The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-13
THE CURING OF LONELINESS.

near 10 neT Oy DlOou WcIe SleepihS IL
the village cemetery, or living in thei
own homes across the sea. She hat
left her native island because she lovet
Orrin Underwood, and his fortunes lay
in American soil. Literally so. for N
was q Western farmer. How a West
ern farmer wooed and won little En-
glish lady is neither here nor there
with us. He did, and they lived hap
PLY for ten years. Then he died, ant
as we find her now she is sole owne
and mistress of a lovely cottage home
in all its equipments as much like th'
old home as might be. The neighbour
far and near smiled at the folly of ar
old fashioned building in new-fashion
ed days, but they had to admit tina
somehow there was hOme-aromt
about the thatched cottage, the flower
pots, and boxes and beds that the glar
ing paint of stiff "two-story-frames'
never shed fourth.
But Susanna Underwood was alone
and never SO lonely as on this summer
day, when bees and birds were busy
when the hollyhocks were in the zenith
o. their bold gray, when she had moth
sew or read and think. But Susanna
Underwood was alone.
For sheer hunger to hear human
voice she talked aloud to herself. sit
ting there among the flowers.
II cannot bear this much longer, and
I do not know what to do. How car
I sell this place and 60 back to Eng
land? do not belong there now. The
homes of my friends are complete
without me. 1 might travel, if there
was any use in it. Oh, Lord, want
to be of some use " she exclaimed
passing from reflection to prayer
"Some use w And I want to be happy
too, and comfortable. That isn't wrong
is it? You made the. world a pretty
nice place. and 1 believe, hereto that
I may be, you meant folks 10 have 9
good time in it. You see," she contin.
ued, after pause, spent outwardly IN
watching O caterpillar creep across the
garden-bench, there is home-as
sweet a home as ever stood on fouDda.
tions. Why not keep it a home"
Whether Susanna was still talking tc
the Lord is not apparent, but her sec
ond person remarks were grave and al
most beseeching. at would be like
destroying something beautiful it had
taken q lifetime to make-to close up,
or rent this place to some one who
never cared for it as we have. | might
ask someone to live with me, but that's
risky business, too. How shall two
walk together except they be agreed %
There were more words to the same
purpose, and then Susanna closed up
her work, gathered boquet of flowers,
and stepped over to a neighbours. She
was welcomed everywhere she went,
and quietly assumed many a heart
burden among the bereaved and atfiict.
ed ones. But however she ministered
or was ministered unto, the little home
was lonely place, and its owner fast
aging under the shadow.
One morning at family prayers-the
simple after-breakf fast service bad once
been really a family affair, and Susan
ma clung to the name-the lonely
woman sat still a long time with her
Bible open on her knee. She spoke
aloud at last Now, what good chap
ter that was, and only myself to hear
it. 1t isn't rightn She dropped on
her knees and held the open book to
her face as if there were human conso-
lation in the contact. After a while
she became quieter. "Lord," she said
aloud, Pm going to act as though you
were a person right here beside me.
Pm going to tell you how lonely / am.
want someone near to me; someone
I can do for; someone nearer than
someone else. You know everyone.
Won't you please, send someone to
share this home, or send Inc where
I shall find someone-anyone, Lord
boy, girl, man, woman, old, young,
rich, poor, sick, we'll, ugly, beautiful ?
I won't have Il thing to say about it, I
leave it all to you. Here 1 am and
here's the place. Do with as accord
ing to your good pleasure, only--please
do something! Amen.
There, now l feel better. Pm going
to stick to that and watch out"
God answers such prayers-not al
ways right off, for He lets events take
q natural course. But when an earnest
heart is ready for the utterance of such
a prayer, the answer is ready, or max
ing ready, not far off
Weeks pass on. Grapes were ripe.
Morning-glories have gone to seed.
Portulacca was making brave defence
against impending frost. Su-anna Un-
derwood's hired man, who took care OF
her outdoor work, had raked and
swept up every brown leaf and dry
stem. The little place was trig and
tight.
II guess I'll give you day or two
off, Jenkins. It's a sort of between
spell, and Pm going to spend a couple
of days in the city," The city was
twenty miles away, and usually a
great, noisy, dirty, heartless horror,
from which Susanna Underwood kept
a frank distance. II suppose 7 could
do what I have to do in the stores here,
but the fact is I have an actual lean.
ing to 60 into town."
II was in the other night-shan't
forget it in while"
eyes? Why?" Susanna's questions
were absently put. She was more in
terested just then with pair of garden
shears.
81 saw something that most broke
my heart"
His listener looked up. Jenkins
heart had hitherto been an unknown
quantity. His head was level, as the
villagers said, and his hand capable.
Hired men are not supposed to have
hearts,"
"What was ?"
81 went to attend to some business
and friend took me to the Crippled
Children's Home. Ever been there ?''
mo. did not know there was such
place"
"Well, there is. But don't 60 unless
you want to be feeling bad for week
afterwards"
"Where is it?'
"a