was about an
h ou r sin c e
they
ad told he r and she was now
,
lying quite still
,
he r eyes
W ith
closed and he r hands tightly
clenched on her b r ea st
.
In
the
darkened ro om he r face looked gray
and death like
-
breathe
It
.
S he s eemed
s c ar c ely to
.
is su ch a sudden blow
!
,
h e r si ste r
A
s aid,
S O N G IN
D ES E R T
THE
in a whispe r ;
“
.
it was only this
afternoon she got one of his letters
Amy !it will kill her
Oh,
—
,
.
m y p oo r
Her mother
Ruth darling !
chil d !
!
!
bent over the bed with her hot tears fall
,
ing like rainon the girl s dry cold cheeks
’
,
Ruth shall
,
“
Yes
!
.
I
.
pray !
!
The changed chilled
,
it frightened them
v oice !
.
The mother thought words would
free z e on he r lips ; but
praye r came to he r
,
her perhaps
,
.
S he
as
she knelt a
,
was uttered fo r
prayed as he r dead
husband might have prayed with strong
,
crying unto this sovereign
G od
who had
laid his hand heavily on her child
10
—
he r
‘
T II E
eldest born
-
.
NI G H TF
A
S h epleaded
LL
.
with the
Christ
who wept at Bethany and who was no
,
more here to bring back the dead whom
he had taken utterly away
.
Would He
not come near to this poor crushed
,
heart which ev en her moth er coul d not
,
comfort now ! Would He not tell her
that the brave soldie r had found rest
with H im where the shock of war and
,
“
,
garments rolled in blood
be
should neve r
that all his pain had ended
‘
that
it was for love of him and
great
Captain
had called him home !
He who tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb would He not surely do as
,
for her chil d !
11
m uch
A
Th e
v oice
broke
TH E D E SE R T
S O N G IN
d own
.
whi ch had tried to pray
in its faltering
“
Amen
!
.
Amy s s obs fell heavily on the air ; but
’
there came no moan nor cry from the
p a le lips which
C O/Ul d
.
praye r of their own
yet frame no
poor quiv ering
,
,
lips which no warm kisses could e ver
,
more make glad
S he
.
unclosed he r
eyes at length and turned wi th a child
,
like
,
mo v emen t toward
helpless
mother
.
When was it ! Tell me about it
‘
It
!
.
was day before yesterday ; th e
battle was in the morning
,
,
’
,
you can bear it better
don t ask
’
do n t ! Wait till
me Ruth darling
,
her
’
!
.
NI G H T F
THE
“
I
can bear it
n ow
.
ALL
.
!i d h e,
he
did
live long after it !
!
N0
;
C an
his su fferings were very sh ort
they
!
.
will he come home !
!
—
,
A long silen ce answered this question ;
My
com e
poo r child ! h e
poo r
,
c ann ot
!
.
A long shiv er passed ove r he r frame,
but her anguished eyes
di d
not flinch
from asking one more question
.
There was no time for any message
was the reply
Hearing this
!
,
.
,
she
turned away so that
they could not see her face
“
I
.
would rather be alone she said
13
.
A
So
S O NG IN
DE SER T
T HE
.
they went he r mothe r stopping to
,
give her a long lingering kiss to smooth
,
,
her tangled hair
,
to
feel the chill of her
white face to know that she could do
,
nothing nothing for he r
,
her alone
—
,
.
S he
must leave
.
her child he r poor little
,
Ruth who had been all hers to love and
,
help since she came to her a little wail
,
,
ing baby so long ago
,
.
Now she must go
away ; she could not comfo rt her
.
S he
closed the door and in the silence which
,
fell on the dim
r oom,
To stand face to fac e
had smitten
he r,
Ruth was left
wi th G od
who
to feel sure of nothing
in earth o r heav en but
14
his
changeless
THE
will and her
-
“
NIGHTF
ALL
.
consciousness of agony
o wn
this belongs to those things which are
within the
H im
—
,
v ail
!
