Middletown transcript., 1908-05-16
A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE


than that of an elderly married
couple, who, trustingly and lov-
ingly together, have walked the
rugged ways of life from youth
to old age, and now hand in hand
and heart to heart, are patiently
and hopefully waiting upon the
hither shore of time, for the
sound of the boatman's oar, to
be borne across the river. We
look back along the dim vista OF
years to the halycon time oflife's
sunny morning, we witness their
plighted vows at the altar, and
see them go forth, in the pride
of life and the glory of their
young welded lives to the strug-
giles of existence. Many God
speed and kind word of cheer
fall upon their ears as they go
out from beneath the parental
roof-tree that is to shelter them
no more forever. Before them
lies a new world of experiences,
of joys and sorrows. of grand
successes, and perhaps of sad fail
ures. But strong of purpose and
resolute of will, and with life's
sky rose tinted with the flush of
dawn, they move on, and enter
upon, this to them all unexplored
world of experiences. We see
them settled in their new home.
Perhaps it is log cabin in the
wilderness, with neighbors few
and far, or may be cozy little
cottage in some distant town.
The husband is bravely bending
every energy to the task OF
mastering the hard conditions of
life, and a home and a name in
the world and securing if posi-
BILE that independence that shall
relieve them from the possibility
of want. To the wife's rosy
cheek has come the palIor of the
dreadful agonies of maternity,
but now her eyes are bright with
a new hope, as she caresses the
tiny form that nestles in her
bosom. And then comes added
care and heartaches as the years
glide away. We see them, with
streaming eyes and pleading lips
bending over the conch of their
darling, as it's little life futters
away in the short gasps of disso-
luton, and it's eyes grow dim un-
der the touch of deaths icy fin
gers. But anon, time pours its
gentle balm into their wounded
hearts, and the bitter trial and
loss which they thought they
never could endure, fades away
into a tender memory. Again
we behold them, and as in the
long ago they went forth into the
world, now their own noble sons
and daughters burdened with
the unsolved problems and un-
tried responsibilities of life, fol-
low in their footsteps; and soon
their home is left unto them des-
olate, save in the companionship
of their own souls. Well for
them if they have within them
selves treasures of culture and
character that shall supply their
dearest need; we'll for them if
schooled in that beautiful philos.
ophy that enabled st. Paul to
say: Il have fought the good
fight, have finished my course,
I kept the faith" they too can
feel in their souls that they have
done the best they knew, and
that now they will trust the good
Father for all that is to come.
The shadows stretch away in
lengthening lines toward the east,
and now they are calmly watch
ing the glories Of the coming
sunset of a well,spent life. How
grand they seem in the fruition
of their years, with their silvered
hair glowing in the sunsets
golden CLEAN. Their faces are
radiant with a divine hope that
beyond the bars of the shining
west the beckoning arms of their
loved ones are outstretching TO-
wards them to welcome them to
their home of eternal rest and
love; and that in a few more days,
or years at the most, they will
pass on as one weary with the
burdens of the day gathers, "the
drapery Of his couch about him,
and lies down to pleasant
dreams.