Year: 1877




canary bird to perch on and sing. She en-
/ joyed it all so much, and Laughed little as
we talked to her. She was so much better
that that night Ed went into the city On bus
iness and left us alone.


About midnight Z saw the change ard
/ called Hannah and started the hired man
for the doctor but ere he came it was all
over. Alice came and knelt by the bed, her
hair over her shoulders and her face as pale
as Rachel's She clung TO the cold hand as
if her last friend was leaving her, for Rachel
had been kinder than / or Hannah for she
was much with her.


Once we thought our sister was dead, but
again life futtered on the quivering lips
and she opened her eyes pray for me
quick" she whispered. 1 turned to Han
nah, but she was terrified / could not have
spoken to have saved my life. Again, more
pleadingly she gasped, "Pray for me, pray
for me-" Amoment's pause and touched
Alice; shecomprehended and began to pray.


have heard men and women, bishops
and ministers Christians, saints ripe for
glory, pray, out never such a prayer as that.
1t seemed as if the pearly gates swung back
and we caught glimpse of the ransoTed
there; as il the angels swept low over the
dying to catch the words of that petition.
Not only for Rachel did she pray, but for
me, for Hannah, and so lovingly for Ed, and
then mournful cry for strength for herself.
knew then how she had suffered. Che
seemed. inspired her words were like those
of the Psalmist, and at the close, gathering
Rachel in her arms she, prayed again for the
'rOd and staff to comfort her in the valley"
and as the last words died away there was
gasp and the two fell back on the pillows.


In little while our neigh bors had done
the last kindly deeds for our sister, but in
the darkened room we watched another who
seemed just lowering on the border land of
eternity, and when morning dawned we
knew Alice would live, but the tender baby
Ii fe had gone. She. kissed the tiny face
once, and then we laid it with the dead in
the room beneath. The prayer, the agony
of heart that had brought peace to Rachels
soul had blighted the little bud of promise
to which we had been so Indifferent. Ed
was nearly frantic, but Alice seemed only
crushed and broken hearted, until after an
hours prayer by the two cold forms went
to her and begged her and Ed to hear me.


| told them it was my fault finding that
had estranged them, my censures and re-
proaches that had made Alice afraid to be
tender and loving to Ed, and had made hIyl
distrust her affection. And then told him
of her prayer of her faith. her piety, and
kneeling by her begged her forgiveness for
the sake of the sister, for the sake of the
babe, to forgive my sin. The then wasted
fingers twined around my hand and the gem
tie pressure drew me to her, and holding me
close to her and Ed, Alice said family, ~
am so happy for have found my trust and
sister. know / was ignorant and childish
and vexed you, but will try never again
to offend. 1 never had sister; my mother
never saw; be sister and mother both to
me- and in our love for each other we shall
treasure the memories of our loved and
lost" She was nearly an angel then,a and for
weeks we thought she too must go. If she
had would have felt like her murderer, and
it seemed to me / never prayed until 1 be-
sought God to spare her life. Ed was so
penitent, so loving, so gentle that Alice
grew happy and bright, and if he had spent
all his time kissing her | would have begged
him not stop.


There are other babies now; yes Rachel is
a winning child of six years, and much like
her aunt, for whom sne is named, but much
as l love them all none have been so dear as
the little nameless one lying in its coffin bed
on the hillside Eds wife is our stay and
support now. She is our light and life, and
thank God every day that no shadow Of
those dark days of her welded life remains
now.