The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-01-25
by MRS. HARRIET PRESCOTT sporFu..
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WOW never went in that manner
again. 1t became something in a way
sacred, into which she must enter
alone, as into a prayer. and by and by
It grew TO be a sort OF sacramental ser.
vice.
For after this first glimpse Of the
sorrowful side OF the world. of want
and wickednoss and the horrors Of life
in the darkest depths Of the city. she
was full of questioning as TO why such
things were allowed, and tile world
seemed a dreary aud cruel place She
had her own sorrows. which accented
and heightened all this background of
other peoples sorrows. but she felt she
could bear hers better IL it were not for
theirs. And the first thing to dc
seemed to be to make theirs lighter. OIL
10 help them to bear them. And she
took up the task, not eagerly, but as II
she must.
1t was while she was going about
from one place Of suffering to another
that she met Mrs. Redlands. you are
doing Gods work. dear" the little
woman said one day when Miss Lucia
had gone in. and taking the tiny alco-
hol lamp from her bag had made the
tea of which they were drinking a cor
dial cup together "You have enlisted
on the Lords side. You're helping
Him fight the evil of the world"
"Evll"' said Miss Lucia. "Why
should there be evil in the world?"
why should there be good2" said
Mrs. Redlands. "Why should there be
world at allf"
Il don't know. don't know" said
Miss Lucia. wistful look in her dove
eyes.
And no one else knows" said Mrs.
Redlands. IF it we're meant to be
known it would have been proclaimed
from the housetops There are some
things better than knowing. and one
OF them is faith. and the Lord that
knows all things and knows what is
best. knows there is more comfort and
joy TO be had from faith than from all
1he knowledge Of the cherubim. When
was child 1 was told that the cher
ubim were those who knew and who
went on Gods errands, but that sera-
phim We're those who loved and who
stood in Gods presence. And | had
east in my lot with the seraphim be-
fore l knew that" she said. with a lit
lie laugh. wouldn't you rather be
nlled with love, love throbbing in you
like the fire in a red coal. and stand in
Gods presence than know all the Sc
crets of the universeT'
Miss Lucia looked at her. more than
a trifie amazed For here was this lit
tie bent and shriveled creature. living
at the back of tenement, in one small
room, half under ground. where the
sun never came. and where the damp
Oozed through the wall. talking high
philosophy as If her thoughts kept al
ways such a level
10 be sure the place was exqusitely
neat, and the little woman herself. al
though her hands were sodden and her
figure drawn by disease. was as clean
as If in her Sunday best instead of a
thin old cotton gown. But her face,
when Miss Lucia glanced at it again,
a white and wan and pinched old face,
seemed to wear glory. The eyes
looked out steady and wide. and blue
as a bit of sky. and the smile was bea.
tific. Was it an old woman. Miss Lu-
cia asked herself. who. for the little
cleaning her rheumatic joints would
allow her to do had her room from the
Janitor, and 4 pittance that one day
gave her bread and one day gave her
meat, and many 4 day gave only an
egg or an apple all day long? Or was
it a saint in dust-colored gown and
coarse white handkerchief: IL don't
understand" said Miss Lucia. after
moment. "Would you--mlud telling
me how you came hereF'
No one could ever refuse anything to
that winning voice of Miss Lucia's.
"Why, was led said the little wom-
an, with a confident air, rs il she still
felt her hand in the grasp Of the one
leading her.
do you mean"
'Oh, If you would like to know, my
home was far away. My father lived
in the fear Of God, My mother lived
in the love of God. I was born with
the love of God In me- Before | could
speak l felt it. I remember what it
was to me in my childhood-the sun
shine seemed TO belong to His smile.
the blue sky to His home: | was happy
ike little sprlnging animal, and / al
ways felt it was the Lord giving me
my happiness. | was sure that He
was beautiful as the flowers lie had
made. l never picked 4 rose that it
didn't make me feel it was something
belonging to Hin. And the stars at
night always seemed TO ME to be the
lamps twlnlSllng about His courts, He
was as real to me as the universe it.
self. didn't see Him, but the door
was always just about TO open. My
heart was full of love"
How fortunate, how fortunate you
werew
"How blest l wasr
"Why should one person be given
such love. such faith in infancy, and
another not find 1t even now?"
''It is one OF the questions not to be
solved by u.s." said the little old wom-
an. "If we could answer such ques-
tons we should perhaps know how to
make world"
II would like TO make 4 world with
no evil in itr'
"Oh. my dear. you would lose "A great
happiness II there were no evil TO over