.
S he
was alone with
what avails it to say more !
After a while her mother came
ln
,
and drew back the shutter
green of the trees by
th e
ftly
so
Th e
.
river side the
-
,
sparkle of the waters the shadows on the
,
hills and the broad line of gold in the
,
ev ening
sky,
glowing and fading in its
grand unrest the flickering li ght down
in the valley whe r e the village children
this was wha
t Ruth saw
were at play
,
.
The same world was it ! !i d the light
,
fall just so yesterday through the old
,
familiar trees ! !id the happy riv e r
15
A
S O N G IN
TH E
.
meadows ! Were
th e
win d so among
D ES E R T
those the vo ices and laughte r of the little
children whom she had known so long
She
m oan,
cl osed
,
h er
eyes with a long
,
low
and he r mother hearing it dre w
,
the blinds again
.
!re s ently Amy stol e in with a c up
!leas e,
“
Feeling
hold ing it to h e r lips
Ruth
it
shiv ering
s
of
.
heat she pushed it away
,
,
was so cold so cold now
,
,
what had she to do with anything warm
and life giving !
-
“
Amy
,
I
can t
’
—
,
I c an
you had better go now
,
the night has come
!
.
-a -
’
t ! Mother
,
both of you
,
N I G H T F A L IL
THE
.
The broken wail of her voice rang in
her mother s ear for hours and Amy
’
,
sobbed herself to sleep
.
Ruth lay in her
little room with her hands still crossed
,
on her breast holding up a great prayer
,
in their clasping and her eyes wide O pen
-
,
to th e darkness all night long
.
They had been all to each othe r
she
—
,
and Frank
.
He had come to her in her
sunny girlhoo d making all her days a
,
beautiful
it
cou ld
p
r om l s e
be broken
,
;
she had not thought
had not
G od
spoken
it ! And now he had go ne from her
,
had gone away utterly
.
You know how she loved him ; you
need not words to tell you
17
.
By your own
SON G
A
IN
THE
D E SE R T
.
heart too you will measur e her loss
,
,
.
S he
had been so happy how could she bear
,
it to wake fro m h e r d r eam and know she
,
sh ould ne v e r mo r e be glad ! Hers had
been such a tr usting heart it had clung
,
so closely to him and his lov e how could
,
she stand alone with all that had been
,
h er h elp lying
mute and still
.
by
that
far off south e r n riv er ! How could she
-
come back to the wilderness of lif e in
,
whi ch she coul d find henceforth no voice
to answe r he r ! How c ould she take up
these weary hour s and days which must
make he r future
,
r emembering
what they
might have been and how he would have
,
blessed them and made them bright !
18
T HE
He r
m othe r,
NI G H T F
ALL
.
goin g about the darkened
home so rr owfully in th e days when Ruth
,
wo u l d be alone in he r still r oom thought
,
and p ra ye d
m u ch
ious h eart
What sh ould sh e ask fo r he r
.
o v e r this in
her
au x
chil d ! How co u l d she he r mothe r
,
her
ba ck to h e r desol ate
,
c all
i
HE came among them at last but
she was not of them
Wherever
.
she went a shadow rested
,
.
The
childre n shrank away frightened
,
at her black dress and white
changed face
.
,
Amy cried in secret ove r
the sisters he had lost and her mother s
’
,
mute eyes followed tearfully her every
motion After a time howe v er Ruth took
.
,
20
,
A
S O N G IN
th e dash of glad
TH E D ES E R T
.
w aters,
the hush of pur
ple hills and glowing sky and the tende r
ness of tr emulous white clouds lay befo r e
her
as of old ; and th en to s ee he r turn
,
away fro m them all as if th ey hurt he r ;
to s ee
light
h ow
he r fa c e paled when th e twi
,
fell and
,
so
away
,
m i ss h e r,
h owshe
would steal quietly
quietly they would har dly
and to know that the burden
of th e day had grown so heavy she could
,
no longe r bear it
l ong
The
.
month s passed away, an d
each one found
h er
mo r e patient more
,
mindful of all thoughtful dee d s and words
of lo v e
.
