that is the same, it allus has been, and it allus will be, I reckon. 

 1888. 

 

 

 THE MOTHER IN PARADISE 

 A mother came to the gateway of Heaven. She was aged and weary. Her body was bowed and her face was wrinkled and withered, for her burden had been the burden of care and trouble and sorrow. So she was glad to be done with life and to seek at the gateway of Heaven the fulfilment of the Promise that had been her solace through all the hard, bitter years. 

 An angel met the Mother at the gateway, and put her arms about the drooping figure, and spoke gracious, tender words. 

 "Whom seekest thou?" asked the angel. 

 "I seek my dear ones who came hither before me," answered the Mother. "They are very many—my father, my mother, my husband, my children—they all are here together, and for many and weary years I have lived in my loneliness, with no other thing to cheer me but the thought that I should follow them in good time." 

 "Yes, they are here and they await thee," said the angel.  "Lean upon me, dear Mother, and I will lead thee to them." 

 Then the angel led the way through the garden of Paradise, and the angel and the Mother talked as they walked together. 

 "I am not weary now," said the Mother, "and my heart is not troubled." 

 "It is the grace of Heaven that restoreth thee, dear Mother," quoth the angel.  "Presently thou shalt be filled with the new life, and thou shalt be young again; and thou shalt sing with rapture, and thy soul shall know the endless ecstasy of Heaven." 

 "Alas, I care not to be young again," saith the Mother.  "I care only to find and to be forever with my beloved ones." 

 As they journeyed in their way a company came to meet them. Then the Mother saw and knew her dear ones—even though the heavenly life had 

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