The Argosy — page 275: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

256 ‘““ Beside all Waters.”’ Rectory. As he passed through the peaceful churchyard something attracted his attention. It was the sunlight falling on a white marble cross, and lighting up with startling distinctness the inscription : “One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.” And beneath it the words: ‘‘ Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty.” At once the truth was borne in upon him, and it scarcely needed the name to tell him who lay sleeping there. ‘There were tears in his eyes as he stood beside that little grassy bed under the great Apostles’ window, where the western sunlight always fell. As he lingered on, a hand was suddenly laid upon his arm, and he turned to face the Rector. There was a close hand-clasp, but neither spoke. At last the father said, brokenly : ‘“T thought we should see you again. Yes, we have given him back to God, the light of our eyes. It was the fever in the spring- time. I knew from the first how it would be, and he was so glad to go. Death had no terrors for him, for he had never forgotten that sermon of yours, and often we have thanked you in our hearts for what you had done for him. I believe he had learnt to be more than content, to be happy in his lot, with that end in view. And just at the last he stretched out his arms as though he saw some one who was hid from our eyes, while his face lighted up with a wonder- ful flush of joy, as he cried out, ‘ Father, mother, tell him it 1s just as he said—now I see.’” The Rector broke off suddenly, and again both were silent. And then the young man said sadly : ‘“T had so hoped to see him again. I have never forgotten that earnest little face. But my life is so full of work; it is so rarely I have a moment free. Ah! I wish that I might have seen him again!” And as he looked towards the western skies, and thought of the glories opened evermore to those unclouded eyes, he added : ““T came to ask, ‘Is it well with the child?’ and I am answered. ‘Surely, it is well.’ ” Amid his lonely, often thankless, labour, when the seed must be sown so constantly, and the reaping comes so rarely, there flashes from time to time across the vision of one of God’s most faithful servants a sudden memory of a wistful, childish face, with its soft blind eyes—eyes that are open now in the glad light of Paradise— and it brings to him a message of hope, of the final solving of the dark and difficult problems of human griefs and human sin ; and he says to himself, as he turns again to the unceasing conflict, ‘‘ One day I too shall see.” CHRISTIAN BURKE. Gomichbooks.co a OS" LK etl ems —