She
ha d long since taught her
lip s to p r ay again ; she thought she
22
w as
C O NF L I C T
THE
.
trying to make them frame the Abba
Father of a life of suffering
taken hold of the hand of
S he
.
On e w h o
had
wept
for her ; she k ne w He loved her she
,
knew He would never leave her
,
s
he
knew He had given her a life with which
to glorify Him
was all
If
—
,
she
lmew
it but that
,
.
she had looked honestly into
he r
'
heart she would
,
not taking it up
h av e
as
s e en
—
i
l fe ,
that she was
not even fo r
Him who spe nt long years of toil and
suffering fo r he r ; she would have seen
that she never once had lost the wish
I h ad
almost said the
p
'
er s i s t en t
wz ZZ
to
’
die
.
He r recalled smiles and gayer words
23
A
SONG
TH E
IN
D E SE R T
.
were only like perishing flowers which
had root in the depth of this one cease
less hope
.
Her fri ends looked on sorrow
fully and fel t that they were helpless
,
yet watched her
w ith
ceaseless prayer
.
They ha d all been together one e v en
ing in the sitting room the children play
-
,
ing before the
O
pen fire and Ruth and
,
Amy shelling corn for them to parch
.
Their mother sat by listeni ng to the
,
laughter of the little boys and Amy s
’
,
happy talk ; but her ear caught most
quickly the lowest of Ruth s quiet words
’
,
'
and her eyes fell oftenest and perhaps
most lovingly on the little dark
figur e,
with its pale face and tender he lpful
,
,
24
T HE
hands
C O NF
LI
CT
.
Sh e saw how happy the children
.
were with her how their arms clung
,
about her n eck when it came time to
say good night how she returned the ir
!
-
,
warm kisses with a smile and then whe n
,
,
they had left her how her eyes sad
,
d en e d ,
looking
d reamily
into the fire
,
some faint new pain seeming to creep
,
into them
“
.
Rut h said Amy aft er a pause
!
,
Greyson
,
asked
m e,
didn t suppose y
tr i ct
year
,
S arah
to day why you didn t
’
-
,
come to see her as you used to
’
“
,
an
d if I
could do some dis
ou
visiting down town with her this
!
.
Ruth compressed he r lips and
,
25
A
S O NG
TH E
IN
D E S ER T
.
hands twitched ne rv ously but she made
,
no reply
“
.
And Ruth dear
,
,
,
Well
“
You have ne ve r come back to your
old place in the sewing circle
-
and our
reading class ask me every week if we
-
shan t see you again soo n
!
’
.
Ruth turned quickly he r face full of
,
pain
“
.
I c annot,
Amy ; it hurts me s o to go
ab o ut among people
I ll
’
.
help the poor
in a quiet way ; but a year is a lon g time
to think about and as for the reading
,
do not care for that
,
now
26
-
I
what use is it
T HE
S he
C O NF L I C T
.
t u rned her face again to the fire
.
Amy was silent and soon rose to go up
,
stairs
,
went
“
you
c oming
to kiss Ruth before she
.
Amy, dear, I d idn t mean to scold
’
-
you und erstand
,
Oh,
no you ne v e r ar e c ro ss to me o r
,
anybody ; you r e a perfe ct angel
’
home
only some h ow Ruth
,
,
I
know
,
,
—
he re
I
at
don t
’
wish
The r e was a pu z z led look on he r bright
face
an d
“
Ruth kissed it away with a laugh
,
.
Am y l eft the room
Ruth
!
,
silence
,
s aid
.
he r mother afte r a long
come up here and sit by me
S h e c ame ,
!
.
sitting at he r feet he r head
,
A
S O N G IN
D ES E R T
T HE
.
resting on her hand as if she were
tired
“
.
