Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-14

It was the last night ef the old yean and the weAan was aiene ID the room, fulieusly asalnst the windows. The tall MayH8Wer eleek, that has meas= ured the lives of the wenaan's anees= tere, selemnly swung it's great psndu= iuna with the sound of eternity sa ita slow rhythm. A log on the andirgns flame, and then fell Into the ashes In a shapeless naass The woman sat with eloeed eyes leaning back tn 9 Morris chair but her face showed that he" teeaahts were net plea ant sae became aware that some one had chs tered veyy noisaess,y, and she started up nervously and eeheld an angel holding two books lr ais hand, He laid them down silently on the table beneath the soft hga- Of the shaded reading lamp. One was bound in white vel.urn, with the title h blue and scar let, and gold as If wrought by cloiSt- cred hands of the Middle Axes, the other was enclosed in sosled covers of title The Life of Anna Thorne, Vol. XXxV.' The woman gazee at her name and up into the calm, sad eyes of the angel. She remembered that she had been born on. New Years day, thirty-five years before.
 My life for 1s1O?" she queried, with a strange, shivering fear in her voice. The heavenly visitor graveIy inclined his head.
 s.But why two books said she
 This replied the angel, touching the white book gently, lis your record as God would nave had it, but that, indicating the other volume lis what you yourself have written"
 She drew the two books toward her, and opened them side by side on the wide mahogany table. There were three hundred and sixty five pages in TDh0fp1rTa
 "As God would have it-' she said, aloud, turning the leaves of the white book They seemed to exhale a deli cious, refreshing fragrance, healing and uplifting.
 Prayer" said the angel You re- member that in the golden bowls John saw, the incense was the prayers Of the saints" The book has mlsah pray CT in il,
 The woman flushed and slowly turn ed the pages She saw that every day had little time alone with God, waiting in His Presence until the df- vine touch had Soothed and strength ened and revived her spirit. She saw that in this lay the secret of the gold en stars that blazed on every page, for the stars stood for little victories over temper and tongue, over selhshness and meRnness. She saw much grati- tude blossoming in liliess sweet to God, and sacrifices of praise that had DIOusAt H6I SOut l1llO AS44OWS4l4H nANA the pure spirits who praise him be- yond the veil There were several photographs of people whom she knew very well; two girls in her Sunday school class, neighbor across the way, her husbands bookkeeper, a. came to dinner, the seamstress who worked for her by the day, the boy who brought the groceries
 Why, what are all these?" she ex- claimed.
 People who would have come to Christ this year if you had asked them" answered the angel
 There was a group photograph or strangers and foreigners, a throng of women in white chuddas, whose dark luminous eyes were full Of suffering and despair.
 What does this mean?" she ques- toned.
 Look at the second book,'' said the angel "on the same date, April 27,
 The woman turned to the right page and read her own entry there: To day l bought me the diamond pin l have wanted so long. Cousin May, who is rabid foreign missionary worker, says that the price of it would support two Bible women in India for two years but I don't know as that is anything to me"
 Souls to whom you might have sent light and peace" said the angel '-But they were so far away, said | the woman, doubtfully.
 Not too far to have been reached by love and sacrifices" was the reply The white book recorded burdens many. but marvellous help; disappoint- ments, but sweet rest in the Father s will She had asked God to direct her reading, and she was surprised at the list of great and noble and immortal books that she had found time to read. They had nourished and quickened her brain and elevated her spirit. She noted that every day she had absorbed something from the book of books. No paper or magazine or novel had been touched before that. She was aston ished to find how little sentences in her letters had helped people, for she had remembered that it was said of