Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-08-16
THE BRIGHTER SIDE.
An Unusual burden BrRveIy Borne,
Resulted I'm the Blessing of
a Sacred Memory.

"Misfortunes never come siugly," ii
is said, and sometimes, double-yoked.
they tread hard on the heels of our
long-expected joys.
Bessie Pierson had returned from
her wedding trip, established herself
in her new home with her husband.
and was getting accustomed to her
new name of Mrs. John L. Sawyer
when the misfortunes began. There
were several minor ones, and then her
| father died, but this sorrow was fol-
lowed by one even worse. Her mother
suffered a severe paralytic stroke,
| from which it seemed at first she could
/ not recover. Her life was saved, but
the mind was nearly gone, and Bessie
| and her husband had no alternative
but to bring her to their own home.
! already overshadowed by a great sor-
row, and narrow their home life down
to care which would probably last
for years, and which It was certain
that nothing but death could relieve.
1t is an old saying that living sor-
row is worse than a dead one. There
is some real comfort in a grave which
can be covered with flowers. IL is the
open grave that chills the heart. But
in the great trouble which had come
upon the young couple so soon after
their marriage, there was one great
consolation, as Bessie said TO her
nearest friends; and John was un-
YEARLY kind and sympathetic. There
was never word of complaint from
him, and his bearing throughout was
| that OF dutiful and loving SON.
Nevertheless, the burden pressed
heavily on the shoulders Of the young
, wife.
For several weeks she had been un-
able TO GO to church. When she went
| she found stranger in the pulpit.
She was late, and the prayer was just
beginning. There was something IN 1t
| that attracted her attention from the
| outset, and gave her feeling of rev.
erence and OF comfort. The minister
prayed for the congregation before
him, and the homes from which the
people came; for fathers and mothers
and little children, and finally for
those children who had reversed their
own relations of youth and had be-
come the guardians of the parents
who once had cared for them.
It was most unusual petition. Bes-
sic did not remember ever to have
heard such a one before. 1t was the
very prayer which she felt she had
need to offer. Her heart responded
TO it, and she went home comforted.
| cheered and strengthened, to take up
her burden with new and greater cour-
age.
The brighter side of her task soon
began TO show itself. Changed as her
mother was from what she had been,
she was still amiable and sweet-spir-
tied, and there were times when there
shone through her mental weakness
some glow of former recollections.
Two years later the transition came.
Death was kind, and the sufferer went
smilingly and without pain. Above
the coffin in which she lay with look
' OF peace on her face the young hus-
band and his wife dropped tears, not
of regret, but of genuine filial sorrow.
| When they returned from the grave
the home was empty. as if they had
lost little child. But they had the
JOY of q duty performed uncomplain-
| ingly and in a spirit of love.
There are many homes which have
similar burdens, some of which must
be borne without the knowledge of the
world. 1t is something to support
such burden to the end, but to those
who will receive it God gives grace to
make the sorrow blessing and a
sacred memory.-Youth's Companion