Ruth dear you are doing everything
,
,
you can for us at home and
,
I
wonder at
your gentleness and patience every hour ;
but
I
don t think
’
,
child
am blaming you my
,
but do n t you suppose you could
’
,
take up some of the work you used to
love so and mingle a little more with
,
some of your old friends !
!
“
I c annot
do it mother
,
,
I
cannot go
back to any more of the old life ; it is all
I
can do to get along from
home
d ay
to day
at
!
.
There was something sharp in her
voice as she spoke
.
28
A
The
SONG
fir eligh t
IN
TH E
D E SE R T
.
fell full on he r face so
,
old and wan with the lines on
,
her
fo r e
head
It
would not take much more of this
,
he r mothe r thought to giv e her the rest
,
she longed for
No home ties could keep
-
.
Christ
her the lo v e of the dear
,
himself
only taugh t her to endure and no mo r e
,
.
What else r em a ined ! Who could help
he r child in this weary way !
Ruth what would F r ank wish ! she
!
,
said at last
,
This seemed almost c ruel
.
,
her lips quiv e r ed so he r hands clasped
,
her mother s so helplessly there was such
’
,
a piteous entreaty in he r stifled sobs
.
He r mother s arms gathe r ed her as if
’
,
30
T HE
C O NF L I C T
.
she had been indeed a little child
S he
.
c ould
do nothing but lo v e he r ; she must
l eave
the r est with
“
0
an d
.
mother !mother !d o l et me go !
!
Ruth crept up to her with a little
wm d
low cry as if the
,
Afte r a while
s
G od
sh e
we r e wailing
,
“
.
went up stairs and
at down in he r room by the window
Amy was asleep and it was quite still
,
S he
.
.
looked out to see the winte r wind
tossing the branches of the gaunt leaf
,
less trees and driving masses of cloud
,
gloomily across the s ky
.
In r elief
against
the darkness she could just see the out
,
lines
of
the vill age church and the low
,
stone wall which bounde d the cemetery
S O NG
A
behind it
in gly ;
IN
THE
DE SER T
.
There her eye rested long
.
there
w as
quiet there was repose
,
to sleep there would be to find Frank
‘
S he
.
had no dearer love for all the bright
world now than just tha t it held a little
,
space in which she could lie some day
,
and be at rest with the sweet breath of
,
violets and daisies and the melody of
singing b irds above her
.
How had she
the strength to think that another year
migh t find her still a w ay from Frank !
B 1 1 t, — i f
S he
!
this were the will of
G od !
was startled at the answer her
heart gave to this question
thought herself submissive
S he
.
—
,
had
she had
thought herself resigned to his care
32
.
C ONF
THE
LI
CT
.
The truth came suddenly to her
.
S he
saw how faint was her trust in his love
,
how feeble her best endeavors to serve
Him in the lot He had appointed her
,
.
how utterly she did in fact rebel against
,
,
his will when that will decreed that she
,
should live
.
S he
saw in herself the nar
rowed influence and dwarfed energies of
a crushed thankless life taken only as a
,
,
burden and borne as if sh e were a slave
and not a child
.
And why was this ! Because
had taken away her treas u re
.
should He not do as He pleased
G od
But
W 1 th
his own ! Had He no more claim upon
her love because one of his golden gifts
—
33
h
A
S O N G IN
THE
D E SE R T
.
had been recalled ! And yet
and
,
yet how could she give it in the way
He wished ! With the persistence of
grief she came back to her old self ex
-
,
cu si n g
.
fi ed
Would not her M aster be satis
if she did for Him all she could from
,
day to day ! Ho w could He ask her to
accept a future into which Frank could
ne v e r come !
84
out upon the clouds
r an answer she thought
,
last they moved and bright
ened and a glory of light
,
shone through the m turn
,
ing the night to day
As she gaz ed a
.
,
form appeared therein and moved toward
,
h er,
a shining path
it came
to
r ow m
g
before
it
till
g
where she was
,
.
