that voy-
age, as though they were actuollv dead.
Do you know what they called those
straits? They called them the Gate Of
Tears"
After the sharpest winter the spring dis
mounts from the shoulder OF a southern
gale and puts its warm hand upon the
earth, and In its palm there comes tho
grass, and there comes the flowers, n
God reads over the poetry of bird and brook
and bloom and pronounces 1t worry good.
What, my friends, il every winter had not
its spring, aud every night it's day, and
every gloom it's glow, and every bitter now
Its sweet hereafter! II you have been on
the sea, you know, as the ship passes in the
night, there is q phosphorescent track left
behind It, and as tho water rolls up they
toss with unimaginable splendor. Well.
across this great ocean Of human troubles
Jesus walks. oh. that in the ]phospores-
cent track OF His feet We might all follow
and be illumined!
There was a gentleman in a rail car who
saw in that same car three passengers OF
very different circumstances. The first
was a maniac. He was carefully guarded
by his attendants. His mind like Il ship
dismasted, was beating against . dark
desOate coast, from which no help could
come. The train stopped and the man was
taken out into the asylum to waste away
perhaps through years OF gloom. The sec.
Ond passenger was a culrrit. The outraged
law had seized on him.. As he ear jolted
the chains ratified. On his face were crime,
depravity anIdespair. Tbetrain halted ard
he was taken out to the peEitentiary to
which he had been condemned. There was
the third passenger, under, far different
circumstances. She was a bride Every
hour was as gay as g marriage bell. I.if4
glittered aud beckonel. Her Communion
was taking her to her fathers house. The
train halted. The old man was there II
welcome her to Der new home. and hie
white locks snowe down upon her as Ne
sealed his wori will aftther's Kiss. Quick.
ly we fly toward eternity. We will soon be
there. Some leave this lie condemned cul
Irits, and they refuse to pardon. Or. ma,
II be with Us that, leaving this fleeing lii,
| 10Y fha noNe yUa ~ n a-l 49,
to greet US to our new home with Him Toy
ever. That will be a marriage banquet
Fathers welcome, Fathers bosom, Father.
kissi Heaven. Heaven,