Little Falls herald., 1900-11-30
A LIGHT THAT CAME.
BY SUSAN HUBBARD MARTIN.


she had been in the world. For II years she
had lived among the solitudes of the plains,
away from all her kind. From her cabin
door she could look out over the blue line of
hills to the snow capped range beyond. For
u seasons she had watched the plains turn
from brown to emerald and from emerald to
brown. In summer the sun shone with
fierce intensity upon the slanting roof, and
in the winter, from gray and leaden skies
the snow came, piling up in great drifts
against the cabin door. During these shut
in periods, when her work was done, Mar
garet often pondered over her life Over
that past, so full, 80 rich, so happy, when
she had lived in the old home village in
her pretty cottage side by side with
! Cynthia West. Cynthia's house resounded
! with the sound of childish voices, but Mar
garet's was silent, for she had no children.
But among Cynthia's little brood was one, a
| little boy, whom Margaret always called her
own. Every day his small feet pattered
into her yard, and up, upon the kitchen
steps, He used to follow Margaret about
her work, and sit by her side when it was
finished. Margaret often told him Bible
! stories in a clear and simple way, that he
could understand, for she was ever a p;ous,
sanity soul, anxious to be used.
| Margaret, in the little cabin on the plains,
used to shut her eyes and fancy she heard
the clear, sweet, pleading tones again. LET
me in, Aunt Margaret. I want " hear
about Daniel in the lions den to-day"
Then how gladly she would rise from her
seat and open the door to the eager, brown.
eyed child without.
After that came the crash that took their
all: the breaking up of the pretty, COM
+ol,1 h. Il
to another, until they drfted out upon the
plain-then the Loneliness and the silence
Margaret used to look out over the plains
in the dull gray days of autumn. when the
snow fell steadily, steadily, and think Of
that verse in. Genesis, ':And the earth was
without form and void" Just so her life
seemed to her, these sad sad days. Empty,
uprooted, formless. "And yet God knows
BEST" she used to whisper. eff He will
only let the little 7 have done resound to His
honor and glory, shall be satisfied, for can
do nothing now"
She looked out of the cabin window.
The wind swept across the plains, the noun
tains were hid in a thick gray mist, and it
was the day before Thanksgiving At that
moment, John, her husband, came in. He
patted her kindly on the shoulder as he
passed her II have to go to town, Mar
garrett he began, "the gray mare has cast a
shoe, and besides I want to get you some.
thing for your Thanksgiving dinner. Per
haps there'll be letter for you, too," he
went on.
Margaret frightened. The post Office
brought the only sunlight to her life
"Perhaps there will be-" she answered
"but you must hurry, John. 1t is storm
ing in the mountains now"
/, A few minutes later John set off. Marga
ret watched him ride away in the gray
mist that soon enveloped and shut him from
her view. Almost insensibly her mind re
verted to the old verse in the first chapter
of Genesis. "And the earth was without
form and void"
Oh, the dullness, the monotony Of thes'
, plains. If the light would only come.
She turned away and began to make he1
slender preparations for the morrow. A
she worked with the currants and the rails
ins, it brought to mind the old and hap
pier Thanksgivings in the gray cottage will
little Cyrus by her side. Twelve long years
She had been 30 then. She was AZ now
What time she had been in learning th'
Lords Prayer, she thought, as her nimbl
he? Why now he must be H. Seventeen
|
I wondertif he still remembers Aunt Mar
garet, and if his young feet are firmly Sc
Zionward. God grant it,
At seven John came home. fFWe're goint
to have a white Thanksgiving after all
Margaret" he said, as he shook the snow
from his coat. He laid some bundles on th'
table. Then he took from his pocket let
ter and fiat package and handed then
over to her.
"You did get letter after all, Margaret,
he added, cheerfully, '*from the old home
too. I'm glad it came to-day"
Margaret took the letter, laying the pack
age in her lap. She opened it, glanced at tn
signature at the end of the closely writer
J. sheets. Then great wave Of color sweep
over her face
"Why, John, she cried, cts from Gym
thia; dear old CYNTHIA"
She settled herself to read it with shin
ing face. Outside the snow fell steadily, bu
Margaret needed it not. When she hac
finished it she turned to her husband
"John," she said, in tone that thrilled hin
strangely, "you remember little Cyrus
Cynthia's youngest child. My boy I used Il
always caN him."
John nodded
"Weu, he's going to be minister, Gym
thia writes me, and John with little breal
in her voice), she says it is all through me
, He told his mother that ever since related
! to him those old Bible stories, he has hat
his thoughts in that direction. Cynthia say
she is the happiest woman in the world, ant
she owes it all to God and me. He startI
to the Theological seminary next week. H,
sends his picture, she says. This must bt
it,"
She lifted the package in her lap witt
quivering fingers and opened it. The
wrapping fell apart, revealing to her .
bright, boyish face-the face of her old tim,
favorite. The same child's face, yet some
how changed. The eyes still clear and fear
less, looked into hers. The mouth was still
az sweet. and pure and tender 40 a lfttl'
child's, yet the seal of grand purpose wal
there. Margaret looked at It and her eye.
flied with tears. "Let me in, Aunt Mar
garet," little voice seemed to cay, 81
want to hear about Daniel again."
She turned it over. Across the back wa
written in 4 firm, clear hand these words
ITO my dear Aunt Margaret, who frs
taught me to say Our Father who art il
Heaven"
| .Ard III. br;.h& h..w&;f,,l .&oods..L Z. !.