A sense
o
f
purity over whelmed her but she felt no
,
35
S ONG
A
fear
Looking
.
sh e
abo v e her
,
“
Frank !
IN
.
up into the bright face
saw why
S he
!
D ES E R T
T HE
.
waited breathlessly
fo r his answer ga z ing into his eyes as if
,
,
so she thought death might come to her
He smiled
,
—
.
his old familiar smile it
was yet changed into something so per
,
feet in its joy that she wondered to see
,
it
He called her by name his voice
.
,
like a strain of music that might wander
forever about the Throne yet tender still
,
and full of human love
.
S he
out her hands to him pleadingly
“
stretched
.
You have been sent to take me
home Frank !
!
,
A change came over his face a look
,
36
S O N G IN
A
r e a ch
T HE
D E SE R T
.
it ; he stood far away from her the
,
golden light about him deepening and
glowing as if it were the very whiteness
,
of the Throne
And she seemed to know
.
suddenly though it was
,
which
told her that so every hour of this
,
h opeless m urmuring
placed more of dis
tance between him and her
this was hardest of all
sh arp
“
cry,
I
That e v en
.
e x pect her to stay without him !
he sh ould
—
his voice
n ot
he spoke again
.
Hearing her
.
cannot so look on it my poo r Ruth ;
,
to us who hav e seen
'
G od,
the life which
he giv es even in its pain must be
,
,
thankfully accepted
.
I do
not forget
earth s anguish or its love ; loude r than
’
,
38
T HE
!I
SION
.
all the music of our angel choirs
,
I
have
heard your low moaning ; but to see you
rebel
a
gainst HIM to see
,
th e
love with
which his hand has separated us and
,
then to see how you let it crush you as
,
if it were a harsh and cruel thing
,
Ruth all the pain that
,
is in my heart for you
can
ente r heav en
!
.
Frank what will you have me
Oh,
do ! she wailed ;
!
“
take this bitte r
I
suffer
from Him !
!
This
Be
bless ed
llaanlrf a l
That you
gif
that
s u ffer
for Him
!
.
Take up these weary years as if they
were not filled with misery !
!
A
“
S O NG IN
T HE
D E S ER T
.
Take them with rejoicing because
there is something yet to do for Him
S ee i n
g
!
.
the great prayer for help on
her lips he drew near to her his face
,
,
brightening as if to bless her
“
“
My
what
.
work was not finished
I
!
,
he said ;
left undone on earth is given to
you to bring to
,
G od
for us both
you do this for Him Ruth !
,
.
Will
S ee
Turning he pointed to an O pening in
,
th e
clouds whe r e a long lonely path stretched
,
,
'
out before her ;
an d
lookin g,
it was hers to tread
she saw that
The way seemed
.
to lead through a deser t but as she
,
,
Oh
served it more closely she saw that all
,
along its sands homely duties and kindly
,
40
THE
!I
SI ON
.
words and tender helps to the poor and
,
lowly Sprung and brightened like flowers
,
,
the joy of sad hearts whom she
an d
should cheer was like the lull of foun
t a in s i n
tance
the parched air
Far in the dis
.
a soul cross ed her path which but
,
,
for her could not be saved ; and as she
,
listened to the dim sound of its blessings
’
,
an d
looked eagerly fo r w ard it might be
,
perhaps there wer e
,
had
w h om
chosen her to bring to himself
,
was not sure
,
h im ,
she
.
Yo u r work and mine
together Ruth
G od
A voice broke the stillness
.
of her long ga z ing
“
o th er s
,
!
.
,
we will do it
And turning to answer
,
she saw by the deathle ss love in his
,
41
A
S O N G IN
eyes that he would
,
alone
TH E
n ot
D ES E R T
.
leave her to toil
While she struggled with he r
‘
.
tears for speech the pure bri ght face
,
,
fa d ed
slowly from her sight
out her hands imploringly
.
