Seven Stories (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873. Excerpt: ... EARTH WITHOUT HEAVEN. a iSUmmtamuf. 'Go to the raging sea, and say, "Be still " Bid the wild lawless winds obey your will; Preach to the storm and reason with despair, But tell not misery's son that life is fair.' KIRKE WHITE. No, do not tell misery's son that life is fair to others, while it is so deeply sad to him, unless you can speak to him, at the same time, of that other life where all will be compensated, where the wicked will cease from troubling, where the weary will rest, where the mourner, who has gone on his earthly way weeping, will see his sorrow turned into joy, and the parted ones will meet again in the light of God's presence. There are lives on which, without these thoughts, without this faith, it would be heart-breaking to dwell. With them it is possible to do so, and to derive benefit from it. I know a tale of humble life which illustrates my meaning. Had I not been able to speak of ' that better land' to one poor woman whose fate I watched for years, and had she not, though ignorant and slow of apprehension, fully appreciated such consolation, it would have been as easy to say to the raging sea ' Be still ' as to have calmed her grief; as wise to have preached to the storm as to have told that child of sorrow that life could ever be fair to her. She inhabited one of the poorest cottages in a village where I once lived. Her husband was a common labourer. She was herself a hard-working, hard-featured person, tall and bony, with a sallow complexion, and a heavy projecting brow. Her appearance was anything but prepossessing at first sight, but to my mind there was an expression in her face which redeemed its plainness. The smile was pleasing, though sad. I used to meet her carrying heavy pails of water, and doing all kinds of fatiguing wo...