S he
stretched
she called
name ; but his sm ile was her only
swer
.
S he
his
an
awoke with a start to find
,
h ad
faded and she sat alone
by her window
Amy still slept soundly
her dream
,
.
,
and the room was cold and dark
ing with a sick sense
,
Of
.
Turn
disappointment
,
to look out into the night she saw that
,
the clouds were breaking away and in
,
the bit of clear still sky above
,
a single star shone like a smile
h er
head
,
.
The first whisper of possible peace she
42
THE
!I
SI ON
.
had heard since Frank left he r came as
,
she bowed he r head he r lips moving as
,
43
T he @ ags
was only Ruth s clinging kiss on
’
er mother s lips and a s mile bright
’
,
with deepened love turn ed on
Amy which told them that in
,
the watches of the night
G od
had
spoken to her a promise of bette r things
,
and sent Frank to help her
.
But they looked at her in wonde r as
,
every
d ay
she followed the voice which
A
S O NG IN
TH E D E S E R T
.
Rut h liked to play with them an d s ee
them
h appy,
and Ruth was so patient
with the m ; Ruth made all hard tasks so
easy ;
Ruth
had s u ch a pleasant way
settling their troubles ; they had
Of
s uch
talks with Ruth at twilight afte r they
,
had said th eir prayers wh en she came up
,
and sat down on their little bed !
The buoyancy of Amy s girlhood was
’
no longer checked because of her sister s
’
loss ; she came at last to confide to he r
,
,
again all the joys and plans which
,
h ad
never seeme d half hers unle ss Ruth
could share them
“
.
And as for mother
!
,
why Ruth
,
,
I
she would say
,
believe she lives by
46
THE
loving you
!A Y s
TAR
.
And Ruth turni ng with
!
,
.
her quiet smile wo u l d see in her mother s
’
,
eyes that which made her go up very
softly to hide her face on her shoulder
,
and feel the
But
ca r es sm
hand
on
her
hair
g
.
it was not in her home alone that
her patient heart drew the blessing of
others to itself
There were
.
O ld
friend
ships to renew and almost forgotten
,
cu
p
a ti o n s
to take up again for their sake
There were many
s m itt en
forter
.
,
oc
,
w ho knew
t o o,
Him
whom
G od
not as a
.
had
Com
These called to her and her own
,
su ffering made he r eye quick to find
"
th em
So
.
she
w ent d own
47
among those who
A
S ONG
D ES E R T
THE
IN
.
were poor and despised of men as her
,
M aster
had gone before her seeking the
,
sorrowful ones whom she might help
At every step she met them
not known before
how
S he
.
much
misery there was around her
u
.
had
naide d
.
From their stifled factories and squalid
homes they came to her
,
.
S he
drew near
to them to call them friends and that
,
with humbled heart for grief had made
,
desolate ways for them as for her and
,
the same
S avi our
Helper loved them
S he
who had been her
.
could tell you
Of
discourage
ments which threatened to overcome her
strength of ingratitude where she had
,
d
48
T HE
!A YS T A R
.
labored most and hoped most surely of
,
temptings to fall back into the selfish
indolence of her grief of hours when her
,
s truggles with the wish for de a th were
bitter of hours when the rod seemed
,
sharper than she could bear
.
But she would tell you too of a Help
,
,
that always waited for her of a S trength
,
Love
that gave her courage of a
,
never forgot her
She
.
would tell you
on her
,
ch eek, a n d
‘
that
w ith
a faint flush
moistened eyes that
,
it was very little she could do ; but per
haps that wo u l d be accepted and some
,
time she might see that her e fforts had
-
not been all unavailing
49
.
S ome lime
Her
A
S O N G IN
TH E D E SE R T
.
finge r s would turn her betrothal ring
unconsciously as she spoke and you
,
would know at once what she meant
.
But she was not to wait fo r this to see
,
the results of her work
Though we
.
cannot know how brilliant the crown
may be at l ast some of its jewel s will
,
fall in our path as we walk
S he
.
thought of this thankfully one
night when she had planned a festiv al
,
for a crowd of little children whom she
,
had taught in her patient way for many
,
months
.
,
They came from their dark
,
unwholesome homes to frolic un d er the
trees and in the gar den
—
,
the same gar
den whe r e she and Frank used to walk
.
THE
Sh e
thought
,
D A Y S T AR
wi th
.
a smile ho w it would
,
please him to see them there
.
The little ones had brought their
mothers and sisters with them shyly
,
s ometimes
“
,
a whole family indeed ; for
,
didn t the lady
’
a sk
’
em
,
all
to
c om e ;
and M olly and brother Tom had a holi
day and thought they d walk along too ;
’
,
,
and didn t she want to see the baby
’
,
which couldn t come without mother
’
,
no how and could creep all round into
-
,
e v erything since she saw it !
!
And
th e
little thing would be sure to find its way
over the soft grass to her knee and
,
sh e
would take it up to kiss it and play with
it the prou d mothe r standing by
,
51
.
A
One
S O NG IN
THE
D E SER T
.
neatly dr essed woman cast he r
-
keen eye over the lawn to single out
,
three or four rosy children from the
group and spoke suddenly
,
,
To think she said putting her apron
!
,
,
up awkwardly to her eyes
“
,
to think
how them little things was used to be
left without a morsel to eat all day long
,
in their miserable rags and me lying
,
drunk on the floo r or
,
t hr a sh in
’
of em about
’
,
b ea tin
’
of em and
’
poor innocents !
till they didn t know what mothe r
’
meant but a sort of devil !and then to
,
see em so clean and tidy and me so
’
,
happy and the rum cupboard all cleaned
-
,
out and filled up with their little books
,
52
A
at the
eyes
“
S O N G IN
laughing
D ES E R T
THE
.
baby with hungry
.
was so pretty ! she said in a
M in e
!
,
sort of appealing tone to Ruth ;
“
just so
,
warn t he ! An d my heart w a s broke for
’
him till
I
see you
!
.
Ruth took her hand very quietly with
,
the quick tears in her eyes
“
“
You told me
!
,
.
said the woman
,
you told me where he d gone to and
’
,
taught me the way to find him and told
,
me
he d wait for me and love
’
,
m with
e,
his p r etty ways in heav e n just the same
,
Yes he was a
,
boy !
I
,
W insome
was just
looked with his
,
thinkin
r ed
54
.
baby was my
’
how he d have
’
cheeks tumblin
,
’
THE
!A YS T AR
.
round among them little things
an d
,
.
comin up to kiss you along with em
’
!
’
!ust then,
a
.
gentle pull at her dress
caused Ruth to turn and see a pair of
very sad childish eyes fi x ed on her and
,
to hear the st ory which had darkened
them :
“
Fathe r had drank up all the
money and mother was lying sick at
,
home and they ha d n t no dinner all day ;
’
,
and would she mind her saving her
supper when it came tim e to eat and
,
,
carrying it home
she wou l dn t let no
’
body know and would hide it right
,
quick in her p ocket
S he
off
!
.
had scarcely comforted the child
,
and brought back the light into its eyes
,
A
S ON G
IN
THE
D E SE R T
.
before Amy call ed he r to start
s ome
I
merry game under the tr ees
"
.
With he r
smile ready for them in a moment she
,
turned away and joined the children s
’
S
port
.
Af ter that, a happy mother came to
her spelling out last week s letter from
’
,
her soldie r boy that Ruth might read
-
,
and rejoice
w ith
,
her
.
Then it was a
shy girl telling a story O f her lover s long
’
furlough and how brave and good he
,
was and he wanted to see the lady ;
,
“
would she mind
d r opp In g
1 n,
when she
was down to say a bit to him or should
,
,
she fetch him up to the house with her
,
some time after mill hours were over !
-
56
!
THE
Close
!A YS T A R
.
behind the blushing girl another
,
stood waiting to speak
so close that
,
she heard the happy talk and turned
,
aw ay with a sudden motion like one in
pain
.
It w a s
not long before Ruth stood
by her looking into her face pale with
,
,
its st amp of early widowhood
were Igno rance and
What
.
!o v erty that they
should rise up between them now ! In
thei r kindred loss Ruth thought they
,
,
met on common ground
She
.
drew the
girl s hand through her arm and wan
’
,
dered down into the garden with her
There was little to say
,
.
only a few
kind words and then to foll ow them by
,
a silence
.
in
which the touch of the cool
57
S O NG IN
A
THE
D E S ER T
.
air and the light among the flowers
,
,
might bring their
tired heart
SO
Own
soothing to the
.
they came to her one by one
,
these neglected ones into whos e dark
,
lives she had brought such brightness
,
they came to bless her and go on their
way rejoicing
.
You would hav e wonde r ed to see he r
'
passing among them with the sunlight
,
he r
on her quiet face and the smile
on
lips so patient she was and full
tender
,
,
Of
ness for them so full of coura ge for their
,
future so earnest in her sympathy with
,
their joys so quick to divine where their
,
troubles were and giv e them c omfort
.
THE D A
TA R
YS
.
childr en, m ade h appy
The
by th eir
plen tifu l supper had grown ti red with
,
thei r sports and gath e r ed around her
,
r ubbing
,
their eyes with their little b rown
fists to s ay good night
—
-
,
,
l eft
was
alone
S he
.
'
and at l ast she
sat do wn
u
nde r
the tr ees whe r e the bir ds we r e chirping
sl eepily
o v e r he r head
gr oup in the road
,
to
watch the
the women
b u shi n g
their babies to sleep as they walked ; the
happy chil dren counting their store of
apples and candy drowsily and treading
,
down the daisies ; the young people
stealing home two by two in the twi
,
,
light and a solitary figure in a dark
,
dress
,
,
lingering
behind them all
59
.
That
A
figur e
l ook
th e
TH E D ES E R T
S O N G IN
w ould
.
turn again an d again
at her as she
,
grey
of
s at
,
to
there al one in
,
the evening as if it l onge d
,
to come back and tell her how th e
broken hearts for which she cared p raye d
G od
to speak to her the same promise
.
pea c e she had spoken to them
S he
of
.
watched the girl till he r form
grew dim in the dusky light then bend
,
,
ing her head listened for the last sound
,
of the children s laughter
’
.
When that had died away she co ve r ed
,
h er
face
w ith
her hands
.
All these had blessed her
,
b a d blessed
her ! S hould she let thei r v oices call to
her in vain !
Should
60
she not th ank
G od
S O N G IN
A
D E SE R T
THE
c r eed its every moment in love
it may be
—
longs not to her care
S he
What
.
how long how short
,
,
.
—
,
be
.
sees in all the kindliness
Of
daily
life a sweet incense which may rise to
,
he aven
like
strong
All the thorns in her way she
.
a prayer and make her
,
wil l press to her heavy heart and turn
to flowers for his sake whose grief alone
deserve s such sharp
cr o
wn m g
.
What if her steps do falter on this
.
rough way !
S he
knows her
S aviour
is
there ; she only asks to hear his voice
,
and she will go wherever it shall guide
her
.
He
journey
.
wi ll
not ask of her too long a
He knows how she l o v es he r
62
T II
E
! A YS T A R
soldier and will in his
,
,
.
.
own
good time
,
bring her to the home in which He waits
for her
S O,
.
hand in hand with
treads the !esert
by
n ot e
days
6"
.
Her e
.
S he
Christ,
she
learns to gather
,
note the broken harmony of her
,
This is the b urden of h er
h e rd ,
a nd
so n
g
:
t he M rs whi c h t ho u
has t gi ve n me
63
.
!
.